Chelan sales tax increase to assist with road construction and maintenance

A view above Woodin Ave. in Chelan. Photo courtesy: LakeChelanCams.com

The city of Chelan is now getting added revenues from visitors and residents alike to help pay for road, sidewalk and bridge maintenance and new construction from a .03% increase in the sales tax that kicked in Tuesday.

The sales tax within the city's Transportation Improvement District is now 8.7%, an increase of three cents on ten dollars spent to generate an estimated $900,000 a year.

"It will take several months for those funds to build up," said Chelan Mayor Erin McCardle. "The transportation benefit tax is a 10-year program. How those funds are spent are focused on community engagement and actually being able to complete projects. People feel the impact immediately when you get projects done. "

The added sales tax revenues will assist the city in paying what may be required of the city to pay it's share of state and federal transportation grants.

"We have a lot of work to do before we start moving forward on anything," McCardle added. "Most of the projects will go out for some sort of bonding or grant matching."

The city has $32.5 million in projects on it's amended six-year Transportation Program. View the list of proposed projects here.