Eastside Audubon is encouraging voters to approve a ballot measure in the primary election to maintaining parks and open space in King County.

Eastside Audubon’s board voted unanimously to endorse Proposition No. 1, a six-year levy, which will replace expiring levies that account for 70 percent of the annual funding that supports 200 county parks and 175 regional trails.

“We had some serious discussion about the estimated $56 per year tax impact for a hypothetical $300,000 property, realizing these are lean times for many households,” said Peter S. Marshall, Eastside Audubon Conservation Committee chair.

Marshall noted that the proposed levy is not an incremental tax but instead replaces revenue from existing levies that expire at the end of this year.

“Proposed expenditures from Proposition 1 levy revenue would benefit virtually every King County resident,” Marshall said.

Eastside Audubon guides a birding walk at Marymoor Park at least once a month and leads walks monthly at other county and municipal parks that will benefit from Proposition 1 revenue.