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Kirkland council backs Evergreen Health levy lid‑lift; resolution passes 4‑1 after public hearing
Summary
After a factual presentation by Evergreen Health, the council voted 4‑1 to adopt a resolution supporting Evergreen Health Proposition 1, a levy lid lift on the August 5 ballot. Councillors voiced strong support for preserving local hospital services; one member voted no and several residents spoke both for and against the measure.
The Kirkland City Council on July 15 adopted a resolution supporting Evergreen Health’s Proposition 1 levy lid lift, which will appear on the Aug. 5 special election ballot. The council vote was 4‑1 in favor.
Evergreen Health Chief Operating Officer Chris Bredesen gave a factual presentation outlining the district’s finances and the services the levy supports. “We are Evergreen Health,” Bredesen told the council, “we want to focus on keeping our community healthy.” He said levy proceeds have funded youth mental‑health programs, senior‑care supports, subsidized hospice and other community services, and that the hospital district’s property‑tax levy rate has declined over decades from $0.75 per $1,000 of assessed value to about $0.14 per $1,000 today.
Bredesen and Evergreen staff said the $0.36 increase proposed in Proposition 1 (raising the district rate to $0.50 per $1,000) is designed to help the public hospital remain independent and expand access to primary care and specialty services. Bredesen noted significant statewide hospital financial pressures and warned that federal and Medicaid funding changes are increasing fiscal risk for independent hospitals.
Public comment at the hearing included supporters and opponents. Amy Johnson, a longtime Kirkland resident and medical‑sector employee, said she relied on neighborhood hospital services and urged support. “We want to expand access as well as increase the number of patients that we see,” she told the council.
Opposition remarks were largely delivered by a single speaker whose remarks during items‑from‑the‑audience included personal and political commentary not directly tied to hospital financing. Several other residents praised Evergreen’s local services and urged passage.
Council discussion: Councilmember Sweet, who moved the resolution, and Councilmember Falcone, who seconded it, said they support the levy as a way to protect local access to emergency and specialty care and to maintain Evergreen’s independence amid statewide consolidation. Deputy Mayor Arnold and Councilmember Falcone asked Evergreen for more detail on how levy revenue would be spent; Evergreen said it would expand primary‑care access, medical office capacity and key specialty services.
Councilmember Black voted against the resolution, saying he was uncomfortable for procedural reasons with taking a councilwide position while two councilmembers were absent from the regular meeting earlier in the evening. Black said he supported the hospital in principle but preferred not to have the council adopt an official city resolution under the evening’s attendance circumstances.
Vote and action: The council adopted Resolution R‑56‑87 in support of Evergreen Health Proposition 1 (levy lid lift) by a vote of 4 in favor, 1 opposed (Black). The motion to consider and adopt the resolution was made by Councilmember Sweet and seconded by Councilmember Falcone.
Next steps: The proposition will appear on the Aug. 5 special‑election ballot. Evergreen staff said they will distribute additional factual details about planned investments and welcome further questions from the council.
