King County Cemetery District No. 1 (Vashon) Proposition No. 1 — Levy for Retention and Improvement of Vashon Cemetery Services

Last updated Sat, Nov 7, 4:33 PM ET

Ballot measure · November 3, 2026 · Only voters in this district

What it does
To support operational expenses, modernize and maintain burial records, acquire essential equipment, advance the development of green burial practices, and facilitate the acquisition of additional property, the Board of King County Cemetery District No. 1 adopted Resolution No. 295 proposing a permanent increase in its regular property tax levy from approximately $.03 ($.02816) to $.05 per $1000 of assessed valuation beginning in 2027. Should this proposition be:
A YES vote means
King County Cemetery District No. 1 (Vashon) would permanently raise its property tax from about $.03 ($.02816) to $.05 per $1,000 of assessed value starting in 2027 for operations, records, equipment, green burial and more property.
A NO vote means
The District's property tax would stay at about $.03 per $1,000.
What it would cost
0.05 mills: $5 a year for every $100,000 of taxable value (a mill is $1 per $1,000). Taxable value is after exemptions such as homestead; your tax bill or property appraiser shows yours.
Needed to pass
A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Left–right lean
Not a left–right issue: a procedural or local question that liberals and conservatives don't typically split on (AI read of the official ballot summary).

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Only on your ballot if you live in the King County Cemetery District No. 1 (Vashon).

Explained

Today

  • King County Cemetery District No. 1 runs the Vashon Cemetery and the Maury Cemetery and covers all property on Vashon and Maury islands. Since forming in 1976 it has levied about 3 cents per $1,000 of assessed value (currently $0.02816), or about $3 a year per $100,000 of value. The law allows it up to 11.25 cents.
  • The district says property tax has fallen short of expenses every year since 2021, and it has covered the gap only with cemetery plot sales, which it calls inconsistent and unpredictable.
  • The district has two employees. Its board says payroll has risen 569% over 50 years, its mowers and tractors are aging, and it needs a truck to move equipment between the two cemeteries.

If it passes

  • A 'yes' vote raises the district's regular property tax levy to 5 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, collected starting January 1, 2027. That is an increase of about $2 a year per $100,000 of assessed value, for a total of about $5 a year per $100,000.
  • The increase is permanent: it is a 'levy lid lift' above the normal state limit, and the 2027 levy amount becomes the base for calculating the maximum levy in later years.
  • The board says the money would pay for operations and equipment, a new truck, electronic preservation of burial records, developing green burial practices, facility improvements, retaining trained staff and eventually buying more land.
  • A 'no' vote keeps the levy at about 3 cents per $1,000.

Example

Per the official explanatory statement: the increase of 2 cents per $1,000 adds about $2 a year in property tax for each $100,000 of assessed value, bringing the cemetery district's total to about $5 a year per $100,000. (source)

Who would notice

Property owners on Vashon and Maury islands, who pay the levy, and families who use or plan to use the island's public cemeteries.

How it got here

The district's Board of Commissioners adopted Resolution No. 295, signed July 10, 2026, placing this proposition on the November 3 ballot. Raising a regular levy above the state limit requires voter approval.

The main cemetery began as a two-acre parcel in 1888 and is now nearly 11 acres; the board says it will again need more land for burials.

What each side says

Supporters

  • No statement in favor was submitted to the voters' pamphlet. The district's board, in its resolution, says the increase is needed for 'a solvent, balanced budget' because tax revenue has fallen short of costs since 2021 and plot sales can't be relied on; the official explanatory statement says the money would help keep the cemetery 'safe, accessible, and well maintained.' · King County Cemetery District No. 1 Board of Commissioners (Resolution No. 295)

Opponents

  • No statement in opposition was submitted. King County Elections says no one came forward to serve on a committee to write one, and SpectrumVote found no organized opposition. · King County Elections voters' pamphlet

Written by SpectrumVote from 3 linked sources (1, 2, 3). Arguments are each side's own, not ours; the official text is what you vote on.

Background

The Board of King County Cemetery District No. 1 (Vashon Cemetery) adopted Resolution No. 295, dated July 10, 2026 on its signature page, proposing to raise its levy from about 3 cents (2.816 cents) to 5 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation starting in 2027.

The resolution says property tax revenue has fallen short of expenses every year since 2021, with the gap covered by cemetery plot sales, which it calls unpredictable. It says payroll for the district's two employees has risen 569% in 50 years.

The resolution cites the need to replace aging mowers and tractors, buy a truck, digitize burial records, meet growing demand for green burial, and eventually add land.

King County Elections says no one came forward to write statements for or against the measure. It estimates the increase at $2 a year per $100,000 of assessed value.

Put on the ballot by Board of Commissioners, King County Cemetery District No. 1 (Resolution No. 295, signed July 10, 2026).

From official source 1, official source 2.

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Quick answers

What does a YES vote on King County Cemetery District No. 1 (Vashon) Proposition No. 1 mean?
King County Cemetery District No. 1 (Vashon) would permanently raise its property tax from about $.03 ($.02816) to $.05 per $1,000 of assessed value starting in 2027 for operations, records, equipment, green burial and more property.
What does a NO vote on King County Cemetery District No. 1 (Vashon) Proposition No. 1 mean?
The District's property tax would stay at about $.03 per $1,000.
How much would this cost me?
About $2 more a year for each $100,000 of your property's assessed value, for a total cemetery district tax of about $5 a year per $100,000.
Is this a temporary levy?
No. The ballot title calls it a permanent increase in the district's regular levy, starting with taxes collected in 2027.
Does this change who owns or runs the cemetery?
No. The explanatory statement says the measure does not change ownership or governance of the cemetery.
How many votes does King County Cemetery District No. 1 (Vashon) Proposition No. 1 need to pass?
A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Should I vote yes or no on King County Cemetery District No. 1 (Vashon) Proposition No. 1?
SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.
When is the vote?
The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.

Not sure how to decide? Read our nonpartisan guide to the King County ballot.

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