[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6191419,"mediaKeyId","4734321-266cd00951a7ddf3410dcb1d1bc5776c","parentId",4734321,"title","Finance director tells candidates Sammamish faces structural budget gap; utility tax and park district planned to close it","audioSeconds",573,"startMs",1475000,"endMs",2048000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=4734321-266cd00951a7ddf3410dcb1d1bc5776c&start=1475&end=2048","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/4734321-266cd00951a7ddf3410dcb1d1bc5776c/thumbnail_1475000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6191419/Sammamish-City/King-County/Washington/Finance-director-tells-candidates-Sammamish-faces-structural-budget-gap-utility-tax-and-park-district-planned-to-close-it","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6191419-e9c1ac33a262f214d73c1dd0dbb59cc3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196239&Signature=FYQLEhhIyihki~S6S6UsgU~yBC-gHWHrMUulMaJS6NHaq-dSeUGci72ZgvhR7tHMBzoSRHp0ewKaQNMq~~CLGUdSibl4PO2PYCribNzo3x3hc2C92Xt4bw2ovZf0kyjesL3NtlZ~nOq-4ewyQAGbGUNAXMkfcAoazRMW43pY1WXUJZK8ThXe0T~DfUeQmjz-5zpuw5UjGrkHui7ZDtZPLkbdjKjzQ0c92xl-Q3h7Oohm9~Wmx1tWymW5kotxuSID10ugGD0PvsdUq59npLuH-P1rnj6kdUdRTzgnGu9~IU3F5nvaKHbuNOwU4dvka9dBHugq~IZUTUcxMLILKNBfzw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Sammamish City, WA","date","2025-06-20T18:52:39Z","article","Sammamish Finance Director Vicki Carlson told prospective council members at a candidate orientation that the city’s General Fund faces a structural imbalance and outlined a three-part approach staff and council have pursued to restore fiscal sustainability: expenditure reductions, a utility tax that the council adopted earlier this year, and a voter-approved Metropolitan Park District (MPD) staff hope to place before voters in coming years.

“The fact is … this restrictions on revenue growth is not keeping up with the increased cost of providing the same level of service,” Carlson said, summarizing why the city must act. “We are upside down,” she added when presenting the forecast for the General Fund without new revenue.

Why it matters: the General Fund supports daily operations including public safety. Carlson said property taxes account for 63% of General Fund revenue and are limited to 1% growth plus new construction without a vote of the people, constraining the city’s ability to keep pace with rising costs.

Measures taken and timeline

Carlson described a fiscal sustainability task force formed in 2022 that recommended a three-pronged solution. The city exceeded the initial expenditure-reduction goal (the task force called for $1 million in reductions over three years) and reported total reductions of $8,900,000. The council also adopted a utility tax earlier this year that staff estimate will generate about $11,000,000 in new General Fund revenue when it takes effect “Jan. 1 next year,” Carlson said.

Carlson said the third prong—a voter-approved MPD—would be needed for long-term sustainability if the city wants to preserve current service levels. Scott McCall clarified the timeline: “If we put something on the ballot in 2028, we wouldn’t start seeing full revenues until 2031 if it is approved.”

Budget structure, amendments and constraints

Carlson explained the city uses a biennial budget (the first year of a biennial budget is in an odd year per state law) and maintains multiple funds for specific purposes: a General Fund for day-to-day operations, separate capital funds (transportation, parks), surface water proprietary funds and internal service funds for fleet, technology and risk. She said impact fees and user fees are legally restricted to specified uses and cannot be repurposed for general operations.

She reviewed the mid-biennial amendment process and said staff will present a mid-biennial budget adjustment later this year, with public hearings and adoption expected in October–November. Carlson also said the city will begin providing quarterly financial reports to the council.

Questions from candidates

During Q&A, candidate Dewey (meeting attendee) asked how the 1% property tax increase is applied. Carlson replied: “The 1% increase is applied to the city’s revenue source … it’s not … on the individual’s tax bill. It’s on the revenue that the city generates,” and confirmed the city also receives revenue from new construction or improvements (the “1% plus new construction” rule). Carlson offered to add a more detailed breakout of how much of the recent increase came from the 1% levy growth versus new construction to the public Q&A page.

Other budget details discussed included the sensitivity of revenue forecasts to one-time federal funds such as ARPA, interest-rate-driven investment earnings, and a 15% contract increase for fire services in 2025 that contributes to expenditure pressure.

Ending

Carlson and city staff encouraged candidates to review the full budget and capital improvement plan documents on the city website and to submit follow-up questions via the city’s candidate resources page for public posting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","June 18, 2025 - Sammamish City Council Candidate Orientation","oneSentenceSummary","Finance Director Vicki Carlson told prospective council members the city faces a structural imbalance in its General Fund, summarized steps already taken — $8.9 million in reductions and a new utility tax — and said staff are planning a voter measure to create a Metropolitan Park District to shore up long-term finances.","taxTitle","Sammamish City, King County, Washington","taxId",5127,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6191424,"Sammamish staff brief council candidates on meeting rules, public records and contracted services",967,0,967000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=4734321-266cd00951a7ddf3410dcb1d1bc5776c&start=0&end=967","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/4734321-266cd00951a7ddf3410dcb1d1bc5776c/thumbnail_0.jpg","/articles/6191424/Sammamish-City/King-County/Washington/Sammamish-staff-brief-council-candidates-on-meeting-rules-public-records-and-contracted-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6191424-9d7b350733c98027983401100fc378c0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196239&Signature=LfkGH5iKPYSR165-7-vHndLUMhX-rveGXbXq~IvPfaCEHVez4dWbIoFXwy4zY6MRFzbGjlSkb3xyAWlIYJmzJpORKkzRS8z4ov-53Fs7L6umrrcXhsXKq~PeJ6W7BDZyIKTti-mp5oCb3zlSRbdto1kFHMn5xcDQ8uOtH57z7U8ANT7dO5mwLCxfqbKES0G6gzmc0SwQ9vhE4ayUv32It51P1-HzJMGR1fvugT4iifVcY5VIWJfjTjIk7yD3iVIoe2jQIUyTKE7DvBOXNDFKkwqUouyHoL8zIytu3gQLN7thQiJyPCu9V8EKynKzrPQsPWX03zSRcsxDAHUxt9gLlQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City of Sammamish staff held a candidate orientation briefing for prospective council members in which they explained how the council-manager form of government works, the state laws that govern public meetings and records, and which services the city contracts out rather than provides directly.

The orientation, led by City Manager Scott McCall and Deputy City Manager Rachel Bianchi, covered the roles of council and staff, meeting types and rules of procedure. “Open Public Meetings Act … occurs when there’s a quorum of 4 or more members,” Bianchi said, summarizing a key constraint candidates must observe. She also emphasized the Public Records Act’s broad reach, noting records on personal devices that relate to city business are subject to disclosure.

Why it matters: candidates who win seats will need to navigate legal limits on private communications and the formal processes that create council direction. The session gave candidates the procedural background they would rely on when proposing policy or supervising the city manager.

City structure and meeting practice

Scott McCall explained the city operates under a council-manager form of government: voters elect the council, the council appoints a ceremonial mayor from among its members and the council hires a city manager to run day-to-day operations. Staff prepare budgets, implement council direction and advise on policy. “Staff cannot take direction from 1 or 2 individual council members,” McCall said; staff work must be directed by a majority of the council during an open public meeting.

Bianchi described three meeting types: regular meetings (first and third Tuesday, where formal action is taken), study sessions (second Tuesday, generally for deep dives without formal action) and special meetings called when needed. She summarized executive and confidential sessions as “very rare” and limited to topics such as real estate acquisition, litigation, collective bargaining and personnel matters; participants in those sessions are required to keep the discussions confidential.

Contracts and service delivery

Staff detailed the city’s status as a “contract city,” where several core services are delivered through agreements with other agencies and private vendors. The briefing named Ogden Murphy Wallace (Carrie Sand assigned as city attorney) for city attorney services; the King County Sheriff’s Office for police services; an interlocal agreement with Eastside Fire and Rescue (EIFR) for fire services; Republic Services for solid waste; and multiple contractors for court-related and jail services. Staff also reminded candidates that many services residents ask about are provided by other entities — for example, the King County Library System operates the library next to City Hall and three school districts serve parts of the city (Issaquah, Lake Washington and Snoqualmie Valley).

Public engagement and resources

Staff said the city maintains a candidate resources page and a JotForm for candidate questions; responses submitted through those channels will be posted publicly as a transparency measure. McCall and Bianchi noted training is provided for new council members on rules of procedure and on Robert’s Rules of Order, and that recurring refresher training on OPMA and public records is required.

Questions from candidates during the session ranged from use of a recently purchased auxiliary maintenance site to procedural details about agenda packets and council representation on regional boards.

Ending

Staff said presentation slides and a recording of the orientation would be posted to the candidate resources page and encouraged candidates to submit follow-up questions through the city’s published form for a public Q&A record.","City staff told prospective council members about the council-manager form of government, Washington’s Open Public Meetings and Public Records acts, and the city’s reliance on contracted services including police, fire and legal counsel.","actionData","errors"]

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Finance director tells candidates Sammamish faces structural budget gap; utility tax and park district planned to close it

Sammamish staff brief council candidates on meeting rules, public records and contracted services