Everett mayoral showdown: Franklin defends record as Murphy pushes for fiscal overhaul

LYNNWOOD—In the race for Everett’s next mayor, incumbent Cassie Franklin and challenger Scott Murphy squared off in an exclusive Lynnwood Times interview, led by Lynnwood Times Senior Reporter Kienan Briscoe, ahead of the November 4 general election. With Everett grappling with rapid growth, a $7.9 million budget deficit through 2026, surging homelessness, and rising youth […]
Lynnwood Times election interview: Candidate Bryce Owings

LYNNWOOD—With ballots beginning to mail out, and the November 4 General Elections just a little over two weeks away, Lynnwood Times Senior Reporter Kienan Briscoe sat down with Lynnwood City Council candidate Bryce Owings to hear where he stands on certain topics the city is currently facing. Bryce Owings, is a foreman, certified journeyman carpenter, […]
Lynnwood Times election interview with Mayoral candidate George Hurst

LYNNWOOD—With ballots beginning to mail out, and the November 4 General Elections just a little over two weeks away, Lynnwood Times Senior Reporter Kienan Briscoe sat down with Lynnwood Mayoral candidate George Hurst to hear where he stands on certain topics the city is currently facing. The Lynnwood Times also reached out to current Mayor, […]
‘Hit me with your best shot!’ Isabel Mata launches campaign for Lynnwood City Council, aiming to foster safety, care, and inclusion

LYNNWOOD—Isabel Mata, a freelance writer and mindfulness meditation counselor who identifies as an openly queer member of the LGBTQ+ community, officially kicked off her campaign for Lynnwood City Council Position 2, on Friday, August 15, at Peace of Mind Brewing in Lynnwood. The Position 2 seat is currently held by Councilman Patrick Decker who is […]
Snohomish County facing $23.6 million biennium budget deficit

EVERETT—It was revealed at Tuesday’s Finance Committee meeting, that Snohomish County is projecting at least a $23.6 million deficit for the 2025-2026 biennium, in addition to a $14 million year-over-year structural deficit extending through December of 2030. “So, it’s a doubling of our structural deficit,” Mead said during Tuesday’s meeting. “So, our hair is on […]
Mukilteo residents: Vote this fall on boosting our EMS levy to keep fire & medical services strong!

The citizens of Mukilteo will have the opportunity to vote on increasing the city’s emergency medical services (EMS) levy this fall. The projected cost of providing EMS and fire services in Mukilteo in 2026 is $6.4 million. There are two primary sources of funding for these services. Fire protection is funded through general property and […]
Ferguson rejects both House and Senate budgets, dismissing tax hikes and wealth tax

OLYMPIA—Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson said he will not be signing off on either House or Senate 2025-27 operating budget proposals during a press conference Tuesday, April 1, explaining he cannot stand by the tax hikes proposed, especially during a time of federal uncertainty. [Watch video of Ferguson budget presser at end of article]. “Hope […]
Ferguson delivers new plan to slash up to half of state’s $15 billion budget deficit

OLYMPIA—Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson announced his plan to slash an additional $4 billion of the state’s $15 billion budget deficit. The Governor said he hopes to continue working with the legislature to figure out how to deal with the remaining $8 billion dollars to end the legislative session with a “balanced budget.” “[O]ur state […]
Making sense of Washington state’s multi-billion-dollar budget hole

OLYMPIA (The Washington Standard)—Washington state’s budget is, to put it nicely, in a world of hurt. There’s a big gap between what the state is collecting in taxes and what it needs to pay for its commitments in education, human services, health care, corrections and other day-to-day government operations. On paper, the chasm is billions […]
WSDOT could overspend revenue by $7 billion by 2031

OLYMPIA (The Center Square)—As the state Legislature grapples with a disputed estimate of $14 billion of an operating budget overspend over the next four years, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) faces its own budget imbalance that could ultimately get as high as $7 billion by the 2029-31 biennium. Driving the budget gap is […]