Maple Valley residents press Council to rescind or delay MFTE program ahead of April 27 vote

Multiple residents used the public-comment period at the April 13 Maple Valley City Council meeting to urge the Council to rescind or reevaluate the Multi-Family Tax Exemption program and to delay the upcoming map vote.

Warren Iverson of Hobart said he had concerns about proposed fire benefit charges, felt the vote was being rushed and mentioned the Tahoma School District facilities planning committee. Don Delaney of Maple Valley and other residents including Bhrett Monroe (Unincorporated King County), Godfrey Guerzon (Maple Valley) and Dave Tegeler (Maple Valley) expressed opposition to MFTE, stating it provides heavy tax breaks to developers, shifts taxes onto residents — including those in unincorporated King County — and offers little direct return to the community. Several commenters asked that the Council reconsider or rescind the program and that the April 27 vote on the map be moved.

Mike Burgess, speaking as a Maple Valley resident (and stating he is not a Planning Commission member), said he has learned about the MFTE program and urged Council not to adopt the RTA map and to reassess related code. Kathleen Dunham (Hobart), Amy Anderson (Maple Valley), Elisa Foreman (Maple Valley) and Debbie Hutchinson (Ravensdale) similarly sought repeal or reevaluation, citing tax pressures on small-business owners and fixed-income residents. Michael Tate, an alternate member of the Planning Commission, said he had concerns about the mandatory tax shift and indicated he might have voted differently with more information. Jeff Berry commented on the Tahoma School District levy process.

Council did not take formal action on MFTE at this meeting; public comments were recorded in the minutes and several speakers requested postponement of the April 27 map vote so Council could reconsider the program.

The Council’s next scheduled meetings include a special study session on April 20 and the regular business meeting on April 27, when the referenced vote is scheduled to occur.