Brian Sullivan's eNewsletter
 Snohomish County Council
3000 Rockefeller Ave., M/S 609
Everett, Washington 98201
8th floor, Robert J. Drewel Building
Phone: 425-388-3494
E-Mail: Brian.Sullivan@snoco.org
Robert Knoll, Legislative Aide
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Councilmember Sullivan’s Priorities Adopted in 2019 Budget
Everett, Wash., November 19th 2018 – After months of work with fellow councilmembers, the County Executive, our individual elected officials, and with input from the public – the Council unanimously adopted the 2019 budget today.
With this year’s budget, the council also included several key Sullivan priorities for 2019 and beyond, including:
- Securing additional contributions to the County’s stabilization fund or “Rainy Day Fund”
- Funding for an embedded investigator position in the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office dedicated to expediting prosecution of domestic abusers
- Protecting public safety with 5 new Sheriff deputies
- Restoration of WSU forestry program funding
- Maintaining a healthy fund balance
“I’m happy with the collaborative approach we took to this budget,” said Councilmember Sullivan. “We have focused on core County priorities like public safety, while continuing to put aside reserves for any possible economic downturn.”
The council set aside an additional $2.6 million to a stabilization account in the adopted budget. This account was created in 2017 at the direction of Sullivan with an eye towards the long term fiscal health of the county. Though revenue from sales tax and real-estate excise tax has improved markedly in recent years, past recessions forced the county to cut deeply into county programs, as well as lay-off over 300 workers.
“It was a wise decision.” said Councilmember Ryan, praising the stabilization account during the public hearing.
Sullivan has urged the council to focus on long-term solutions to the county’s fiscal health. In addition to the stabilization fund, Sullivan has led efforts to establish healthy fund balance reserve policies for the general fund; REET 1 and REET2; to create a revenue forecasting group; and to eliminate merit pay increase for management exempt positions. Last year, council adopted a Sullivan ordinance to restrict hiring of positions for the highest paid county positions without an examination and report to determine the necessity of filling such positions.
In addition, Sullivan collaborated with the Prosecuting Attorney and law enforcement to fund an embedded domestic violence investigator to assist in the prosecution of domestic abusers.
“I was thrilled to help secure this funding in the budget," said Sullivan. "This will make Snohomish County a state-wide leader with this innovative approach to ensuring domestic abusers are brought to justice."
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