Earlier this month, the Snohomish County Council voted to impose two significant tax and fee increases, including a 0.1% countywide sales tax increase and a $20 annual increase in car tab fees for unincorporated Snohomish County. I voted “no” on both.
I recognize that Snohomish County faces significant budget challenges. We have growing demands on public safety, roads, and other essential county services. Revenues are not keeping pace with the increasing cost of providing these services. Yet at the same time, the County continues to spend taxpayer dollars on services that are not essential core functions of county government.
I remain convinced that raising taxes should not be our first response to budget challenges. The County has not yet taken a meaningful look at the budget to identify reductions in non-essential spending. Instead, the Council has been presented with marginal, “across-the-board” cuts spread equally to each department. This avoids the difficult work of identifying priorities and funding those priorities first while reducing or eliminating unnecessary expenses.
For families and businesses throughout Snohomish County, the principle is straightforward: when expenses exceed income, you take a hard look at your expenses before asking someone else for more money. County government should hold itself to the same standard.
The sales tax increase is simply an effort to plug a general fund budget deficit with $24 million in additional annual tax revenue without seeking voter approval. The $20 car tab fee will generate approximately $6 million annually in dedicated revenue for the Roads Fund. These are substantial new revenues paid by taxpayers who are already feeling the strain of increasing costs.
I have consistently said that the county should give voters a say in significant new taxes and fees. While state law has been recently changed to allow the Council to impose these tax and fee increases without going to the voters, that does not mean it is the right thing to do. In 2024, voters were asked by the County to approve a public safety sales tax proposal on the ballot, and it was overwhelmingly rejected by a double-digit margin. I believe it is inappropriate for the Council to sidestep voters by implementing a very similar sales tax increase which undermines the will expressed by the public at the ballot box.
While I was not able to convince my colleagues to reject these tax and fee increases, I remain steadfast in my commitment to fiscal responsibility in Snohomish County. As we enter budget season, I will be diligent in scrutinizing the county budget and identifying potential spending reductions so that we do not find ourselves in a similar budget deficit down the road.
The tax votes are behind us. The hard work of fixing the county’s financial situation is not. I will stay engaged, ask tough questions, and continue pushing for a county government that lives within its means and respects the will of voters and taxpayers.
Nate Nehring, Snohomish County Councilman
Nate Nehring is an elected member of the Snohomish County Council. Nate and his wife, Savannah, are both lifelong residents of Snohomish County, where they are now raising their four young children. Councilmember Nehring can be reached by email at Nate.Nehring@snoco.org.
Author: Lynnwood Times Contributor
