County exec asks for public’s help

On Tuesday, SnohomishCounty Executive Aaron Reardon compared the decision making process for balancing the county’s budget to the average citizen’s financial goals.

Similar to any household, the county looks to deliver a balanced budget while making ends meet and saving for the future, he said during a community conversation at city hall in Arlington.

A series of public meetings took place last week in every council district of the county to prioritize services and rate their effectiveness.

Less than 25 citizens attended the District 1 (North Snohomish County) meeting and participated in an instant survey using a hand-held device that recorded and displayed responses within seconds.

Prior to the survey, Reardon presented a list of current economic challenges hampering the budget and briefly described how general funds are distributed.

For 2010, 74 percent of the $203 million general fund budget was allotted for public safety and the court system. The second largest piece of the pie went to administrative costs at 12 percent. Community development and parks came in at 7 percent of the budget with general services and health and human services falling in at 4 percent and 3 percent respectively.

Due to what Reardon said economists are referring to as the “great recession,” the budget pie may lose more of its filling in 2011.

Since 2007, volatility in the stock market has resulted in home foreclosures, a drop in consumer confidence and an increase in unemployment rates; factors contributing to a loss in tax revenue for the county, said Reardon.

As a result, the county was forced to maintain service levels by dipping into reserves, known as the “rainy-day fund.”

“Problem is, it’s been raining for three years,” Reardon said. “We don’t know when it will stop.”

He said it is crucial for the county to rebuild this fund and maintain financial stability.

“That’s why we’re here,” he said. “Help us to identify priorities in spending.”

Participants in the survey rated the effectiveness of services from public safety and human services to community and economic development.

The instant results showed neutral ratings along the adequate-to-inadequate scale across the categories.

Forty percent of those in attendance indicated their highest spending priority on core services, while the rest were split evenly among establishing safer communities and increasing job growth.

Asked if voters should decide on all new taxes and levies, 80 percent responded “yes.”

After the survey, citizens raised concerns about protecting parks, the creation of jobs and services for seniors.

They also questioned if the county can balance next year’s budget without raising taxes.

In light of a projected $12 million deficit in 2011, Reardon said it is possible, but the county would have to continue scaling back.

Hiring freezes, program cuts, furloughs for county employees, a reduced 2010 budget and more cuts across the board already this year have been implemented, said Reardon.

“We have not seen this type of economy in 80 years,” he said.

In 2003, $1.30 per $1,000 of local tax dollars collected went to the county. That number has dropped to 78 cents.

Reardon said that gap in funding, combined with annexations of cities and an increase of demand for services in dense populations in unincorporated areas of the county are pressing concerns and his goal is to find a balance of effective governance with limited funding.

“It’s a tough job,” he said.

Combined survey results from all the meetings plus individual district responses will be posted online at www. snoco.org.