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Home My WebLink About23-0427-26R 1 of 5 STATE OF WASHINGTON County of Jefferson In the Matter of Adoption of a Resolution to Approve a Levy Lid Lift RESOLUTION NO. 23-0427-26R WHEREAS, the Washington State Constitution generally vests taxing power in the state legislature; WHEREAS, Washington counties have no inherent power to tax; and, WHEREAS, the Washington constitution allows the legislature to delegate taxing authority to municipal corporations, including Jefferson County; and, WHEREAS, in 2002, Washington State law changed so that local governments only could impose an increase of 101% (one percent over the previous year’s collection) on property taxes per year unless otherwise authorized by voters; and, WHEREAS, the average rate of annual inflation for the last 10 years was approximately 3.1 percent, and for the last five years, the rate was approximately 4.4 percent, many more times than the annual one percent cap; and, WHEREAS, counties in Washington State are authorized to levy up to $1.80 per $1,000.00 of assessed valuation of taxable property and Jefferson County’s current levy rate is $0.92 per $1,000 of assessed valuation; and, WHEREAS, Jefferson County’s levy rate in 2016, ten years ago, was $1.64 per $1,000 of assessed valuation of taxable property and is $0.92 in 2026; and, WHEREAS, Jefferson County has experienced for many years annual cost increases affecting its operations that exceed the one percent cap; and, WHEREAS, Jefferson County has continued to see incredible pressures on its budget. Budgetary pressures are from the federal, state and local levels; and, WHEREAS, Jefferson County’s budget is impacted by changes in federal granting guidelines, changing funding allocations, tariffs that impact costs for products and services, and pauses or cancellations of programmatic dollars to the state which historically have been redistributed to local governments including Jefferson County; and, WHEREAS, uncertainty continues related to stable funding. Washington State continues to project a mismatch between available revenue and the programs it administers, leading to decreased funding to Jefferson County and other counties for the programs which they are mandated to provide such as providing for indigent defense in criminal cases; and, WHEREAS, State budget challenges have impacted programs important for health and safety, including in public health, where decreases in State funding were implemented when developing the 2026 Jefferson County budget and are slated for even further reductions; and, 2 of 5 WHEREAS, at the local level, Jefferson County has seen costs continue to rise in areas including the cost of premiums for liability coverage from the Washington Counties Risk Pool, which increased 20 percent in 2025 and 35 percent in 2026, due primarily to extraordinary jury verdicts, which the Legislature has failed to address with tort reform legislation; and, WHEREAS, the County adopted a 2026 budget in December 2025 that included expenditure reductions across the General Fund of approximately 12 percent between the preliminary and adopted budget, which still resulted in projected deficit spending of approximately $1.1 million; and, WHEREAS, without additional revenue generated by a levy lid lift, the Board of County Commissioners expects it will have little choice but to cut or eliminate funding for county-owned park facilities (over 20 countywide, including campgrounds, day-use parks and playgrounds, Memorial Field, and the Fairgrounds), recreation programs (including the countywide basketball, soccer, and related programs; Port Townsend Rec Center activities; and 4-H Youth Development), and community centers (facilities and programs in Brinnon, Quilcene, Tri-Area, Gardiner, and Port Townsend) in the 2027 Jefferson County budget; and, WHEREAS, the Jefferson County Parks and Recreation District No. 1 (Coyle) has its own funding mechanism and the county may be interested in entering into an interlocal agreement with that district to address any potential of overlap with this Resolution; and, WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners understands that there is the possibility of the formation of a Metropolitan Park District (MPD) in Port Townsend and the county may be interested in entering into an interlocal agreement with a future MPD for managing county-owned parks, recreational facilities and programs, including how tax revenues could be shared or redistributed for the purpose described in this Resolution; and, WHEREAS, the county could choose to forgo full levying capacity authorized by this levy lid lift, if revenue generated through and managed by a future MPD that are used to support any of the same parks and recreational facilities and programs, or that a future MPD could choose to supplement and enhance existing parks and recreational facilities and programs as the county by providing additional tax revenues; and, WHEREAS, the best interests of the residents of Jefferson County require the submission to the qualified voters of the county of a proposition to increase the County’s regular property tax levy to provide funding dedicated to supporting all county-owned park facilities, recreation programs, and community centers; and, WHEREAS, the proposed levy, if approved, authorizes an additional six-year property tax beginning in 2027 at $0.21 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, and exempts qualifying seniors, veterans, and disabled persons under RCW 84.36.381; and, NOW, THEREFORE, THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, WASHINGTON, HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Whereas Clauses are Findings of Fact. The Board of Commissioners of Jefferson County hereby adopts the above “Whereas” clauses as Findings of Fact. Section 2. Purpose. The purpose of this resolution is provide funding for all county-owned park 3 of 5 facilities (including over 20 parks countywide, including campgrounds, day-use parks and playgrounds, Memorial Field, and the Fairgrounds), recreation programs (including the countywide basketball, soccer, and related programs; Port Townsend Rec Center activities; and 4- H Youth Development), and community centers (facilities and programs in Brinnon, Quilcene, Tri-Area, Gardiner, and Port Townsend).. Section 3. Limitation on Use of Revenues. Revenue generated by this levy lid lift shall be used for the purpose stated in Section 2. In implementing this Resolution, Jefferson County shall avoid using revenue from this resolution to fund programs at a level already funded by another revenue source. Section 4. Request for Auditor to Call and Conduct a Special Election. The Jefferson County Auditor, as ex officio supervisor of elections in Jefferson County, Washington, is hereby requested to call and conduct a special election in August 2026 to be held within Jefferson County and to submit to the qualified electors of the County the proposition set forth in this resolution. The Jefferson County Auditor is authorized to make any corrections to the ballot title necessary to comply with State law. Section 5. Transmission of Proposition to the Auditor. The Clerk of the Board is directed to transmit the following proposition to the Jefferson County Auditor, together with any required cover sheet or other documentation, in substantially the following form, subject to any changes to the ballot title as may be made by the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney: August 6, 2026 Primary Election Jefferson County Proposition No. 1 County Parks & Rec Levy The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners adopted Resolution No. ______ concerning a property tax supporting county-wide parks, recreation and community centers. If approved, this proposition provides for dedicated funding for all county- owned park facilities, recreation programs, and community center facilities and programs in Brinnon, Quilcene, the Tri-Area, Gardiner, and Port Townsend by authorizing an additional six-year property tax beginning in 2027 at $0.21 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, which uses the 2027 levy amount to compute annual increases in 2028-2032, and exempts qualifying seniors, veterans, and disabled persons under RCW 84.36.381. Should this proposition be: □ Approved □ Rejected Section 6. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or section of this Resolution or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this Resolution or its application to other persons or circumstances shall be fully valid and shall not be affected. 4 of 5 Section 7. Corrections Authorized. The Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney or their designee or the Auditor or her designee are authorized to make necessary clerical corrections to this Resolution including, but not limited to, the correction of scrivener's or clerical errors, references, resolution numbering, section or subsection numbers and any references thereto and to make corrections and revisions consistent with the requirements of the offices of the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney or the Jefferson County Auditor that do not change the substantive meaning of this resolution. Section 8. Direction to Prepare an Explanatory Statement. The Prosecuting Attorney is directed to prepare an Explanatory Statement based on this resolution for use in the Jefferson County Voters’ Pamphlet. Section 9. SEPA Categorical Exemption. This Resolution is categorically exempt from the State Environmental Policy Act under WAC 197-11-800 (19). [This needs to be verified by looking at WAC 197-11-800.] Section 10. Effective Date. This Resolution shall take effect and be in full force immediately upon passage by the Board of Commissioners of Jefferson County. (SIGNATURES FOLLOW ON THE NEXT PAGE) 21ft, ·J ADOPTED and APPROVED this __ -day of _A-py, , 2026. SEAL: JEFFERSON OUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY CO MISSIONERS -----~···-·- .. , . \\\\\111111111 It, 11 I ,,,,'',,,?,.SON ,-.. ,,,,,, ,,, ~"v •••••·•· '--0/_,,, / J ,.:_·~~ISSio'• ... v,i.'-::_ ! "') ..-o~· iv«'•·. ;,-. ~ ~ ·c., -p. -'- ~ § f O-r-;1 (/)~ i - . ' ... ,~,,AT . - : Cfl : "'-'.J..:..1-Cl....LJ .: = '; ;..,\ ·. : ~ ~ -;-,,. '0~~ -:. .>- •. •• ~ ...... ., <:!-' ·•••• • •• ··0~ $ ~ .... ,, of::'········ ~ ,,, ... ',,,, WAS\-\\ ,,,,, ,,,,,,,, uu1u111'' 'f. ;,_ 7 2h Date APPROVED AS TO FORM: O· C ~ April 27, 2026 Philip C. Hunsucker, Date Chief Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney 5 of 5