Edmonds City Council to consider putting $6 million property tax hike on November ballot
Edmonds City Council is putting plans together to place a $6 million property tax increase on the November General Election ballot for voters to consider. In order to meet the deadline for placing this measure on the ballot, the City Council must adopt a resolution by July 8th.
Due to a history of financial mismanagement and excessive spending going back several years, the City of Edmonds is facing a $14.5 million budget deficit. During their most recent biennial budget adoption last December, the City Council approved a budget which assumed voter passage of (1) annexation into the South Snohomish County Regional Fire Authority (RFA) as well as (2) a levy lid lift property tax increase. Voters recently approved annexation into the RFA, which will come at a cost of nearly $1,000 in additional property taxes per Edmonds household. Now, city leaders will be asking voters for another $6 million in property taxes in the form of a levy lid lift ballot measure.
This proposal, which was not disclosed during the April campaign to increase property taxes for the RFA annexation, will harm taxpayers in Edmonds who are already being burdened with an additional $1,000 per household in increased property taxes. Rather than continually resorting to raising taxes, city leaders should instead focus on balancing the budget by prioritizing city services and reigning in unnecessary spending.
SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENT NOW TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD ON THIS $6 MILLION PROPERTY TAX INCREASE PROPOSAL!
The City of Edmonds’ levy lid lift property tax increase proposal will have significant consequences for city taxpayers. Your engagement can make a big difference on this critical issue.
Submit written public comment here.
To learn more about the voting history of the Edmonds City Council, check out our 2024 Edmonds City Council Scorecard available here.