Nehring: County exec’s property tax proposal poorly timed

This article was originally published in the Everett Daily Herald.

Last week’s election saw voters soundly reject tax increases proposed by the county and municipal governments throughout Snohomish County.

With one exception, all local tax increases were rejected by voters. These are in addition to Everett voters’ rejection of a levy lid lift property tax hike during the primary election. This sends a resounding message that Snohomish County residents have had enough. Despite this clear mandate from voters, the Snohomish County Council will be considering an 8 percent increase to its general property tax levy in the coming weeks.

The proposed budget from County Executive Dave Somers for the upcoming 2025-26 biennium would spend $3 billion to fund county services and includes a property tax hike of 8 percent. To be clear, this 8 percent increase would apply to the county’s general property tax levy rather than the entirety of your property tax bill. Regardless, an 8 percent property tax increase is significant and warrants further discussion.

Like many local governments, Snohomish County faces a structural budget deficit. This means that more money is spent than there is the revenue to pay for on an annual basis, and as a result the fund balance (savings account) is continually being drawn down. The fund balance for the Snohomish County general fund is currently in a healthy position with approximately $100 million on hand; while there is certainly no immediate crisis, it is bad practice to spend more money than is brought in.

While many political leaders like to posit that we have a revenue problem (i.e. “let’s raise taxes”), I disagree. It is evident to me that at Snohomish County, and likely other local governments as well, there is a spending problem. Rather than immediately resorting to raising taxes on the hard-working residents of Snohomish County, I strongly believe we should instead focus on eliminating unnecessary spending so that our taxpayers are getting the most bang for their buck out of their government. To that end, I have introduced a proposal to forego the 8 percent tax increase, freeze property taxes at their current level, and balance the county budget through cuts to discretionary spending.

Government-caused inflation and increases to the cost of living are affecting taxpayers and families throughout Snohomish County and beyond. Taxpayers, however, do not get to “raise revenues” in order to balance their personal budgets. Instead, families throughout Snohomish County are forced to make difficult decisions to cut spending in order to make ends meet. Government ought to go through the same exercise. Before looking to pile additional taxes onto residents, an appropriate first step should be to carefully comb through existing and proposed new spending in order to eliminate expenditures that are not critical services.

Unfortunately, there has not been the political will to go through this exercise in a serious way at the county level. Instead, the argument is made to simply increase taxes. Proponents of raising taxes will argue that just a small increase does not have a significant impact on taxpayers. The problem is that these “small increases” are being added on top of a significant, already-existing tax burden which taxpayers are struggling to shoulder.

In just the past five years, from 2019 to 2024, Snohomish County residents and families have shouldered increases in property taxes for libraries by 10 percent, schools by 34 percent, and fire districts by 77 percent. That totals $382 million more in taxes in a five-year period just for libraries, schools, and fire. This does not take into account other property tax increases or the increased sales tax rate during that period.

Snohomish County residents were asked on the ballot during last week’s election whether they’d like to pay an increased sales tax rate in order to fund core services such as criminal justice and other public health and safety related functions. This measure would have raised approximately $40 million in sales tax revenue to local governments on an annual basis. The voters resoundingly rejected this tax increase proposal by a wide double-digit margin.

It is inconceivable to me that in the weeks following this clear mandate from voters to not raise taxes, the Snohomish County Council will be voting on whether to approve the county executive’s proposed 8 percent property tax increase to the county’s general levy. Voters spoke loudly and clearly on Nov. 5, and elected officials ought to listen. It would be a slap in the face to the voting public whom we are elected to serve if the County Council were to move forward with approving an 8 percent property tax increase for status quo general services.

I encourage my colleagues on the County Council to join me in voting “no” on this 8 percent general levy property tax increase proposal.

Nate Nehring serves as the District 1 County Council member, representing the communities of Arlington, Darrington, Granite Falls, Marysville, Stanwood, and unincorporated north Snohomish County. He lives in Arlington.