What happened to the trees on Bothell Everett Highway? Construction, but don’t worry; they’ll be replanted
BOTHELL—Anyone who’s driven down Bothell Everett Highway recently has probably noticed all the missing mature trees right outside the Canyon Park Business District. The tree removal is part of a massive 405 Improvement Project that’s been under construction since late 2023. The construction stretches about four and a half miles from Northeast 160th Street in […]
Jared Mead: What Comes Next for the County Budget?
The County Executive recently released his proposed budget for the next two years, and the County Council will spend the next several weeks going through it before we adopt a final budget later this fall. There is a lot in it. But before we get too far into that process, I want to explain where […]
County Executive proposes $3.37 billion budget amid $56 million deficit, layoffs imminent
SNOHOMISH—Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers proposed a $3.37 billion budget for 2027-28 that would address a projected $56 million deficit through spending cuts, new revenue and the use of previously banked property tax capacity. Somers presented his recommended biennial budget to the Snohomish County Council on Tuesday, September 1, saying the proposal seeks to preserve […]
Jared Mead Commentary on Sales Tax Vote: Show Your Work
Before government asks people to contribute more, it should first show its work. My wife teaches middle school in Everett. Like teachers everywhere, she expects her students to show their work. Not because she is looking for extra steps on a page, but because showing your work demonstrates that you understood the problem, considered different […]
Residents in unincorporated Snohomish County will now pay a new annual vehicle license fee for road maintenance
EVERETT — The Snohomish County Council on Wednesday approved a new $20 annual vehicle license fee on cars registered in unincorporated areas, a measure expected to generate about $6 million a year for road and bridge maintenance. “Let me be clear: I do not take adding a cost for residents lightly, especially at a time […]
Snohomish County Approves 0.1% Sales Tax for Public Safety
EVERETT—The Snohomish County Council voted 3-2 on Wednesday to approve a new 0.1% criminal-justice sales tax expected to generate nearly $24 million a year, a move supporters said was necessary to prevent the loss of roughly 50 sheriff’s deputies, 50 corrections officers, 25 prosecutors and dozens of other public-safety positions. Opponents called the timing premature, […]
Commentary: What Does It Take to Feel Safe in Snohomish County?
What Makes a Community Feel Safe? By: Snohomish County Councilman Jared Mead Before we can talk about affordability, parks, schools, or economic opportunity, we have to answer a simpler question: Do people feel safe where they live? Over the past few years, public safety has become one of the issues I hear about most from […]
Jared Mead Commentary: Traffic, what’s at stake?
Last week, I was driving home after an evening meeting in Everett. Like a lot of parents, I wasn’t thinking about the meeting anymore. I was thinking about getting home before the kids went to bed. Another crash. Another backup. Another reminder of how quickly one incident can bring traffic across much of our county […]
Boeing Launches New $1 Billion 737 MAX North Line in Everett to Expand Production Capacity
EVERETT—Boeing on Friday officially launched its new $1 billion North Line at the company’s Everett manufacturing plant, marking a significant expansion of its 737 MAX production capacity as the aerospace manufacturer works to meet sustained global demand and reduce an order backlog of more than 4,300 aircrafts. “We have three priorities in BCA, and one […]
COMMENTARY: Celebrating America’s 250th and building our future
More people choose to immigrate to the United States than any other country on Earth. Every year, more than a million people leave behind everything they know in search of the opportunity to build a life here. In a world that often tells us America is in decline, that’s worth thinking about. Spend enough time […]
