EVERETT — The latest version of Snohomish County’s 2012 budget adds money for a pilot mental health court, a new customs building at Paine Field and an extra attorney to handle requests for public records.
A 1 percent increase in taxes collected for road maintenance will be on the table as well.
County Council Chairman Dave Somers released the plan Monday.
The big numbers remain close to what County Executive Aaron Reardon proposed in September. That includes a $206 million operating budget and more than 2,600 employees. Somers’ proposal does shift money around for different programs and reflects some new information that Reardon didn’t have.
“They’re modest changes,” Somers said.
The full County Council is scheduled to vote on Somers’ plan Monday. The budget hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. in the county council chambers.
After that, Reardon gets to decide whether to sign the budget or suggest further changes.
“We look forward to working with (the) council after we’ve had the opportunity to thoroughly review the impacts of the proposed changes,” said Brian Parry, an executive director in Reardon’s office.
Somers highlighted his support for a mental health court, an airport customs building and a county attorney to handle requests for public documents.
The concept of a mental health court has the backing of many of the county’s top law and justice officials. The $100,000 needed for a pilot program would come from a tenth-of-a -percent sales tax the county collects for mental-health and addiction programs. An advisory board that helps make decisions about how to spend that tax also has recommended funding the court.
“This is a program that has been shown in other jurisdictions to be useful and helpful,” Somers said.
Much like the county’s drug court, this program would offer alternatives to jail for some offenders who agree to seek treatment and meet other conditions. King and Skagit counties already have similar programs. To qualify, people would have to be diagnosed with a major mental condition. Violent offenders would not be eligible.
The plan to build a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility at Paine Field is intended to benefit The Boeing Co. and other aerospace firms. Currently, cargo shipments flown in from foreign countries must clear customs somewhere else, such as Sea-Tac International Airport, before continuing on to Paine Field. The customs building would eliminate the extra stop, saving time and money.
“This is something that could really add to the value at Paine Field and our aeronautic center down there, and really make this a world-class facility,” Somers said.
Reardon’s budget already included $400,000 to design, permit and build the customs facility. Somers’ proposal adds $100,000, paid for by bonds. It asks Reardon’s office by the end of March to supply a construction timeline.
The customs facility has no direct relationship to commercial flights at Paine Field, a controversial topic that remains in the hands of the Federal Aviation Administration. County Councilman Brian Sullivan, who lives in Mukilteo and strongly opposes passenger flights at the county-run airport, has said he’s in favor of a customs building.
In the new budget proposal, the county’s Prosecuting Attorney’s Office would add staff to handle an increasing number of public records requests. The extra staffing includes a deputy prosecuting attorney and a half of a paralegal position. It would cost just over $156,000 and come from the office budget for tort liability.
Paying for road improvements in unincorporated areas also remains a concern for many county leaders.
Somers has introduced legislation that provides the option of raising the county’s levy in unincorporated areas to pay for road work. The increase would raise $575,000. The owner of a home valued at $275,000 would pay less than $5 per year in additional taxes.
“If we didn’t introduce it, we could not even discuss it,” Somers said. “It allows us to restore some of our road maintenance and resurfacing plan.”
The county’s 2011 budget included no increase for its general property-tax fund, it’s roads levy or for conservation futures. Since 2007, the county roads levy has increased by 1 percent in three separate years. The county’s general levy has not increased during that time, and went down by 1 percent in 2008.
Councilman Dave Gossett, who has led numerous discussions this year about the roads issue, said he remains undecided about whether a tax increase is necessary to pay for projects.
Another factor in roads funding is Bothell-area voters’ apparent rejection on Election Day on annexing some 22,000 people and 5.6 square miles of unincorporated county land. The county gets to keep the revenue from those taxpayers for now, but it also could be on the hook for building new roads in the area.
Next year’s county budget calls for all departments to spend 2 percent less than the dollar amount they’re given for salaries and benefits. Previous county budgets have called for a similar strategy, but used different names. The preferred term for 2012 is “attrition management.”
“My feeling is that it’s a budget gimmick,” County Councilman John Koster said.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
