The King County Council is considering adding a motor vehicle excise tax, but not with the approval of the Maple Valley City Council.

The Suburban Cities Association’s Public Issues Committee will consider a motion opposing the County Council’s proposed action. Maple Valley Deputy Mayor Glenn Smith is a member of the committee.

The City Council discussed and unanimously approved a motion supporting the committee’s opposition to the tax at the City Council meeting Monday and recommended the Suburban Cities Association Board of Directors come out in opposition to the measure.

The County Council is seeking authority from the state Legislature to impose a 1 percent motor vehicle excise tax. The tax would be imposed to help play for the tunnel replacement for the Alaska Way Viaduct and provide money for Metro, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, which is facing a $60 million shortfall according to a document from the Regional Transit Committee.

According to the document the county would use the money to improve bus service while the tunnel is being constructed, add a RapidRide corridor between Burien and downtown Seattle, improve RapidRide service in West Seattle, Ballard and Aurora and expand park-and-ride capacity in Burien. RapidRide is a high capacity bus service that is proposed to begin operation in 2010.

The City Council members questioned the notion of Maple Valley residents paying for improvements to the transportation systems in Seattle.

“Why would we want to help the Alaska Way Viaduct,” Mayor Laure Iddings said.

Councilman Noel Gerken said the tax proposal does not have a sunset provision, meaning there would be no end date for the measure.

King County Councilman Reagan Dunn said the County Executive Ron Sims is “leading the charge. I don’t like that. I think it (the tax measure) is dead on arrival.”