Mayor Franklin presents balanced 2026 budget, cites $7.9M general-fund gap and program cuts
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Summary
Mayor Franklin delivered the 2026 budget address, outlining spending priorities — public safety, infrastructure, parks and human services — and the actions taken to close a $7.9 million general-fund gap while recommending suspension of the 2026 prefunding pension contribution.
Mayor Franklin on Oct. 22 presented her eighth budget address to the Everett City Council, describing a “balanced fiscally responsible budget” for 2026 that closes a $7.9 million general-fund gap through a mix of one-time measures and long-term reductions.
The mayor said the city closed nearly $100 million in cumulative deficits since 2018 and cited a $12,600,000 deficit in 2025 that was addressed through prior actions. She described the structural revenue problem facing Everett: property tax growth capped at 1% under state law while inflation and demand for services have risen. “The choices we make today shape Everett’s future for decades to come,” Franklin said.
Nut graf: The proposed 2026 budget preserves core services while shifting some costs, suspending the city’s 2026 prefunding pension contribution and using a mix of reserves, reallocated COVID-relief funds, and reduced department spending to protect public safety, human services and infrastructure investments.
Franklin highlighted sustained investments in public safety, saying Everett police now have the largest number of uniformed officers in department history and that the budget continues funding new units and equipment, including license-plate readers and a “drone as first responder.” She said grant funding supports alternative response teams and behavioral-health work, including the CARE Team and mobile addiction treatment with Emote. “These programs have helped thousands of residents in distress and reduced the burden on emergency services,” Franklin said.
The mayor described non-general-government operations — Everett Transit, the regional utility, and two city golf courses — as self-sustaining. She also noted major federally and state-funded capital projects in planning or construction: the Edgewater Bridge replacement, North Broadway pedestrian bridge, Newport Gardner reservoir work, and preparation for Sound Transit light-rail service to Everett.
Specific fiscal actions named in the address include freezing nonessential department spending, limiting city grant availability, suspending general-fund contributions to some special-revenue programs such as street maintenance, and reallocating some local COVID-relief funds to the general fund. Franklin recommended reevaluating the city’s practice of prefunding pensions, noting most cities pay pension costs “as you go.” She said the city’s fund-balance policy targets 20% of annual revenue and that Everett has averaged about 30% over the last decade.
The address also reiterated economic-development initiatives, including work on an Outdoor Event Center and hosting a fan zone for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and investments in parks, library programs and tree-planting. Franklin closed by asking for public input on priorities for 2026 and thanking staff, labor partners and community organizations.
Ending: Councilmembers did not take immediate action on the budget during the meeting; the council will consider the formal budget ordinance in subsequent hearings as required by the city’s budget calendar.
