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Commissioner: public health cuts and lost contracts tighten county finances
Summary
Commissioner Zoller said the county’s public health department lost $363,000 in state funding recently and that a $600,000 contract with Skagit County was lost; she said the county still has savings but needs to be cautious.
Commissioner Lori Zoller told the council the county recently experienced reductions in state funding for public health—"Last week our public health dept was cut $363K from state funds"—and that other programs such as school lunches and food programs saw reductions. She said the county also lost a roughly $600,000 contract from Skagit County, affecting revenues.
Zoller said these hits mean the county will need to watch spending closely even as she described longer‑term opportunities—airport profitability, port build‑outs and potential green energy programs—that could improve revenues in 2–5 years. She urged careful fiscal management and continued pursuit of grants and regional partnerships to replace lost income.
