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Vote Yes for both levies and still pay lower taxes next year! San Juan Island ballots will include levy proposals for both San Juan County and Island Rec. The time is right for these levies that will provide funding for important programs in our community. This year San Juan Island tax payers paid approximately 60 cents per $1,000 for the San Juan Island School District bond that will be completely paid off in December. Approval of both the San Juan County and Island Rec levies will still result in lower taxes next year (almost 38 cents per $1,000 LESS). The Island Factor: San Juan County provides many programs and services on at least three islands. This levy provides funding for senior services, parks, and public health on multiple islands. Vote YES for all our island communities! 
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San Juan County voters have an opportunity to create a local funding source for programs and services that are highly valued in our community but are not mandated by State or Federal laws. Let's vote our values!
Without the dedicated funding from a voter approved property tax increase, these programs and services are at risk of being further reduced or eliminated entirely because they are not mandated by the State. The County is legally required to provide many services, including the Courts, corrections, public documents retention, and functions carried out by the Assessor's, Treasurer's and Auditor's offices. Some reductions have been made in Law Enforcement, but there is a need to retain emergency response capability around the clock. The San Juan County Levy Proposition #1, if approved by the voters, will increase property taxes by 12 cents per $1,000 of property value. The owner of a property valued at $500,000 would pay an additional $60 per year, which amounts to $5 per month. If approved, the levy increase would be limited to a six year term. After six years the levy will drop back to what it would have been without the increase, unless voters approve a renewal. The County's revenues have fallen sharply in 2009, and the Auditor has projected an additional $750,000 shortfall in 2010. In 2009 there were two rounds of budget cuts totaling almost $1 million. Some of these cuts were appropriate, creating greater efficiencies. However, many of the budget cuts have severely impacted valued county programs and services. In the past year, the County has: * Reduced its workforce by 8%, a total of 23 positions. * Reduced the hours on 11.4% of the remaining workers (27 positions). * Reduced the workforce FTE's (Full-time equivalents) to 8.8% less than in 2008. Let's create a local mandate that will ensure the funding for these important programs and services even if further budget cuts are required during the six-year term of this levy! |
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Where, exactly will the additional revenue go? On November 3rd, voters will decide whether to approve a six-year 12 cent increase in the County property tax, which will raise approximately $960,000 in 2010. The San Juan County Council is legally bound to allocate the additional revenue raised as follows: Senior Services (maintains program at reduced 2009 service level)
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LID LIFT FAQs
The increase would be 12 cents per $1,000 of taxable property value, so the owner of a $500,000 house would pay an additional $60 per year. That amounts to $5.00 per month. The tax would raise approximately $960,000 for the general fund in the year 2010. Q - This is a bad time for a tax increase. Why can't the County just tighten its belt? Even before it was adopted, the 2009 County Current budget underwent major reductions in areas including Public Health, Parks and Core services. In 2009 the County Council has cut almost $1 million from the County Current budget in two additional rounds of budget cuts. Among things the County government has done to tighten its belt:
But with revenues falling, the County cannot sustain even this reduced level of expenditures. The Auditor has projected another $750,000 gap between the cost of existing services and projected revenue in 2010. Without additional revenue, some very popular program will have to be cut drastically or eliminated. The Auditor projects that even if the levy lift passes, the actual dollar amount of the 2010 County Current budget will be smaller than the adopted 2009 budget. Q - How much has the County actually reduced its workforce? In the past year, the County has: Reduced its workforce by 8%, a total of 23 positions. Reduced the hours on 11.4% of the remaining workers (27 positions). The workforce FTE's (Full-time equivalents) are now 8.8% lower than in 2008.
After two rounds of reductions, there are few remaining programs that can be cut. The County is legally required to provide many services, including the Courts, corrections, public documents retention, and functions carried out by the Assessor's, Treasurer' and Auditor's offices. Some reductions have been made in Law Enforcement, but there is a need to retain emergency response capability around the clock. The state does not mandate the County's funding of Parks, a specific level of public health programs, community programs such as Senior Services and Extension programs such as 4-H. The funding level of those programs depends strictly on the community's values and the availability of money. Q - Why can't the County live within its means? The County is required by law to live within its means - deficit spending is not allowed. But it can't provide the same level of service for less money than it had two years ago any more than one can buy a loaf of bread for less than it cost two years ago. Voters are being asked if they would like to provide additional funding to support programs such as Senior Services, 4-H, Master Gardeners and other non-mandated programs and services that are in serious jeopardy. Q - Even though our current levy is the lowest in the state, because of our high property values don't we actually pay the highest property taxes in Washington by a wide margin? No. Residents of Snohomish, Whitman and King County pay more tax on homes in their median sales price range than San Juan County homeowners do. Pierce and Whatcom Counties are also very close to San Juan County in actual property tax amounts. Based on 2008 sales figures, the buyer of a median-priced home in King County last year will pay nearly $1,200 more in property taxes than the buyer of a median-priced home in San Juan County. (2008 median home prices: King County $430,000, SJC $510,000) (Taxes: King County - $4,051, SJC - $2,815) Q - How much of San Juan County's Property tax is paid by non-residents? San Juan County is the only county in the state with fewer than 2 residents for every existing home, indicating that much of the residential property here is owned by part time residents. No exact figures are available but it appears that at least 25% and as many as 40% of San Juan County's residential property taxpayers are not full time county residents. (San Juan County has 1.67 residents per housing unit, King County has 2.26, Skagit - 2.34, Whatcom - 2.13, Kitsap - 2.35) Q - I've heard that even while popular programs are being cut, the County's Communications budget is being almost doubled. Why? The Communications budget - which refers to the Sheriff's dispatch and emergency communications operation - has not actually increased. According to Auditor Milene Henley, the only significant change is an accounting change which now lists $236,000 in existing state funding for the operation in the County Current budget. In the draft 2010 budget, the Sheriff's Communications operation is being funded at approximately the same level as 2008. +++++++++++++
Paid for by Vote Yes for San Juan County,
Linda Tretheway, Treasurer, PO Box 212, Olga WA 98279 |
Q - How much will the property tax increase cost me?