The Seattle City Council approved an additional 0.1% sales tax Tuesday.

The tax did not require a public vote after the state Legislature gave local jurisdictions the right to levy the increase, so long as the money is spent on public safety priorities.

In Seattle, the added tax is expected to raise roughly $40 million in 2026.

Exactly how that money will be spent is not clear yet and will be the subject of some debate in the coming weeks as the council tweaks Mayor Bruce Harrell’s proposed budget. What is clear, however, is both Harrell and the council are counting on the new dollars to balance the city’s precarious budget, while also expanding some of its public safety priorities.

The definition of what counts as public safety is broad and goes beyond just new first responders, thoug

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