Burien council members gave a unanimous thumbs down Feb. 25 to a bill designed to help Seattle offset the additional costs of providing services if that city annexes North Highline.

The unofficial rejection of House Bill 1139, which is currently in the state Senate, came during a study session after Seattle and King County officials asked for local support for the measure.

Following a presentation of arguments in favor of HB 1139, six Burien lawmakers explained why they wouldn't back the legislation. Councilwoman Sally Nelson was absent.

Both Burien and Seattle have claimed the entire unincorporated area as a potential annexation area.

Burien later agreed to a request by King County Executive Ron Sims for mediation of the conflicting annexation claims.

But Seattle officials balked, declining to enter into mediation until after the current legislative session so they can weigh their options depending on the fate of HB 1139.

The measure was approved by the House of Representatives last year but failed to make it through the Senate.

If approved, it would eliminate a provision in state law that excludes cities with 400,000 or more residents from collecting a greater share of local sales tax revenue as reimbursement for providing services to a newly annexed area.

Beyond that, it would grant a larger percentage of sale tax receipts to Seattle than Burien would receive for annexing the same area.

Burien council members have said each city should be entitled to the same increased funding for annexing the same area.

Sales tax reimbursements would be used by either city to provide police and other local government services, including street repairs, youth programs and public parks.

Burien - and Seattle if HB 1139 is approved - would qualify only if an area with at least 10,000 residents is annexed.

Seattle officials claim that city provides more services and, therefore, needs more money.

Former Seattle Mayor Charles Royer suggested at a community meeting in White Center last month that Seattle might withdraw its proposal to annex North Highline if HB 1139 fails to win approval.

"We agree that we want to reach an agreement between the two cities in our jurisdiction but both of our cities have financial challenges," King County Chief of Staff Kurt Triplett told Burien lawmakers last week.

HB "1139 would allow for additional funds to both Seattle and Burien," Triplett said. "I think it's a bill is very much in Burien's interest."

Seattle Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis urged the council to support HB 1139 on the grounds that under current state law, Burien would receive some tax credits should they annex the area but no credits are available for Seattle should they annex.

But Burien Deputy Mayor Rose Clark declared that annexation of North Highline is not just between Burien and Seattle.

"We need to sit down and figure out what they want," said Clark, who wants to get residents of North Highline involved in the process.

The legislation "seems to be all about the money and not about the people of North Highline," councilman Gordon Shaw said.

Noting it would cost the Seattle 5 percent of their budget to run North Highline but Burien 50 percent of its budget, he asked, "If we went down to Olympia with a bill that gave us $2.4 million and you $600,000, would you support us?"

Ceis demurred, claiming the $2.4 million Seattle would receive from the bill wouldn't cover half of the costs of annexation. Seattle provides more services and the amount of funding in the bill reflects that, he said.

Some Burien council members are wary of dealing with King County after Sims and the King County Housing Authority blocked the city's plans to demolish the Lora Lake Apartments last year to make way for commercial development there.

"With what happened at Lora Lake and how we didn't have a say, you can respect our sensitivity," Mayor Joan McGilton told Triplett and Ceis.

"I have a lot of problems with this bill," Councilwoman Sue Blazak said. "Coming this soon after the Lora Lake situation, I'm feeling bullied and bribed and I don't like it."

They also agreed that the bill gives Seattle an incentive to annex the unincorporated area.

"I feel the bill rewards a system that is less cost effective than ours and I want the people of North Highline involved," Clark said.

"Everyone is walking away feeling very badly about this and I don't know what the next step is," McGilton added.

The Burien council recently restated to Sims its willingness to enter into mediation for resolution of the conflicting claims.

McGilton presented Burien's position on HB 1139 during testimony Feb. 29 before the Senate Ways and Means Committee.