Published: Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Island County may go to voters on tax increase
COUPEVILLE — Island County's commissioners, plagued by budget deficits, are continuing today to hammer out a preliminary budget for 2011.
The board plans to talk about additional 10 percent reductions to county programs that could help shore up hits to the county's current expense fund.
In a statement from the board released May 27, commissioners John Dean, Angie Homola and Helen Price Johnson announced that voters in the Aug. 17 primary will have to decide if the county should raise its regular property tax 16 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.
Despite reducing expenses by $4.2 million, the county is about to “hit a financial wall,” Johnson said.
Without the increase, the 2011 tax rate would be 59 cents per $1,000, which currently is the lowest regular property tax rate in the state, she said.
With the increase, the regular property tax would rise to 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, a rate that is still among the lowest five in the state, Johnson said.
The board has planned a series of forums to explain the primary election ballot measure.
The first forum is set for 6 p.m. Monday in county hearing room 102B, 1 NE Sixth St. in Coupeville. The second is 6 p.m. June 22 at the Camano Senior and Community Center, 606 Arrowhead Road on Camano Island.
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.
The board plans to talk about additional 10 percent reductions to county programs that could help shore up hits to the county's current expense fund.
In a statement from the board released May 27, commissioners John Dean, Angie Homola and Helen Price Johnson announced that voters in the Aug. 17 primary will have to decide if the county should raise its regular property tax 16 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.
Despite reducing expenses by $4.2 million, the county is about to “hit a financial wall,” Johnson said.
Without the increase, the 2011 tax rate would be 59 cents per $1,000, which currently is the lowest regular property tax rate in the state, she said.
With the increase, the regular property tax would rise to 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, a rate that is still among the lowest five in the state, Johnson said.
The board has planned a series of forums to explain the primary election ballot measure.
The first forum is set for 6 p.m. Monday in county hearing room 102B, 1 NE Sixth St. in Coupeville. The second is 6 p.m. June 22 at the Camano Senior and Community Center, 606 Arrowhead Road on Camano Island.
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.
Story tags »
• State • Island County • TaxesBudget session today
Island County Board of Commissioners special budget session, 11 a.m. today, Commissioners Hearing Room, 1 NE Sixth St., Coupeville.
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