County government shutdown possible in budget standoff

EVERETT — Snohomish County lawmakers sounded a cooperative tone on the budget Monday, even as the gravity of failing to get over their disagreements became clearer.

The impasse stems from Executive John Lovick’s decision on Wednesday to veto the council’s 2015 budget.

If the five council members fail to muster at least four votes for a new budget plan by Dec. 31, all but the most essential government functions would cease as of Jan. 1.

“I look forward to working with all of you to make sure we don’t take that route,” Councilwoman Stephanie Wright said.

Wright was on the short end of the 3-2 vote council vote that led to the budget’s approval late last month.

Council Chairman Dave Somers, who played a lead role drafting the budget that Lovick vetoed, said he also feels the sense of urgency.

“We all share council member Wright’s strong commitment to work this out and avoid a shutdown,” Somers said.

It’s unclear what a shutdown would look like. County attorneys could find no sign that it’s ever happened in Washington.

“There are a number of issues that are unprecedented in Washington state,” said Jason Cummings, the county’s chief civil deputy prosecutor. “It’s the first time that our office that has been able to identify that a county has been in a situation where there’s been a concern of an inability to pass a budget. That is all hypothetical at this point, because the council has a certain amount of time within which it can act.”

The County Council on Monday hinted at ways to reach consensus but didn’t take action. Concrete proposals are likely to surface during the council’s regular meeting at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Before then, expect a flurry of one-on-one meetings behind closed doors and efforts to draft compromise legislation.

The council’s operating budget would have provided for about $226 million in services. Because it set aside recent property-tax increases to pay for a new $162 million courthouse, the council version of the budget had less money available than Lovick’s $230 million plan for next year. Lovick’s budget used the extra taxes for other needs, reasoning that bonds for the future courthouse wouldn’t come due until 2016.

To offset the decrease, the council budget included 1.5 percent cuts to most county departments. The decrease was half that amount for the Sheriff’s Office, which also operates the jail.

The council’s spending plan highlighted sharp differences with Lovick’s administration.

They cut funding in half, to $450,000, for the First Steps program that supports young mothers and newborns; rolled back salary increases for six top-level managers in Lovick’s administration; and abruptly cut a recently hired manager at the Medical Examiner’s Office, leaving the department leaderless.

The most urgent question to resolve is whether to include new property taxes in next year’s budget. Wednesday is the deadline. After that, it will be too late for the county treasurer to add the tax increase to the tax rolls, Cummings said.

A 1 percent increase in the county’s general levy would add about $822,000 next year. That could help smooth over some of the differences between Lovick’s administration and a majority of the council. In theory, that could help avoid some staff cuts and restore funding for First Steps.

Both Lovick and Somers supported the 1 percent tax increase, but it got voted down by a majority of the council. It would cost an extra $2.53 per year for the owner of a house assessed at the countywide average of $244,000.

Reaching agreements on the budget will require council members to set aside disagreements that have grown increasingly personal.

On Friday, Councilman Brian Sullivan sent Somers a letter criticizing his leadership and accusing him of seeking political gain by disagreeing with Lovick. All council members and The Daily Herald were copied on the letter.

Sullivan wrote about being disappointed in the decision of a majority of the council to spend $15,000 to hire an attorney to investigate alleged comments by Lovick’s top administrator, Deputy Executive Mark Ericks. Somers and two other councilmen believe Ericks’ comments were hostile and threatening toward them.

Meanwhile, county managers need to prepare in case council members can’t resolve the deadlock.

“As we move forward, one of our main concerns is what happens in a government shutdown,” Cummings told the council.

Should that happen, law enforcement and the jail would have to keep running. Some law enforcement duties of a less urgent nature might need to be put on hold.

Public safety isn’t the only mandatory or essential function of government.

Under state law, the county is obligated to continue some investment and tax functions, treasurer Kirke Sievers said.

There’s also the question of trash disposal, given the essential role of county transfer stations.

There’s little case law and few past examples to guide the county.

“By no means is this a clear-cut pathway — it’s not,” Cummings said.

Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @NWhaglund.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Rep. Suzan DelBene, left, introduces Xichitl Torres Small, center, Undersecretary for Rural Development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture during a talk at Thomas Family Farms on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Under new federal program, Washingtonians can file taxes for free

At a press conference Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene called the Direct File program safe, easy and secure.

Former Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy Jeremie Zeller appears in court for sentencing on multiple counts of misdemeanor theft Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ex-sheriff’s deputy sentenced to 1 week of jail time for hardware theft

Jeremie Zeller, 47, stole merchandise from Home Depot in south Everett, where he worked overtime as a security guard.

Everett
11 months later, Lake Stevens man charged in fatal Casino Road shooting

Malik Fulson is accused of shooting Joseph Haderlie to death in the parking lot at the Crystal Springs Apartments last April.

T.J. Peters testifies during the murder trial of Alan Dean at the Snohomish County Courthouse on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Bothell cold case trial now in jury’s hands

In court this week, the ex-boyfriend of Melissa Lee denied any role in her death. The defendant, Alan Dean, didn’t testify.

A speed camera facing west along 220th Street Southwest on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Washington law will allow traffic cams on more city, county roads

The move, led by a Snohomish County Democrat, comes as roadway deaths in the state have hit historic highs.

Mrs. Hildenbrand runs through a spelling exercise with her first grade class on the classroom’s Boxlight interactive display board funded by a pervious tech levy on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lakewood School District’s new levy pitch: This time, it won’t raise taxes

After two levies failed, the district went back to the drawing board, with one levy that would increase taxes and another that would not.

Alex Hanson looks over sections of the Herald and sets the ink on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Black Press, publisher of Everett’s Daily Herald, is sold

The new owners include two Canadian private investment firms and a media company based in the southern United States.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.