(The Center Square) – Facing an Aug. 4 deadline, the Yakima City Council postponed a vote on Tuesday that would have asked people to raise taxes this fall to close a $9 million budget hole.
If the council doesn’t approve a ballot resolution for the November election by that deadline, the city must rely on cuts to balance the deficit. The officials asked city staff to draft a $6 million levy proposal last week but delayed Monday’s vote to allow time for a few special budget meetings.
If approved, the levy lid lift would raise property taxes by 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, or $182.50 annually for homeowners with a median value of $365,000. Rather than proceed, the council decided to slow things down to show voters what budget cuts could accompany the levy.
“The macro-level view of what this is, is that even $9 million of cuts or the taxes, we’re still in the same situation come [2027 and 2028],” Assistant Mayor Matt Brown said. “That’s an issue, in my opinion, because we cannot keep going back to the taxpayers to try to balance our books.”
City staff are now compiling three cut packages: $3 million, $4.5 million and the full $9 million.
If the council opts for one of the latter two options, city staff must adjust the levy proposal, which would mean taxpayers pay less in exchange for cuts to public safety and other public services.
If the city sends a $6 million levy to the November ballot along with $3 million in cuts, taxpayers could see the total rate rise to $2.46 per $1,000 of assessed value. The council could then raise the tax rate by 1% annually moving forward, without voter approval, as provided by state law.
“You can’t keep taxing the poor to solve your budgetary problems because the poor is already poor,” local property owner Kenton Gartell testified. “They just can’t afford another dollar. They can’t even afford Starbucks, and I feel that comment was very inconsiderate and unrealistic.”
Last week, Brown asked his peers who could afford the tax hike. Only two confirmed they could, including Councilmember Janice Deccio, who noted, “I just don’t go to Starbucks quite as often.”
According to U.S. Census data, only about 53.5% of city residents own the homes they live in, so renters may shoulder much of the tax burden if voters pass a levy. Roughly 17% of Yakima lives in poverty, outpacing the state and nation, as the median household income sits below $60,000.
The council now has four weeks to hold budget meetings and vote on the levy before Aug. 5.
“Government is way ahead in expense of the income of our people,” Councilmember Rick Glenn said. “Our population in Yakama is a very difficult thing to deal with, and there is no easy solution.”
