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San Juan County council votes to send a property‑tax levy lift to voters after budget shortfall discussion
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Summary
After staff outlined tightening current‑expense funding and federal grant uncertainties, the San Juan County Council on Feb. 10 approved a resolution to place a 2027 property‑tax levy‑lift proposition on the ballot and to use the 2027 levy to set future levy limits, referencing RCW 84.55.050. The council set a Feb. 23 special meeting to appoint pro/con statement authors.
The San Juan County Council voted Feb. 10 to place a measure on the April ballot asking voters to authorize an increase in the county’s regular property‑tax levy in 2027 and to use the 2027 levy amount to calculate subsequent levy limits. County Manager Jessica Hudson briefed the council on revised redline language and budget pressures tied to shrinking federal and state flows.
Hudson told the council the draft resolution includes edits raised by members and highlights mounting state budget impacts on county services, noting that public‑health funding reductions could reach “up to $500,000 by mid‑2026.” She said staff had prepared both a redline and a clean copy of the proposed proposition language and offered to make a minor wording change requested by council members (replacing the word “other” with “vital” in the seven‑word ballot descriptor).
Council members described limited remaining cuts to county services and framed the ballot request as part of a broader fiscal strategy. Councilmember McVeigh said voters need to understand that many local services rely on property levy revenue and that the county has made repeated budget reductions. Chair (name not specified in the transcript) said 2026 would be “the year of the budget” and emphasized the goal of establishing a viable budget for future years.
Councilmember Fuller and others pressed staff for transparency about grants that were allocated but later frozen or made unacceptable because of contract language tied to federal executive orders. Hudson explained several federal grant disruptions and said staff would track and report any awards that the county could not accept because of problematic contract terms.
The council moved, seconded and approved the resolution by voice vote. Members also agreed to schedule a special meeting for Monday, Feb. 23 at 9 a.m. to appoint the three‑person pro and con committees that will draft optional statements for the ballot, and staff will solicit nominees publicly before the Feb. 27 appointment deadline.
Next steps: staff will finalize the proposition language as directed, run the public notice to recruit pro/con statement authors and return to the council at the Feb. 23 special meeting to name committee members.
