EVERETT — Voters could see a ballot measure asking for higher taxes in the coming year as Everett city leaders look to resolve an ongoing problem of expenses growing faster than revenue.
Everett’s $543 million operating budget for next year is moving forward after the city council unanimously approved it Dec. 7. It’s about $1 million lower than this year’s original budget, largely through delayed building maintenance and suspended contributions to a pension fund for firefighters and police officers.
But council members said they’ll discuss asking voters for more revenue. The city gets the bulk of its budget from property and sales taxes. Annually the council bumped property taxes 1%, but anything higher requires voter approval.
“We are past due to ask Everett voters if they would be willing to contribute more through an increase in revenues,” Council member Paula Rhyne said.
It’s been over 20 years since the city put a lid lift on ballots.
In late 2021, Mayor Cassie Franklin signaled she intended to ask the council to do so this year, only to shelve those plans due to economic uncertainty and soaring inflation.
Through three public hearings on the proposed 2023 budget, the council did not request any changes. It was a departure from recent years when the council sought to restore “quality of life” programs, such as the Jetty Island ferry and Independence Day fireworks, or agreed to large cuts.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” Council President Brenda Stonecipher said. “There’s nothing there. We have scraped this budget about as bare as it could be.”
Council member Liz Vogeli said she had potential budget amendments and asked to push the vote out one more week. But city staff said the budget needed to be approved by this week, and the council can amend the original budget throughout the coming year.
“With less than a week’s notice, in terms of public transparency putting things online for the public, we’re really down to the wire,” Executive Director Lori Cummings told the council.
Council members said they plan to discuss asking voters for higher taxes during the annual council retreat early next year.
Ben Watanabe: 425-339-3037; bwatanabe@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @benwatanabe.
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