(The Center Square) – The Snohomish County Council will soon vote on whether or not to increase its general property tax levy by 8%
Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers’ proposed 2025-2026 biennial budget totals $3 billion and includes a property tax hike of 8% to the county’s general property tax levy.
An individual’s property tax bill will not go up 8%, but there will still be an increase in taxes. A 1% property tax increase equates to about $3 for the average Snohomish County home worth $650,000, according to Snohomish County Finance Analyst Jim Martin. The 8% increase would be eight times that $3, or approximately a $24 increase per year for that $650,000 home.
However, Snohomish County Councilmember Nate Nehring is calling on his fellow councilmembers to reject the 8% increase, saying that residents have already shown their opposition to more taxes.
“It is clear to me from public testimony, as well as our recent local election results, that Snohomish County residents do not have the appetite for a tax increase at this time,” he said at Wednesday’s county council meeting.
According to Nehring, county residents have paid $382 more in taxes related to libraries, schools and fire departments alone over the past five years. The county also has the highest sales tax rate in the state.
Last week, 57% of county residents rejected a proposed public safety sales tax. The tax would have added 2 cents to every $10 spent on retail sales, not including exempt items like most groceries and all prescription medications.
“Voters resoundingly rejected that tax increase by almost 14 percentage points and that’s not because they don’t value public safety – but it’s because they are overburdened by existing taxes and want us to tighten our belts before we ask for more,” Nehring added.
Somers’ proposed 2025-2026 biennial budget avoids layoffs under tight financial circumstances. However, county officials are concerned about the budget reaching a breaking point that may require cuts to various departments and staffing in the future.
Snohomish County Council Chair Jared Mead is proposing an amendment that would cut the 8% increase to the general property tax levy in half. The amendment would specifically increase the 2025 general levy by 2%, or $2 million, from the previous year and another 2%, or $2.3 million, for the 2026 general levy.
“I’m OK with in three years having to make some tough decisions because if we take an 8.5% [increase] we’re going to have to make those tough decisions three and a half years instead of three years – all we’re doing is delaying this,” Mead said. “My proposal is a reasonable way to get us to that point.”
Rejecting the 8% increase would result in some department reductions. For instance, Snohomish County Sheriff Susanna Johnson said that the rejection of the 8% increase would result in an inability to fill some 16 to 18 sheriff deputy positions that are currently vacant.
A vote on the county general property tax levy is set for Nov. 25.