Council approves 9.5% Seattle City Light rate hikes, puts transit tax on November ballot

Seattle City Council unanimously approved back-to-back 9.5% electricity rate increases for 2027 and 2028, raising average customer bills by about $10 per month each year. The utility cited aging infrastructure, inflation, and rising demand from electric vehicles and heat-pump adoption. The council also unanimously put a transit levy on the November ballot that would increase the transit sales tax from 0.15% to 0.3% for 10 years, costing the median household an extra $29 annually to fund more frequent bus service and free transit passes for low-income residents.