Lynnwood Council ends 2025 with a bang, now pay more in 2026
LYNNWOOD—At its final 2025 meeting for the year on December 8, attended by over 120 people, Lynnwood City Council swore in Mayor-elect George Hurst and new councilmembers, honored outgoing leaders, then approved (4-3) a 14.7% permit/fee hike and 33% business license increase; unanimously passed 2.7% COLA for city employees; authorized drafting a voter-free 0.1% public […]
Lynnwood’s revenue is taking a nosedive, not helping the city’s multi-million-dollar deficit
LYNNWOOD—Things aren’t looking good for the City of Lynnwood’s finances, Finance Director Michelle Meyer reported Monday, July 21, a $5.1 million shortfall between General Fund revenues and expenditures through second quarter. This is in addition to the city’s already projected $4.2 million deficit. “We’re going through some difficult times,” said Mayor Frizzell before reading a […]
Lynnwood Mayor releases update on 2025-26 budget deficit
In adopting the 2025-2026 biennium budget, we’ve positioned the City’s finances to keep pace with the exponential growth that Lynnwood has experience over the last decade. This rapid expansion has led to an increased demand for city services. In response a series of policy decisions were made to add critical services and programs to meet […]
Lynnwood Mayor’s plan to resolve $4.27 million budget shortfall disclosed
LYNNWOOD—Finance Director Michelle Meyer shared with Lynnwood Finance Committee members on Wednesday, May 28, the mayor’s Budget Management Plan to address a projected $4,273,038 General Fund biennium budget shortfall. The plan identifies opportunities over the next two years (until December 31, 2026) for across-the-board reductions in General Fund department operating expenditures. The opportunities identified in […]
Lynnwood starts year millions of dollars less than anticipated, now in negative territory for Reserve Requirement
LYNNWOOD—Mayor Christine Frizzell, in an email to the Lynnwood City Council earlier this month, wrote that the city started 2025 with millions of dollars less in anticipated revenues and that she is working with “Department Directors on potential cost saving measures” to identify opportunities in “delay[ing] spending” or provide “an alternative delivery method” to close […]
Lynnwood adopts city budget with a 52% property tax increase
Last week, by a vote of 4-3, the Lynnwood City Council passed a City property tax increase of 52%. That large of an increase is something I could not vote for and as City Council President, I am concerned about the impact on residents with such a tremendous tax increase. Please, I want to be […]
Council approved increases to permit fees, removes PE requirement for Public Works directorship
LYNNWOOD—The council began hearing 2025-26 biennium budget presentations and approved a 7.6 percent increase to permit fees and the mayor’s request to remove the professional engineering licensure requirement for the Public Works Director position, at its Monday, October 14, city council meeting. The department presentations commenced on Monday with Executive, Legal, City Council, and Finance. PRCA, […]
Lynnwood budget presentations begin, mayor pushes reduced hiring standards citing equity
LYNNWOOD—The council will begin hearing 2025-26 biennium budget presentations, vote on a 7.6 percent increase to permits and fees, and consider the mayor’s request to remove the professional engineering licensure requirement for the Public Works Director position, at its Monday, October 14, city council meeting. The Lynnwood City Council Regular Meeting will be held in-person […]
Lynnwood Council presented with a 23 percent city budget increase
LYNNWOOD—Questions surrounding deficits, property tax increases, and senior city leadership salaries led the $156 million preliminary 2025-26 biennium general fund budget discussion presented to council members during Monday’s Public Hearing. “So, our two-year revenue is estimated to be $152 million, our two-year expenditure is estimated to be $156 million; so, if I am reading that […]
