Councilmember Nehring's December Newsletter

I hope you had great Thanksgiving last week. While this year has presented many challenges, we still have so much to be thankful for. In my last newsletter of 2020, I will highlight some of our work at the County Council including 2021 budget adoption, support for small businesses, regional collaboration, and more.  

2021 Budget Adoption 

On November 10th, the County Council adopted the Snohomish County budget for 2021. This budget marks the second year that Snohomish County’s budget will surpass $1 billion. It also marks the 4th consecutive year that Snohomish County has not increased its general property tax levy. I am proud that we have been able to recognize the existing tax burden that Snohomish County residents are facing and have adopted a budget that does some belt tightening and reductions in certain expenditures to live within our means rather than increasing taxes.  

In order to balance the budget, we worked to identify certain discretionary spending which could be cut. During a time when many families are facing economic uncertainty or financial distress, it is only appropriate that government finds ways to reduce discretionary spending. We were able to reduce spending on travel, training, professional services, and other programs in order to make the budget balance.  

I am also pleased to share that Snohomish County’s 2021 budget rejects the radical calls to “defund the police”. Public safety is the number one priority for local governments. While a small group of vocal activists demanded that we slash the budget for the Sheriff’s Office, we understand that the majority of County residents appreciate and support law enforcement. This budget maintains crucial funding for the Sheriff’s Office and continues to invest in public safety.  

This budget was the result of collaboration and cooperation among my colleagues on the Council, other elected officials, and County staff. I appreciate the input from my fellow councilmembers as well as all the individuals that contributed to this budget.  

Local Small Business Support 

As additional restrictions create financial burdens for small businesses, the Snohomish County Council continues to support local businesses through relief grants and other efforts. In addition to the $42.5 million previously allocated to supporting businesses in Snohomish County, the County Council allocated another $4.5 million last month to fund small business relief grants. These grants will help support businesses which have seen a decrease in commerce due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Additionally, Snohomish County launched “Support Sno Co”, a campaign to help advertise local businesses and the goods and services they offer. At https://www.supportsnoco.com/, residents and visitors can find a host of businesses ranging from retail to restaurants to professional services. This campaign is one of the recommendations of the Snohomish County Economic and Workforce Recovery Task Force. The goal of the campaign is to help business attract customers during the holiday season and advertise measures they are taking to keep customers safe.  

Regional Collaboration 

In previous newsletters, I have shared our work to improve regional collaboration with our neighboring counties to the north. The SWISS counties (Snohomish, Whatcom, Island, Skagit, San Juan) have developed draft legislative priorities that we can jointly advocate on in Olympia. In the upcoming legislative session, we will be working on improving broadband access to underserved areas of our region, adding resources to address behavioral health issues in our communities, and investing in transportation infrastructure to improve community connections between our counties. 

I am excited about the prospect of more regional collaboration and the potential for greater success in our advocacy efforts in Olympia and Washington, D.C. moving forward.  

WSAC Board of Directors Election 

The Washington State Association of Counties is an organization representing all 39 counties in the state. WSAC helps to advocate on behalf of counties in Olympia and provides a forum for county officials throughout the state to discuss shared issues, concerns, and ideas.  

Last month, I was elected to serve on the Board of Directors for WSAC in 2021. I am grateful for the trust my fellow elected officials have placed in me and look forward to working on important issues affecting all of our communities in this new role next year.  

Marysville-Tulalip Chamber of Commerce Update 

On November 20th, I had the opportunity to join the Marysville-Tulalip Chamber of Commerce at their Breakfast Before Hours to share an update on Snohomish County. At the virtual meeting, I gave updates on a number of issue areas including the 2021 County budget, COVID-19 and our response (including the Economic and Workforce Recovery Task Force), transportation projects in North County, economic development (including development in the Cascade Industrial Center), our work on SWISS and regional collaboration, public safety, and homelessness and the opioid epidemic.  

I always appreciate being invited to speak at these events to share information about the work we are doing at the Snohomish County Council.  

Wakeboating Public Meeting 

Residents on Lake Roesiger and other county lakes have been concerned recently by wake boats and the negative impacts of large boats on their property. Specifically, an increase in wake boarding has caused damage to their bulkhead, shorelines, and erosion of lake shores. After significant outreach to the County Council and Parks Department, a public meeting was held to hear from residents and discuss potential solutions. That meeting was held on November 20th. I appreciate the members of the public that shared their concerns and ideas and the County staff that attended. Our Parks Department is currently working on recommendations for next steps after hearing from both sides on this subject. I look forward to continuing this discussion to find ways to accommodate recreation opportunities while protecting private and public property.  

I want to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! As always, if you have any questions or concerns about Snohomish County government, please do not hesitate in reaching out to me at Nate.Nehring@snoco.org or 425-388-3494.