Snohomish County Proposition No. 1

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Statement For · Brian Sullivan

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Committee: Brian Sullivan

Every day, Snohomish County residents depend on essential public services that protect our families, neighborhoods, and quality of life. Proposition No. 1 establishes a Foundational Government Services Policy that simply means putting these essential services first in the County’s budget priorities. This Charter amendment establishes a common-sense principle: fund essential county services before expanding discretionary programs. That includes public safety, emergency response, courts, elections, public health, roads and infrastructure, property assessment, public records, tax collection, and the financial systems that keep county government operating efficiently. It also promotes responsible long-term financial planning through balanced budgets, reserve policies, and fiscal sustainability. Proposition No. 1 does not raise taxes and does not dictate annual spending levels. Instead, it establishes a Charter policy that helps future County Councils and Executives keep their focus where it belongs on the services residents depend upon every day. Families know that when budgets are tight, necessities come before extras. County government should operate the same way. A yes vote protects essential county services, promotes responsible financial stewardship, and helps ensure Snohomish County remains prepared to meet the needs of its residents today and for generations to come.

Rebuttal of argument against

Essential services are mandated, but they are often underfunded. Proposition 1 neither guarantees any office a specific amount nor removes the County Council’s authority to adopt budgets in public. Claims that it replaces public debate with litigation overstate this straightforward policy. It simply directs county leaders to prioritize services residents rely on before expanding discretionary programs. It creates no new tax. Proposition 1 strengthens accountability by putting essential services first. Vote yes on Proposition 1.

Statement Against · Christine Eck and Janice Green

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Committee: Christine Eck and Janice Green

Vote no on Proposition 1. Proposition 1 would amend the charter to require funding for foundational government services. It sounds essential. But the offices it names are already required by the state constitution, state law, and county code. The county is legally obligated to operate them. Proposition 1 does not create that obligation. It restates existing duties in language nobody can define. That vagueness is the problem. The measure directs the county to prioritize funding for these services but never says what adequate funding means. The commission’s own attorney warned that one person’s idea of full funding will not match another’s, and those disagreements become costly and end up in court. Commissioners on the sponsoring body said the wording was too broad and would strip the Council of its budget authority. One commissioner who originally sponsored the measure withdrew support before the final vote. Here is what changes. Today your elected Council weighs competing needs and sets the budget in open session, accountable to you. This measure invites a single official to declare a service underfunded and pressure the Council through litigation rather than public debate. It removes accountability without adding a single protection the law does not already provide. Basic services are already protected by law. Proposition 1 adds vague language, legal risk, and less public control over your tax dollars. It solves a problem that does not exist. Vote no on Proposition 1.

Rebuttal of argument for

Proposition 1 solves a problem that does not exist. The essential services it names, public safety, emergency response, courts, elections, and public health, are already required under state law and the County Charter, which establishes these offices and their duties. This amendment adds no protection they do not already have. It does add risk: it never de?nes “foundational” versus “discretionary,” so the label can be applied selectively, protecting some services while leaving others exposed.