Story on Marysville property tax lacked necessary context

I am writing to address the recent headline in The Herald regarding Marysville taxes, which described them as the largest tax increase in the county (“Maryville homeonwers to pay an average $818 more in property taxes,” The Herald, Feb. 7). The headline may have created the perception that Marysville’s taxes had spiked to extraordinary highs. In fact, school taxes are lower in Marysville than in most of Snohomish County.

While it’s true that taxes have gone up due to the approval of a school levy, it’s essential to understand the background behind these changes.

In 2023, Marysville’s tax rates were lower because voters did not approve the local school levy. This meant our schools lacked vital community support. Fortunately, voters have now approved the levy, providing much-needed funding for our schools.

However, despite the increase from the no-levy year in 2023, local school taxes in 2024 are actually down $6 million from 2022, the last year with an approved school levy. Additionally, Marysville’s tax collections for local schools in 2024 are below the county average, ranking ninth out of 15 districts.

It’s clear that recent discussions may have misrepresented Marysville’s tax situation. The reality is that our community’s tax rates are reasonable and below the county average.

Larry Nyland

Marysville