The Washington Legislature failed to take action on a measure that would have helped Seattle offset the additional costs of providing services to residents of the North Highline Unincorporated Area if the city should annex the disputed region.

Previously, the Burien city council voted to push for rejection of the bill that died when the Legislature adjourned last week.

House Bill 1139 was opposed by six Burien council members.

If it had been approved, the measure 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.

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 had the measure passed - would have qualified only if an area with at least 10,000 residents were annexed.

Seattle officials had said it 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 the bill failed to win approval. There was no immediate comment from the mayor, but aides working on the issue suggest the battle is not over for the added taxes.

Burien Deputy Mayor Rose Clark said the 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," said Burien council member Gordon Shaw.

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