County Executive Dave Somers declares 3% cuts to help close $56 million deficit

Published 1:30 am Friday, July 24, 2026

EVERETT — County Executive Dave Somers announced Wednesday an overall 3% cut to help close a $56 million deficit for the 2027-28 budget period.

On Wednesday, the Snohomish County Council discussed a possible 0.1% criminal justice sales tax, on which it is scheduled to vote Aug. 12. Somers spoke in support of the tax, citing the deficit and cuts as evidence.

“We are facing a $56 million deficit in the coming biennium. This is the difference between just continuing our existing programs and the revenues we are expecting,” he said. “In other words, we cannot cut our way out of solving our budget challenges since we are the leanest large county in western Washington.”

In 2024, the County Council approved Snohomish County’s first-ever biennial budget for 2025-26. The county has already begun work on the next two-year budget.

Somers must present his budget recommendations to the County Council by Sept. 4, after which the council will deliberate, hold public hearings and eventually vote.

“Executive Somers did ask all departments, offices, branches and agencies under the county budget to submit their biennial budget information with a 3% reduction,” county spokesperson Kari Bray said in a Friday email. “The Executive intends to recommend a budget that will approach that deficit with a combination of cuts and revenue.”

Even if the criminal justice tax is approved, cuts will still be necessary, Somers said Wednesday.

“Three percent represents an estimated $22 million in spending reductions. That is significant and it is responsible fiscal management,” he said.

The criminal justice sales tax would generate an estimated $23.8 million annually. The county has not yet announced what will make up the final $10 million deficit. However, a property tax increase will likely play a part, Somers said.

In 2026, Snohomish County residents pay about $8.19 per $1,000 of assessed value each month in property taxes. Just under 6% of that goes to the county.

State law allows counties to increase their portion of property taxes 1% each year without voter approval. However, the county is not required to do so. When it doesn’t levy the tax, the percentage is saved for later use, referred to as banked capacity.

Snohomish County currently has just over 4% of banked capacity.

County Council member Jared Mead is encouraged that Somers recognized reductions need to be part of the conversation, he said in an interview Thursday. However, a blanket 3% cut is not adequate, Mead said.

“Some services are fundamental responsibilities of county government, while others are important but not as essential,” he said. “We shouldn’t treat every department and every program exactly the same. I’d rather see a more thorough review that identifies targeted savings and asks tougher questions about where taxpayer dollars are delivering the greatest value.”

Council member Nate Nehring feels similarly, he said in an email Thursday.

“Spending cuts are necessary to balance the budget, but an across-the-board approach avoids the hard work of setting priorities,” Nehring said. “We should be thoughtful about what county government should and should not be spending taxpayer dollars on. That means making targeted cuts to unnecessary spending while preserving the core, mandated services our residents rely on.”

In a Thursday email, council member Strom Peterson acknowledged how hard the cuts will be, but said: “That’s the reality we’re facing.”

“For a county government that runs as lean as we do, a 3% cut is going to be tough,” Peterson said. “It’s going to be tough on our dedicated staff that delivers essential services and ultimately will be tough on our residents that rely on those services.”

There has been an ongoing disconnect between the cost of providing public services and the revenue the county brings in, Bray said.

“Inflation impacts public entities just as it impacts individuals and families,” she said. “The costs of staffing, goods, services and more have increased dramatically in recent years. Meanwhile, revenue has not increased at nearly the same pace.”

Previously, the county was in a better financial position and did not need to take all available revenue options, Bray said. Also, during the COVID-19 pandemic, federal funds helped bridge gaps and softened the blow of rapid inflation, she said.

“This year, there’s no cushion and fund balance is depleted,” Bray said. “There is uncertainty in other recurring federal funding due to changes in programming and contract conditions at the federal level, and there also have been reductions in state funding for some county work.”

Over the past three months, the county’s chief budget officer, Kara Main-Hester, has been meeting with community groups and partners to gather public input, Bray said. A report with that feedback will be available soon, she said.

Taylor Scott Richmond: 425-339-3046; taylor.richmond@heraldnet.com; Bluesky: @btayokay.bsky.social