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