Editor:
The city has recently posted a “Cost Calculator” on their website, but it leaves much to be desired in terms of clarity and transparency. Residents were hoping for a straightforward tool that would show what their combined city and RFA real estate tax bill would look like if the RFA annexation were approved. Instead, the so-called “Cost Calculator” falls short of being a true tax calculator, raising concerns about what might be intentionally left out.
The calculator focuses solely on the new RFA taxes and the benefit charge fee, while completely ignoring the changes to the City of Edmonds tax. According to the city’s own statements, they plan to retain the portion of property taxes currently funding fire/EMS services, rather than reducing taxes to reflect this shift. As a result, the calculator grossly understates the actual tax burden residents would face. How can anyone make an informed decision without seeing the full picture?
Adding to the confusion, the example used by the city misrepresents current tax bills by including a “General Levy Contribution to Fire Service Contract” line, which does not exist. Instead, our bills show a simple “City of Edmonds tax” line. Why create unnecessary confusion? Residents deserve transparency and an honest tool that provides a clear comparison of their total city and RFA tax bill for both a “yes” and a “no” vote. Is that really too much to ask? Honesty should be a given.
Jim Ogonowski
Edmonds
Jim is too polite. saying the City’s RFA annexation tax calculator lacks transparency and clarity. It is yet another example where the City has weaponized false information to confuse voters while the City advocates for annexation. One more slap in the face of residents. The Mayor and Council want to offload the outrageous and unjustified $9 million price increase for fire/ems service on the taxpayers ($1,000 tax increase) rather than fight for taxpayers and either find a cost effective alternative or get the RFA to reduce their price. The City rolled over to the RFA in negotiations after the RFA unilaterally cancelled the City’s 2030 contract. The City broke the law by spending $64,000 of taxpayer money on a PR firm to ‘sell the value’ of annexation and promote a ‘yes’ vote in the April 22 election. Next week you’ll receive a glossy mailer from the City that is aimed at scaring residents into thinking they will lose fire/ems service if they don’t vote ‘yes’ on annexation. That is false. The City MUST provide you with essential fire/ems services. The misleading cost calculator is just one more reason to VOTE NO! on annexation and tell the City and the RFA you are tired of their false narratives and unwillingness to manage costs. Other Edmonds’ size cities have implemented fire/ems operations at the current cost. https://www.edmondscandobetter.org/
The city spent 44% more on the PR firm to market RFA to us, than on the consultant’s fire services feasibility assessment report.
Reference to the cost of the Fitch fire services feasibility assessment report, below.
https://myedmondsnews.com/2024/04/council-april-16-scheduled-to-hear-consultant-report-on-fire-service-options-for-edmonds/
You can estimate your costs with the two examples shown in this link.
https://edmondscandobetter.org/cost-comparison
The Truth stands by itself whereas lies need to be constantly backed by more lies and deceit. It’s critical that the population wakes up, get informed and vote NO on this travesty of referendum.
It almost looks like a concerted effort to ravage the taxpayers’ pockets. While the Edmonds’ mayor and council are pushing to sell Edmonds to the RFA, the other crooks in Olympia are trying to push legislation to increase property taxes even more, increasing their annual value based on inflation and population growth, resulting in an effective 4.5% annual increase. Over time, this would lead to an increase of more than a billion dollars in property taxes every year, year after year.
Is it a “coincidence” that they are also pushing the Edmonds’ population growth above and beyond the historical values using fabricated figures? Is it a “coincidence” that they are also pushing to grow the Edmonds’ population density allowing the taller buildings the local population has been always against? The crook that pushed those legislations already said he does not expect lower property values. And let’s not forget environmental impacts.
The crooks pushing the RFA deceit are also conveniently keeping the taxes collected for fire and EMS in their coffers, for God knows what.
This daylight robbery, highway assault, on taxpayers’ hard earned money must stop. Vote NO!
I wonder did the city take its 1% and banked 1%s? 7 million in budget cuts where are we at 3 million? 2 million next year that adds up to 5. I think the city should cut a dollar for every dollar they are asking for with this annexation that would be about 12 million. They are asking for about a double in increased taxes but can’t cut 10% seems shameful note they are going to most likely get 3 plus percent a year increase going forward the plus is really plus plus cause they will get the increase revenue from the growth plus the increased percentage in taxes. I got a idea why not make bigger cuts for now and as revenue and growth rise we can add back city wants. A 100% plus plus plus increase in taxes is just to extreme. I am a no vote the city needs to meet us somewhere in the middle I understand taxes are going to have to go up over time but this ask is just unreasonable. The city says its expenses have gone up 45% great how about a 15% increase per year over the next 3 or 4 years if needed not this bait and switch 100% plus plus in one year..