Budget statements from Lynnwood candidates Simmonds and Sutton

Lynnwood City Council incumbent Loren Simmonds faces challenger Shirley Sutton in the Nov. 3 general election. It is one of four Lynnwood Council positions on the ballot.

Simmonds and Sutton recently sent statements about what they think are the most important factors in writing or considering a city budget. Here they are, in the order their names will appear on the primary ballot and in the voters’ pamphlet:

Lynnwood Council Position #4:

Loren Simmonds: One of the most important responsibilities of the city council is to make good budget decisions when the biennial budget is adopted and at the mid-biennial review.

Several years ago, the Council adopted a formal process commonly known as “Budgeting for Outcomes.” Another name for essentially the same process is “Priorities of Government.”

The essential objective for both is to get the best results possible with the dollars we have. Stated differently, it is a structured process to help us link spending to results … and to continuously learn and improve results.

  • In short, the Council goes through a multi-step process as outlined below:
  • Identify and agree on citizen-based priorities
  • Identify ALL available revenue
  • Allocate revenue among the priorities
  • Create “requests for results”
  • Implement the budget including monitoring mechanisms

The real challenge in the budgeting process is twofold. The first is determining the citizens’ priorities. The second is deciding what priorities to fund and at what level to fund them. This is particularly true when available revenue/resources are not adequate to “buy” or “pay” for ALL desired priorities … which is most of the time.

The bottom line – the community has a price it is willing to pay for government services. Elected leaders have the task of setting the price so that it is acceptable and adequate to the community.

Shirley Sutton: As a council member, in building a city budget, transparency from the initial stage is paramount. Important factors in setting a city budget to meet the needs of the community, and keeping the city solvent may include expected revenue from taxes, licenses fees, expenditures and anticipated revenue.

The most important factors in setting a city annual budget are transparency, accountability, mastering the budget process, implementing the various state and federal laws governing financial management policies.

The factor of transparency is crucial in establishing trust between the mayor, council and community members. Creating ways to inform and educate the community around budget needs, revenue and expected expenditures assists with understanding reasons and communicate how and why decisions are made using language to help all understand the process.

The factor of accountability is important to determine if the monies approved were used correctly and measures the level of success. By establish benchmarks for continued monitoring of accomplishments by comparing year-to-year allows course correction, if needed.

The mayor and council members must master the budget process to maintain compliance and keep the city out of trouble by fairly implementing the local, state and federal guidelines required to legitimize the budget process. Keeping our constituents informed of the budget process allows their input and ideas to be considered and creates an understanding of the complexities of a city budget.

Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

The rezoned property, seen here from the Hillside Vista luxury development, is surrounded on two sides by modern neighborhoods Monday, March 25, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Despite petition, Lake Stevens OKs rezone for new 96-home development

The change faced resistance from some residents, who worried about the effects of more density in the neighborhood.

Rep. Suzan DelBene, left, introduces Xichitl Torres Small, center, Undersecretary for Rural Development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture during a talk at Thomas Family Farms on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Under new federal program, Washingtonians can file taxes for free

At a press conference Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene called the Direct File program safe, easy and secure.

Former Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy Jeremie Zeller appears in court for sentencing on multiple counts of misdemeanor theft Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ex-sheriff’s deputy sentenced to 1 week of jail time for hardware theft

Jeremie Zeller, 47, stole merchandise from Home Depot in south Everett, where he worked overtime as a security guard.

Everett
11 months later, Lake Stevens man charged in fatal Casino Road shooting

Malik Fulson is accused of shooting Joseph Haderlie to death in the parking lot at the Crystal Springs Apartments last April.

T.J. Peters testifies during the murder trial of Alan Dean at the Snohomish County Courthouse on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Bothell cold case trial now in jury’s hands

In court this week, the ex-boyfriend of Melissa Lee denied any role in her death. The defendant, Alan Dean, didn’t testify.

A speed camera facing west along 220th Street Southwest on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Washington law will allow traffic cams on more city, county roads

The move, led by a Snohomish County Democrat, comes as roadway deaths in the state have hit historic highs.

Mrs. Hildenbrand runs through a spelling exercise with her first grade class on the classroom’s Boxlight interactive display board funded by a pervious tech levy on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lakewood School District’s new levy pitch: This time, it won’t raise taxes

After two levies failed, the district went back to the drawing board, with one levy that would increase taxes and another that would not.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.