What it will cost to run Snohomish County in 2013

Snohomish County has budgeted $213.6 million in general fund spending for 2013. That’s the part of the budget over which the county has the most discretion. As has been the case for years, more than 72 percent of the money will pay for law and order and public safety.

Another $575 million in spending is planned for special programs. Those parts of the budget are handled separately because they are paid for through grants, fees and other revenue sources that the county is legally obligated to spend in a specific way. For example, more than 360 jobs in the county’s Public Works Roads Division and more than 160 in its Human Services Department are tied to dedicated revenues.

The 2013 budget caps the number of county government jobs at just under 2,700 and specifies how many are allowed in each department.

Next year’s budget includes the first increase in the general property tax levy in a decade.

The total amount collected from the general levy is expected to rise by 3 percent, or a little over $2 million. The money is earmarked to fill vacant county jobs and rebuild the county’s aging courthouse complex.

The County Council passed the budget on Nov. 19. County Executive Aaron Reardon on Nov. 30 returned it to the council with his stamp of approval. Reardon didn’t sign portions of the budget that raised property taxes, nor did he veto those increases.

Snohomish County 2013 general fund

Department Expense
Sheriff $49,612,635
Sheriff’s Corrections Bureau $43,899,111
Superior Court $21,219,435
Prosecuting Attorney $14,425,040
Nondepartmental $10,573,341
Parks And Recreation $9,612,070
District Court $8,843,895
Auditor $7,520,534
Office of Public Defense $7,120,881
Assessor $7,031,283
Clerk $6,691,784
Planning $4,269,653
Legislative $3,926,276
Human Services $3,898,148
Finance $3,751,648
Treasurer $3,163,371
Medical Examiner $2,117,467
Executive $2,014,994
Human Resources $1,807,662
Emergency Management $1,108,707
Hearing Examiner $640,960
Boundary Review Board $385,222
Total $213,634,117

Snohomish County 2013 employment

Department Full-time equivalent cap
Public Works 574.3
Sheriff’s Corrections Bureau 353.9
Sheriff 351.0
Superior Court 202.1
Human Services 182.6
Prosecuting Attorney 173.3
Planning 118.5
Facilities Management 92.0
Information Services 83.0
District Court 81.0
Clerk 74.9
Parks and Recreation 63.9
Assessor 62.5
Airport 50.0
Auditor 45.0
Finance 41.5
Treasurer 29.0
Legislative 24.6
Executive 20.0
Human Resources 20.0
Medical Examiner 14.0
Department of Emergency Management 12.0
Office of Public Defense 7.0
Boundary Review Board 3.0
Hearing Examiner 2.8
Total FTE 2,681.9
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