Property taxes may be about to rise significantly in both Vancouver and Seattle. Exactly how much could become clear within the next week.

Vancouver is bracing for a tax hike of up to 6.3 percent to cover city services and costs related to the 2010 Olympics, pending a city staff recommendation due on Halloween. This year taxes reportedly rose 4 percent, twice the inflation rate, but officials expect residents would rather pay more than have services cut.

In Seattle, voters may decide to raise their taxes in next week’s election. The most audacious plan is a tax to pay for basic services such as roads and bridges — things the city hasn’t adequately funded in decades. The nine-year levy would boost property taxes by more than 4 percent in the first year. A series of other possible increases are on the way to cover underfunded transit projects, schools and other high-priority functions.

Housing in both cities is increasingly unaffordable. It seems just a matter of time before residents reject additional levies that make housing more expensive.