Marysville dodges layoff bullet

Published 11:20 pm Sunday, November 9, 2008

MARYSVILLE — While the city is having to hold the line on spending for 2009, it’s not planning any layoffs in response to the economic downturn.

Other cities, such as Edmonds and Lake Stevens, along with Snohomish County, haven’t been so fortunate, and are preparing to lay off employees because of an expected drop in tax revenue next year.

“We’re not saying there definitely won’t be any cuts, but at this time it looks like there won’t be any reduction in staff,” Marysville Mayor Dennis Kendall said.

The proposed $33.8 million general fund budget for 2009 also includes plans for the city to go ahead with a large annexation of nearly 20,000 people, early planning for a new City Hall and vying for a University of Washington branch campus in the Smokey Point area.

The city is leaving open four positions in the planning department, in response to a slowdown in permit applications for new development. The city doesn’t expect the public to notice any difference in service from that department, Kendall said. The jobs will be added back as construction activity picks up, he said.

Three positions are proposed to be added: two prosecuting attorneys and a legal clerk.

The city expects to bring in slightly more revenue in 2009 than in 2008, but it’s not as much of an increase as usual, city finance director Sandy Langdon said.

The general fund budget is about an 8 percent increase from 2008.

Property tax revenues, construction fees, permitting and real-estate excise taxes are projected to drop, she said. On the other hand, the city expects retail revenues to rise, because some new stores opened this year.

Still, the economic situation will have some effect, Langdon said.

“We are assuming that sales tax is going to be down compared to what we normally would have had with the new retail,” she said.

By law, the city could levy a 1 percent increase in the general property tax, but won’t, Kendall said.

“We’re not proposing any and the council hasn’t been real receptive when we have proposed it,” he said.

The city is planning on a 1 percent increase in the emergency medical services levy. It’s also budgeting for a 5 percent “amusement tax” at bowling alleys, theaters and amusement centers. It’s expected to bring in $151,000.

“The council’s been kicking it around for the last couple of years,” Kendall said. “The council felt that that was a user tax.”

Reporter Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439 or sheets@heraldnet.com.

Hearing tonight

A public hearing on the city of Marysville’s proposed 2009 budget is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight at City Hall, 1049 State Ave. For more information call 360-363-8000 or go to www.ci.marysville.wa.us.