Mayor and Staff Present 2025-2026 Preliminary Biennial Budget
Published on October 17, 2024
On Monday night, Mayor Christine Frizzell presented the Preliminary 2025-2026 Biennial Budget to the City Council on behalf of the City of Lynnwood. The Budget lays out the City’s educated calculation of revenue and expenses we expect to come in and go out of the General Fund, with an Operating Revenue of $145 million and Operating Expenses of $143 million.
The 2025-2026 Biennial Budget was developed based on recommendations from our Department Directors and City staff to ensure we maintain our current level of service to the community. Over the summer, the City asked for feedback from the community through a budget survey, a Community Open House, and outreach at summer events like the Fair on 44th. The City paired this input and other insights gathered through numerous community interactions, to create a budget that reflects the wants and needs of our community.
The preliminary Budget has increased by 16% since the previously adopted biennial Budget. This increase is due to inflation and the overall cost of operating a city, including increased fees for services, liability insurance, additional employees to address public safety concerns, maintaining and improving critical infrastructure, employee benefits, wage increases from collective bargaining agreements and addressing the substantial growth of the community that the City has envisioned and planned for decades.
“Lynnwood and the Puget Sound Region are changing before our eyes, and with that great potential comes challenges and important decisions,” said Mayor Frizzell in her budget message in the budget book. “It’s not hyperbole to say that this biennium is one of the most important periods in Lynnwood’s 65 years.”
Most notably, the increase includes the funding of 27 new full-time positions that have been approved by the Council over the past two years, including multiple police officer positions funded through one-time American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and COPS grants, parks maintenance positions that address graffiti and vandalism on City property, and the City’s human services coordinator position which were funded through ARPA grant funding.
“I do believe these additional positions are all valued-added and serve an important role in their respective departments, but these new services come at a cost, and unfortunately a sustainable funding plan was not created when they were approved,” said Mayor Frizzell. “We initially feared that we could not permanently fund these vital positions, however, I am pleased to announce that we have incorporated these critical positions into this budget proposal.”
The Budget also includes a proposed property tax for the upcoming biennium. The proposed property tax amount of $6,200,000 for 2025 will restore the levy to $.57 to help partially fund service level increases that the Council has approved without permanent funding over the last few years. Based on an estimated Assessed Valuation increase, primarily due to new construction, the average homeowner would see an increase of approximately $84 per year ($7 per month) to restore the levy rate to pre-COVID levels.
“We have crafted this Budget after several thorough reviews by our teams. It is a responsibility we do not take lightly,” said Mayor Frizzell. While we are enthusiastic about our community’s promising future, we are also realistic about the challenges ahead. Our commitment to financial efficiency remains unwavering, and we deeply appreciate your trust in our efforts.”
City departments will continue to present their budgets to City Council at the regularly scheduled Council work sessions and business meetings through November 4. There will be a second public hearing on the Preliminary 2025-2026 Budget and the property tax levy on Tuesday, November 12. The Council will review the Budget the same night and again on Monday, November 18. The adoption of the 2025-2026 Budget and the adoption of the 2025 property tax levy are scheduled for November 25 at the City Council business meeting.