County Executive clears the air and stands firm with $3 billion budget proposal

SNOHOMISH COUNTY—A week after a damning audit report by George Skiles, Partner at Sjoberg-Evanshenk Consulting, County Executive Somers stands firm and clears the air on his proposed 2025 Biennial Budget.  Below is a statement by Snohomish County Executive Somers in its entirety: “As budget deliberations continue, my priority remains sustaining core county services that deliver for our […]

County Executive says funds are tight, a recent audit could point to why

SNOHOMISH COUNTY—In Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers’ proposed 2025 Biennial Budget, he said funds are tight for the county driven by inflation, rapid population growth, and COVID relief funds hitting the end of their limits. But a recent county audit, conducted on both Executive and Council Office staffing operations, may point to another contributing factor […]

Hundreds speak out against proposed 8% property tax increase

SNOHOMISH COUNTY—Hundreds gathered in the Jackson Board Room of the Snohomish County Campus’ Robert Drewel Building Tuesday morning, November 13, to speak out against a proposed general property tax levy increase of 8% drafted in County Executive Dave Somers’ proposed $3.07 billion biennial budget. The Executive’s proposed 2025/2026 budget increases the County’s general property tax […]

County Councilman Nehring to propose elimination 8% property tax increase

EVERETT—Snohomish County Council Vice President Nate Nehring will be proposing a budget amendment to eliminate the 8% general property tax levy increase proposed in County Executive Dave Somers $3.07 billion 2025-26 biennial budget. The amendment eliminates the increase to the general property tax levy and makes corresponding cuts to expenditures in the budget. “Taxpayers in […]

Lawmakers celebrate soft open of new law enforcement training academy

ARLINGTON—The Washington State Justice Training Commission held a soft open on Tuesday, October 22, for its newest regional law enforcement training center set to officially open in Arlington in February 2025. Arlington’s law enforcement training center will be Washington State’s third regional training facility within the last two year facility following Pasco, which opened in […]

New roundabout unveiled near Granite Falls to reduce traffic and improve safety

GRANITE FALLS—The Snohomish County Public Works unveiled a brand-new roundabout on 84th Street Northeast and 163rd Avenue Northwest near Granite Falls, on Thursday, September 12, to reduce traffic congestion on the corridor while preventing risk of collision. The two-lane road was previously controlled by a two-way stop. Attending Thursday’s ceremony was Senator Keith Wagoner (R-Sedro […]

Executive Somers delivers new $3.07 billion biennial budget for consideration

SNOHOMISH COUNTY—Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers delivered the county’s first biennial budget to the County Council Wednesday, September 4, for the years of 2025 through 2026. The proposed budget including all funds totals $3.07 billion over the next two years (an increase of 6.66% from the previous 2023-24 cycle) that includes a proposed General Fund […]

Local Republican and Democrat County Councilmen team up to ‘Build Bridges’

SNOHOMISH COUNTY—County Council President Jared Mead and County Council Vice President Nate Nehring have banded together to form a new nonprofit called the Building Bridges Project set on uniting the country despite its members’ many political perspectives. On January 6, 2021, when Mead and Nehring had only been council members together for about six months, […]

Councilmembers and public discuss 2024 Comprehensive Plan updates

SNOHOMISH COUNTY—The Snohomish County Council discussed updates its 2024 Growth Management Act Comprehensive Plan during its Public Hearing on Monday, August 19. By state law the council is required to wait a total of seven days after a Final Environmental Impact Statement is finalized to act or vote on the 2024 Comprehensive Plan update. The […]

County Council adopts four ordinances to ease housing supply crisis

EVERETT—The Snohomish County Council on Wednesday, August 14, at a Public Hearing, adopted four ordinances introduced by Councilmember Nate Nehring focused on increasing the available supply of housing and addressing housing affordability challenges. The suite of ordinances continues the efforts initiated by the “Opening Doors to Home Ownership” housing panel held at the Council’s Planning […]