Burien is pressing for mediation over North Highline annexation following the state Senate's recent refusal to give Seattle a special tax credit if it annexes the unincorporated area.

City Manager Mike Martin sent a letter last week to King County Executive Ron Sims, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, SeaTac Mayor Ralph Shape and Tukwila Mayor Jim Haggerton in which the Burien council reaffirmed its willingness to enter into mediation regarding competing potential annexation area claims.

Burien and Seattle have claimed all of North Highline as a potential annexation area. SeaTac and Tukwila have expressed interest in parts of the unincorporated area that border each city.

House Bill 1139, which advanced to the Senate, would have given Seattle a greater share of local sales tax revenues as reimbursement for providing services, should that city annex North Highline, than Burien would have received for annexing the same area.

"We were pleased with the outcome," Martin said. "We thought it was fair, it was right. We're looking forward to moving the process forward now through mediated channels."

Sims earlier urged Burien and Seattle to enter into mediation over their competing annexation claims. But Seattle backed away from the table, preferring to wait for possible favorable action on HB 1139 by the Legislature.

Last month former Seattle Mayor Charles Royer said that city might drop its plans to annex North Highline if HB 1139 were not approved.

"It's our hope that Seattle and the other cities agree to sit down with us quickly and resolve this long-standing issue, and we think it can be resolved to the benefit of all parties including the residents of North Highline," Marin continued.

"What we're looking at, what I'm working on, is determining where a partial annexation boundary might make sense. To that end, I'm talking with all the special purpose districts and see what might be in their best interests as well."

There has been no indication from Seattle officials about their plans now that HB 1139 is dead, he said.

No mediation or other action on annexation of North Highline is scheduled at this time.

In a meeting with Seattle officials earlier this month, six Burien City Council members opposed HB 1139 and conveyed their opposition to the Legislature.

Legislators from District 34, which includes part of Burien, most of North Highline and West Seattle, supported the measure, as did King County Councilman Dow Constantine, D-West Seattle.

HB 1139 would have eliminated 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.

It also would have granted a larger percentage of sales 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.

The sales tax reimbursements, to which Burien still is entitled if it annexes an area with at least 10,000 resident, would be used to provide police and other local government services, including street repairs, youth programs, and public parks.

Burien Deputy Mayor Rose Clark has stressed that annexation is not just between Burien and Seattle, and North Highline residents need to included in any discussions.