I am writing today to share information about the Executive's proposed 8.31% general fund property tax levy increase. This increase amounts to roughly $25 a year for the average homeowner. We have received a lot of outreach from constituents sharing their concerns relating to this issue and I want to be sure that you hear directly from me. In my view, an over 8% increase at this time is unreasonable, and I will continue to advocate strongly against this proposal. Instead, I am demanding fiscal accountability and responsible use of available resources. To that end, I have introduced amendments that I believe provide a better approach than what the Executive has proposed. These amendments were discussed during our November 13th council meeting and will be officially considered for a vote at the budget adoption hearing on November 25th.
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One amendment I want to highlight is Amendment 14, which proposes the elimination of four management-level positions within the Executive's Office and a significant reduction to a discretionary spending account partially tied to the Office of Social Justice (OSJ). Amendment 14 would result in $1.3 million in savings—precisely the kind of cuts we need to make before asking residents to pay more in taxes.
Last week, the council received an independent audit report that revealed several duplicative and unnecessary positions in the Executive's Office:
· Office of Social Justice Positions: The audit identified two positions in OSJ as duplicative. According to the report, OSJ’s duties are primarily related to Human Resources policies and micro-grant writing—functions already handled by staff in the HR and Human Services departments. Reducing OSJ staff from three full-time equivalents (FTEs) to one would save approximately $400,000 per year.
· Office of Recovery and Resilience Position: Another identified position, created during the COVID-19 pandemic to share grant funding information, is no longer necessary now that grant funding is unavailable. Reducing this office from three FTEs to two would save an additional $200,000 per year.
· Unclear Communications Position: The audit also highlighted a position in the Executive’s Office that has operated without a job description for three years. While it has recently been described as a communications role, the Executive’s Office already has multiple communications positions with clear and appropriate job descriptions. Removing this redundant position would save another $200,000 annually.
· Discretionary Spending: Lastly, the discretionary spending account tied to OSJ would be reduced from $650,000 to $150,000, resulting in a $500,000 savings.
By addressing redundancies and improving efficiencies, Amendment 14 would generate $1.3 million in annual savings within the Executive’s Department alone, demonstrating our commitment to responsible fiscal management.
If you are interested in learning more, I encourage you to watch the auditor’s presentation to the council here. His presentation begins at the 15:50 mark. You can also watch our council’s discussion regarding Amendment 14 here starting at 3:47:45.
As Chair of your County Council, a lifelong Snohomish County resident, and a father raising four young children here, I take my responsibility to spend your tax dollars wisely very seriously. My goal is to ensure that Snohomish County remains an affordable and vibrant place to live, work, and raise a family.
We will vote on Amendment 14 and the rest of the budget on November 25th. Until then, I encourage you to continue advocating for these priorities by using the council’s contact service and Public Comment opportunities. Your opinion matters! I urge you to call your councilmembers and express your support for Amendment 14 and responsible fiscal policies. Let them know that you believe in prioritizing efficient use of taxpayer dollars and rejecting unnecessary spending. The council needs to hear from you, you can contact us by using the Contact.Council@snoco.org email address. Thank you again for your advocacy. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any additional questions or concerns.
If you are interested in reading more, I've included a link to my recent op-ed that was published in the Everett Herald.
Take care,
Jared Mead
Snohomish County Council Chair - District 4
Contact:
Jared.Mead@SnoCo.org
Angela.Ewert@SnoCo.org
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