HomeMy WebLinkAboutord2024-061Whatcom County COUNTY COURTHOUSE
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Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
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Agenda Bill Master Report
File Number: AB2024-730
File ID: AB2024-730 Version: 1 Status: Adopted
File Created: 10/25/2024 Entered by: MMiterko@co.whatcom.wa.us
Department: Finance Division File Type: Ordinance Requiring a Public Hearing
Assigned to: Council
Agenda Date: 11/19/2024
Related Files:
Primary Contact Email: atan@co.whatcom.wa.us
TITLE FOR AGENDA ITEM:
Ordinance authorizing the levy of taxes for County Road purposes for 2025
SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE:
Final Action: 11/19/2024
Enactment #: ORD 2024-061
Pursuant to Home Rule Charter Section 6.10, this ordinance requests authorization to levy taxes for
County Road purposes in 2025.
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE FILE
Date: Acting Body:
Action:
Sent To:
11/06/2024 Council INTRODUCED FOR PUBLIC Council
HEARING
Aye: 7 Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Elenbaas, Galloway, Scanlon, and Stremler
Nay: 0
11/19/2024 Council ADOPTED
Aye: 4 Buchanan, Donovan, Galloway, and Scanlon
Nay: 3 Byrd, Elenbaas, and Stremler
Attachments: Proposed Ordinance, Notice of Hearing after 11.6.2024
Whatcom County Page 1 Printed on 1112112024
PROPOSED BY: Executive
INTRODUCTION DATE: November 6, 2024
ORDINANCE NO. 2024-061
ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE LEVY OF 2025
PROPERTY TAXES FOR COUNTY ROAD PURPOSES
WHEREAS, pursuant to Home Rule Charter Section 6.10 the County Executive is required to
submit for Council consideration proposed tax and revenue ordinances necessary to raise sufficient
revenues to balance the Budget; and,
WHEREAS, the County Council has approved a budget for the 2025-2026 biennium, including
all sources of revenues and anticipated expenditures on November 19, 2024; and,
WHEREAS, annual property tax revenues are statutorily constrained to grow at just one percent
of the highest lawful levy plus the value of new construction, improvements to property and increases
in the value of state assessed property; and,
WHEREAS, the County has traditionally deferred their one percent annual increases, which has
contributed to stagnation in revenue growth; and,
WHEREAS, the cost of providing County services has increased significantly in recent years
due to statutory requirements, inflationary impacts, a growing population, and expanding community
needs; and,
WHEREAS, the County has a structural budget imbalance in the Road Fund, where the cost of
providing services to the County's growing population and businesses are outpacing the County's
revenues; and,
WHEREAS, to begin to address the structural imbalance and avoid abrupt service reductions,
it is necessary in the 2025-2026 Biennial Budget to use the County's deferred taxing authority, a.k.a.
banked capacity, for the Road Fund levy; and,
WHEREAS, the County Council held a public hearing regarding the county biennial budget,
which included property tax revenues, and other revenues;
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED AND ESTABLISHED by the Whatcom County
Council that an increase in the County Road property tax levy is hereby authorized for the levy to be
collected in the 2025 tax year. The dollar amount of the increase shall be $3,916,564, which is a
percentage increase of 18.7% from the previous year. This increase is exclusive of additional revenue
resulting from new construction, improvements to property, newly constructed wind turbines, solar,
biomass, and geothermal facilities, and any increase in the value of state assessed property, any
annexations that have occurred and refunds made.
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED AND ESTABLISHED, that the Whatcom County Council
does hereby authorize diverting $1,156,530 of the County Road District levy for the budget year 2025
to the General Fund. Diverted County Road Taxes are to be used for traffic law enforcement in the
unincorporated areas of Whatcom County.
ADOPTI�,iPj�,hip'19th day of November , 2024.
C (
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
ATTET �� ;� �` i'�� WBachanan,
r[T, WASHINGTON
C tt Halka, Council �lerk Council Chair
A i
APPROVEDw�",FORM: APPROVED ( ) NOT APPROVED
Christopher Quinn 1.1/18/24
Civil Deputy'Prosecutor`' Satpal Singh Pidlni, Executive
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