Everett, Prop. 1: City should manage costs better

It’s disappointing the Herald editorial board deemed the proposed 44 percent increase in the property tax rate the city of Everett receives as reasonable (“Everett request for property tax life reasonable,” The Herald, July 6).

In reviewing the breakdown of who receives the real estate tax on my annual tax statement from 2020 to 2024, the portion the City of Everett receives has increased 21.4 percent in those 4 years. I’m not sure how that reconciles to the voter approved annual increase of 1 percent? If the 44 percent levy lid had been approved and applied in 2024, the increase of my property tax to the city of Everett would have been 61.1 percent. That certainly seems excessive to me. The amount each government entity receives from your property tax can be found on the top section of your annual tax bill under Current Year Taxes and Fees.

The proponents mailed out a flyer on this proposition stating their expenses are going up 2 percent to 4 percent (or more) a year. Seems like a 21.4 percent increase in what they received from my tax bill over four years should cover a 2 percent to 4 percent a year increase in expenses. The city needs to do a better job of managing expenses.

John Dickson

Everett