Snohomish strong-mayor measure passing by 14 votes
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, November 22, 2016
SNOHOMISH — The strong-mayor proposition in Snohomish nearly doubled its lead Monday but remained close.
Proposition 2 sought a transition away from Snohomish’s council-manager form of government to a council-mayor form.
The updated numbers showed the measure passing by 14 votes Monday. On Friday, it was passing by eight.
Most other election results in the county, particularly the local levies, are following early patterns.
Service cuts are expected in Woodway after the town’s proposed levy increase failed to win voter support.
As of Monday, the measure had less than 40 percent approval, according to the Snohomish County elections office.
The proposed increase would have brought in an estimated additional $250,000 a year, Town Administrator Eric Faison said. The town’s annual operating budget is about $1.5 million. The town has five full-time employees. Others, including Faison, are part time.
The current levy will continue without the increase, he said. The town doesn’t have any businesses in its jurisdiction collecting sales tax, so it relies on property taxes. The requested increase was designed to last six or seven years, he said.
The town council is facing significant cuts, and those decisions are expected in the coming weeks, he said.
Meanwhile, leaders at Fire District 1, based in south Everett, are grateful for their levy passing, board Chairman Jim McGaughey said. The money will help the district maintain and improve services, he said.
His message to voters: “Thank you for the overwhelming support not only this year but all the years.”
Mill Creek’s levy for emergency medical services also is passing with 68 percent as of Monday night. The city contracts with Snohomish County Fire District 7 for EMS service.
Mill Creek is committed to providing “the high level of fire and EMS service our community deserves, and the support for this levy is an important piece of that work,” Police Chief Greg Elwin said Monday.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @rikkiking.
