Snohomish County avoids state’s first-ever government shutdown

Snohomish County has avoided the state’s first-ever government shutdown after the County Council reached a compromise Wednesday on a new budget.

With a deadline looming to avoid the shutdown, council members voted 4-1 in favor of a spending plan that increases funding for the Sheriff’s Office and a social services program for young mothers, the Everett Herald reports.

The vote followed a long week of tense negotiations as council members, staff and County Executive John Lovick wrestled over a budget vetoed by Lovick before Thanksgiving. At issue were Lovick’s objections to cuts in some programs and departments, including the county Medical Examiner’s Office.

The agreement includes a 1 percent increase in the county’s general tax levy to pay for the increased spending. It’ll cost about 20 cents per month to property owners assessed at the countywide average of $244,000, the Herald reports.

Despite conflicts between Lovick and some council members that at times became personal during the heated process, Lovick vowed afterwards to do what he can to ease tensions.

“We’re going to do everything we can from our office to have a good relationship,” Lovick told the Herald. “The public expects this from us and the public demands this from us.”

Council chair Dave Somers says he feels “really good” about the budget, which is virtually unchanged from the one he led passage of last month. And he acknowledges some fences need to be mended between the council and Lovick.

“The budget today was a great step forward. I think the important thing is people just want us to do our jobs and focus on the issues we were elected to do,” he says. “It’s been very stressful for everybody here, our employees and the public and I’m just glad to have this resolved.”