SEATTLE — Seattle's Department of Transportation is losing out on over $1 million because of what the City of Seattle is calling a "clerical error and administrative oversight."
A city ordinance passed in the council and signed by the mayor at the end of 2022 increased vehicle license fees from $40 to $50. According to the ordinance, the money is supposed to fund public safety improvements and collection would start no later than July 1 of this year.
The increase was projected to bring in $1.96 million in 2023 and $4 million in the following years according to the council's summary and fiscal note. Under Section 4, the city council said the City Clerk is supposed to publish a notice and inform the Washington State Department of Licensing, but that didn't happen by the deadline.
In fact, the Department of Licensing said in a statement that the city didn't reach out until August of this year and the DOL needs at least 120 days to make the proper system changes.
In a statement from the Seattle City Council, it is calling this a clerical error and administrative oversight. The increased fee will instead take effect in the first quarter of 2024. Going on to say Seattle will secure the fee as soon as possible, ensuring pedestrian safety and other improvement can occur as intended.
It's not clear what projects will specifically be impacted. KING5 News reached out to the Seattle Department of Transportation multiple times via phone and email. SDOT declined an interview and said it was working to answer our questions but we have yet to hear back.
Mayor Bruce Harrell's Office said he is working to understand whether there's anything that could have been done earlier this year to ensure the timely notification of the ordinance between the city clerk and DOL, both operate independently from the Mayor's office.