Snohomish County facing state’s first possible government shutdown
Dec 16, 2014, 5:25 AM | Updated: 5:25 am
Snohomish County leaders are scrambling to avoid the first budget shutdown in state history. (Snohomish County photo)
(Snohomish County photo)
It sounds like something out of the other Washington, but Snohomish County could become the first municipality in our state to shut down over a budget impasse.
Executive John Lovick vetoed the council’s 2015 budget last week, setting the stage for the potential shutdown, the Everett Herald reports.
The county has until Dec. 31 to pass a new spending plan, or all but what are considered “essential government functions” would grind to a halt Jan. 1.
Unlike the federal government, which has dealt with shutdowns before, it’s uncharted territory in our state.
Jason Cummings, the county’s chief civil deputy prosecutor, tells the Herald he hasn’t been able to find another situation like it in state history.
The budget vetoed by Lovick passed the council last month by a 3-2 vote. At issue is a gulf of about $70 million. The council wanted a recent property-tax hike to pay for a new courthouse, and proposed 1.5 percent cuts to most county departments.
Lovick’s spending plan used the extra taxes for other areas and to avoid many of the cuts proposed by the council.
Fast and furious talks are reportedly going on behind closed doors ahead of Wednesday morning’s regularly scheduled council meeting.
The county faces a Wednesday deadline to decide whether to include the new property tax in next year’s budget, which could help Lovick and the council reach enough common ground to avoid a shutdown.
Lovick and Council Chairman Dave Somers both backed the 1 percent tax increase, which got voted down by a majority of the council.
With the deadline looming, council members are sounding a cooperative tone, with a number on both sides of the dispute acknowledging they are working to make sure the county doesn’t grind to a halt on New Year’s Day.
But county managers can’t just stand by and hope it doesn’t come to that. With no precedent, leaders are doing the best they can to come up with contingencies.
Cummings told the council law enforcement and the jail would have to keep running, but other services would likely need to be halted.
The county is also trying to determine what else constitutes an essential service, such as trash disposal and some tax functions.
