Finance director outlines plan to push proportionate COLA contingency to departments amid revenue uncertainty

The Snohomish County Finance, Budget and Administration Committee spent the bulk of its April 8 meeting discussing the county’s non-departmental cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) contingency and budget risk for the current biennium.

Nathan, Snohomish County’s director of finance, told the committee the COLA amount placed in non-departmental was an estimate developed in March–May of the prior year and noted: “It is an estimate. It's not what we are required to pay because that comes later once the collective bargaining agreements are settled and Council adopts a budget.” He said the county typically pushes COLA appropriations out to departments during the annual cycle, but because the county operates on a biennium budget staff is recommending the executive push a proportional share of the COLA contingency out earlier to help departments manage 2025 costs tied to recently…