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Key takeaways:
- The Council approved a permanent ordinance for neighborhood centers and hubs.
- Councilmembers unanimously passed a 0.10 percent public safety sales tax. There was a public hearing on another 0.10 percent sales tax for cultural access, with action likely in September.
- The Council directed the city attorney to prepare an ordinance that would increase city business licenses by 49.5 percent in 2026.
- The Council is off for summer break and won’t meet until again until Sept. 9.
The Edmonds City Council Tuesday night wrapped up work on several significant items, approving a permanent ordinance for neighborhood centers and hubs, a 0.10 percent sales tax for public safety and a code update to accommodate confirmation of the new position of city administrator.
The meeting began with an entrance conference featuring representatives of the Washington State Auditor’s Office appearing remotely to discuss their process for auditing the City’s finances from Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2024. These will include an accountability audit, a financial statement audit and federal grant compliance audit.
Auditors will be on site regularly to meet with staff, and once the process is completed they will prepare a report that will be presented during an audit exit conference with the City Council.
Following that, the Council heard from two public commenters expressing their concerns about City finances and proposed tax increases.
Ann Christiansen of Edmonds talked about the just-launched campaign supporting a yes vote on the upcoming $14.5 million levy lid lift that will be before Edmonds voters in November. She noted that the mayor and five of the seven Edmonds councilmembers announced their support for the Yes! for Edmonds campaign as individuals, and questioned some of the campaign messaging.
In particular, she said that “painting the picture of levy costs at $65 a month or $2.13 per day is a bit misleading. First of all, no one pays their property tax by month or day. You have the option of paying $390 at the six-month mark, or $780 per year.” Further, those costs only represent the first year, because after that “the cost of levy goes up by the CPI-U (Consumer Price Index-Urban) every year for six years,” Christiansen said.
Erik Nelson, an Edmonds resident who owns Lynnwood Honda (located in Edmonds) spoke against two 0.10 percent sales tax increases the council was considering Tuesday night — one for public safety and the other for cultural arts access.
Nelson stated that Edmonds now has the second-highest sales tax in Washington state, and if the Council approves the two increases being considered, the City would have the highest sales tax of any city in Washington.
Because his dealership competes with other vehicle dealers in areas with lower sales taxes, such as Skagit County and Marysville, “those sales taxes cost me sales every week,” Nelson said. “It’s the difference of $600 to $1,000 in a single transaction.”
Nelson said that while he recognized the City is facing major budget issues, “you’re not stopping spending. You’ve got more proposals tonight and in the past nights to continue spending. You’re raising taxes or proposing to raise taxes to continue spending. That spending will create future obligations that you’ll have to pay.”
Councilmembers later heard from local arts supporters during a public hearing on a proposal to create a 0.10 percent sales tax that would fund a cultural access program. The cultural access sales tax would generate $1.3 million each year for up to seven years to fund qualified nonprofit programs in science, heritage and the arts, including a mandated school access and education program for pre-K to grade 12 students. The City would also receive funding to administer the program. Prior to the public’s remarks, Edmonds Community, Culture and Economic Development Director Todd Tatum reminded councilmembers of the city’s 2017 study that showed the economic impact of the arts in Edmonds, which generates related spending for local shops, restaurants and hotels.
Among those speaking in support of the tax was David Brewster, who for 20 years co-owned the Edmonds Bookshop along with his wife Mary Kay Sneeringer. The tax “will enable the strengthening and broadening of the work and reach of our nonprofit arts, culture, heritage and science organizations, not to mention the financial benefits that accrue to the city by the increasing number of visitors our arts organizations attract,” Brewster said. “It is also vital to impart our community’s love and support of the arts to the next generation through the educational programs our local arts organizations offer.”
David Ahlvers, vice president of the Edmonds Driftwood Players (EDP) board, said that while the 66-year-old theatre company “brings thousands of patrons, volunteeers and talent into Edmonds each year for our productions,” it can’t survive on ticket revenue alone. Having a cultural access sales tax would “create an avenue for EDP to help meet our funding goals,” Ahlvers said.
Several others spoke both in person and remotely during the hearing, all expressing support.
Councilmembers did not take action on the cultural access tax Tuesday, but it may consider it during the next council meeting, which won’t be until Sept. 9 due to a summer break.
The Council did, however, unanimously approve the 0.10 percent public safety sales tax after a brief discussion. In motioning to approve the tax, Councilmember Vivian Olson said it makes sense for several reasons: For starters, the City already spends “an extraordinary amount of our total budget on public safety,” Olson said. In addition, revenue generated from the tax “can also be used on our rapidly expanding expense in the area of public defender costs” mandated by state law. Finally, having such a tax will make the City eligible to apply for additional public safety-related grant dollars, she said.
Addressing the comments made earlier about competing with cities that have lower sales taxes, Olson and other councilmembers said that neighboring cities are also facing financial trouble and it’s likely they will be approving similar taxes — which could equalize the playing field.
In addition, the meeting included a public hearing on park impact fees, required because the Council adopted an interim ordinance on the fees July 22. Parks, Recreation and Human Services Director Angie Feser explained that the city will need to comply with a new state requirement that jurisdictions adopt fees that produce proportionately lower impact fees for smaller housing units. The City will also need to complete a rate study update, which is estimated to take a year.
No one testified during the park impact fees public hearing.
The Council also agreed, after a fair amount of discussion, to direct the city attorney to draft an ordinance that will raise the City’s business licensing fees by 49.5 percent. The fees, which haven’t been increased since 2009, would go into effect in 2026. They are currently $125 for a commercial business license, $100 for a home occupation license, $50 for a non-residential commercial license and $50 for a renewal fee.
Councilmembers agreed with City Clerk Scott Passey that eventually there should be a tiered system for business licenses based on business income level. An amendment by Councilmember Michelle Dotsch to reduce the fee increase from 49.5 percent to 30 percent
was defeated, as was an amendment by Councilmember Jenna Nand to eliminate the requirement for commercial businesses to submit a floor plan along with their application.
In addition, the Council agreed to include in the ordinance two proposals from Passey. The first was to reduce the threshold exemption from $12,000 to $4,000 (based on annual gross income) for a non-resident City business licenses. “Adopting the $4,000 threshold would capture more business activity, including mechanical contractors for HVAC work, plumbers for water heater and smaller jobs, fence contractors, and small remodelers,” Passey said. The second was to increase the business license approval timeframe from 15 days to 120 days for businesses with outstanding code issues.
Final approval of the neighborhood centers and hubs permanent ordinance came after months of Edmonds Planning Board and Council work and debate. The centers and hubs focuses on small-scale multifamily housing and neighborhood commercial areas as designated under the City’s 2024 Comprehensive Plan update, required by state law. The neighborhood hubs are North Bowl, West Edmonds Way, South Lake Ballinger, Maplewood and East Seaview, while the centers are Westgate, Five Corners, Medical District Expansion and Firdale.
The Council spent a while Tuesday night considering multiple unsuccessful amendments, mostly from Councilmember Dotsch. They included efforts to add specific language to ensure that the new zoning wouldn’t impact critical areas and the shoreline management plan. Staff said that such a language addition was unnecessary since critical areas have top priority when it comes to zoning, and that there are no neighborhood centers and hubs in the city’s shoreline areas.
Councilmember Olson said that she supported the amendment, adding “it’s a subject worth being crystal clear about.” In contrast, Councilmember Chris Eck she worried that adding such language could be “misleading to our public that there is a problem when there isn’t.”
In the end, the amendment failed by a 2-5 vote, with Dotsch and Olson supporting.
Other unsuccessful amendments included those that would have added language requiring a transition zone across the street from a low density residential lot (which failed 3-4 with Dotsch, Olson and Nand supporting) and an effort to remove all references to through-block connections. A through-block connection is a pedestrian pathway that can provide a direct route through a city block, often connecting two streets or public spaces that would otherwise require a longer detour. Dotsch said that the concept deserved more vetting before being placed in the ordinance, and Olson and Council President Neil Tibbot supported her, but the amendment also failed on a 3-4 vote.
The final vote to approve the neighborhood centers and hubs ordinance was 6-1 with Dotsch voting no.
The council’s final action of the evening was to approve a change in city code that addresses the addition of the new city administrator position for confirmation purposes. Mayor Mike Rosen told the council that other issues raised by the council last week related to director-level appointments — including compensation and contracting — would be handled at a later date. The measure was approved by a vote of 5-1, with Dotsch opposed and Councilmember Will Chen abstaining.
If the city isn’t spending, they’re not happy. Washington state has the second most regressive taxation system in the United States.
Why not implement a capital gains tax?
I’d like the city to share total spend, on legal matters.
https://www.wpsr.org/tax
Respectfully, Why more taxes? When when the elected officials, mostly left-leaning democrats and the people who continue voting them into office realize it is not possible to tax Edmonds out of the hole that 2 decades of profligate spending has dug? At a point, individuals will reach a tipping point and vote with their feet. Some already have.
I hear you Kurt. I’m not convinced this tax is necessary, however if the city wants to tax. Tax the wealthy like our Mayor Rosen, with a reasonable capital gains tax.
Sales tax, property taxes are considered regressive; greater impact on middle, lower incomes.
Thank you, CM Dotsch, for your efforts “to add specific language to ensure that the new zoning wouldn’t impact critical areas and the shoreline management plan.”
“Staff said that such a language addition was unnecessary since critical areas have top priority when it comes to zoning.” However, “top priority” of critical areas has not been demonstrated by Mayor Rosen, or by previous Mayors/administrations.
CM Chris Eck “worried that adding such language could be “misleading to our public that there is a problem when there isn’t.” Council was informed of multiple critical areas: seismic hazard, wetland, wildlife refuge, flooding potential, in the Sandpiper development (PLN2024-0085). Staff was going to approve the application, without the required “geotechnical study” of the seismic hazard area, when citizen “parties of record” informed staff of critical areas on the property.
CM Eck, what is your confidence in Edmonds’ enforcement of our Critical Areas Ordinance based upon?
Please read Duane Farmen’s LTE:
https://myedmondsnews.com/2025/08/reader-view-middle-housing-comes-to-roost-in-seaview/#comment-550865
“It is a .69-acre lot, steeply sloped with 46 significant trees. The arborist report indicates all of those trees are to be logged off except for four that will be retained along the outer boundary of the site.”
CM Olson says Edmonds spends ““an extraordinary amount of our total budget on public safety,” . True. In five years the police budget has nearly doubled. Population has not doubled and inflation over five years has not been 100% so what explains this? Large salary creep and now a new poice chief making $300,000 plus benefits and a car to commute to and from Federal Way. I support our police but, has a salary study been done to compare what Edmonds is paying compared to surrounding jurisdictions? I fear new sales tax increase and 49.5% increase in business taxes will be counterproductive. Edmonds needs to encourage more businesses in Edmonds that pay taxes and not discourage new or existing businesses from being in Edmonds.
When did city council start taking a summer break?
I can’t immediately find past coverage of this issue, but my recollection is that the council last year agreed to make a summer recess part of their regular schedule and codified it. — Teresa
Hi Ron,
The summer break happened after I left office since I told Olson no when broached with the idea. Some Council Members think that can’t take a vacation and be absent from a meeting so they’d rather back up the calendar and then frantically push stuff through.
Folks need to start listening to CM Dotsch and her comments and amendments. More importantly, folks need to vote out all incumbents as these non-environmentally conscious CMs will ruin this town. Staff cannot be trusted with their comments and biased packets. There is NO need to expand to have more hubs or centers and it’s just another costly ploy to keep staff busy with allowing more development and cut down trees. And, with all this development, when is the sewer going to be fixed:commissioned? The sludge smell has been really bad these last few days and even my tourists friends were commenting.
This Council does not see any new tax or levy they don’t like. It is mind boggling how out of touch the majority of our elected officials are with the real world. BTW, what does Cultural Access have to do with city governance? If private sector does not support why should tax payers be forced to support The death spiral continues.
I have to agree with this sentiment. Whereas there was a time not long ago that I would have supported a taxpayer-funded Cultural Access initiative, this is just not the fiscal environment in which to be doing so. We are in (deep) fiscal trouble, and many people (particularly those on fixed incomes) are justifiably losing sleep with fear over the slew of new taxes and fees heading our way. I suspect that many in our community would *want* a greater taxpayer-funded component for local “culture”, but it is not something that we *need*, and I am still waiting for concrete evidence that some of our council members actually get that.
P.S. further to Bucklin’s comment above, how in h*** did the police budget almost double in five years (?!)
Boy, if every problem is proof of corruption, then Dotsch’s consistent ‘no’ votes should’ve saved Edmonds by now… right? But here we are…
Saying ‘no’ to everything and anything is easy and will net you a bunch of “likes” by a small group, but it’s much harder to actually shape solutions and think longer term for the larger whole. You and I both know Edmonds needs the latter. I’m glad that bad smells don’t disqualify leaders, because if that were the case, half the towns in Washington would have empty council chambers!
The only bad smells we deal with are the decision to use untested technology “to be on the cutting edge” at our water treatment facility, and yeah, decisions like those should disqualify folks from leadership positions i am just thankful our State Representative’s 2.3M$ Washington State flag redesign bill didn’t get passed, or we would be paying some sort of tax for that too. Talk about tone deaf decisions in a period of austerity for many Washington communities- yeah, these types of bold solutions should disqualify some from certain purse strings. Now that we have our first 6 unit proposed subdivision getting jammed into a formally single family lot in Seaview, Edmonds is getting that progress you seek. I can see these beautiful solutions coming to fruition already. Like an earlier email said, some of our elected officials are insulated from these decisions, their neighborhood will remain untouched, unaffordable for most, and lined with speed bumps. I am still looking for the developer to gobble up my lot and drop 6 tall and skinny 1.4M$ view blockers on it, because I want to help Edmonds build the urban walkable solutions everyone craves and you say are the way to a better Edmonds. I love this “bread and circuses” approach to government, it keeps life exciting and our elected officials passionate about spending money.
Saying yes to everything is what got the city in trouble to begin with. Saying No is sometimes a lot harder than saying yes. I do not know CM Dotsch but I do know that she was not a CM when this mess was created and her record is pretty clear so far on trying to solve this financial mess, which is what she ran on btw. Unfortunately others including the “stop the crazy” mayor have done nothing other than to engineer levy’s and tax increases at every opportunity. Being a lone descent does not make you wrong just like CM Olsen was the lone or sometime minority voice when a lot of this craziness happened. We already have one CM ( who happened to be on the Council when a lot of this drunken sailor spending occurred) ready to start rehiring cuts made assuming the sheep fall in line and vote yes on the levy. It worked for the fire annexation so why not try again.
I’m a hard No on the levy. I’m also a No on reelecting Chen and Eck. We need new voices on the Council and I will take my chances with whoever is behind door #2.
Real solutions sometimes start with NO and forces critical thinking verses let’s give the same gang more money and hope for the best.
Don, I agree with you on all.
CM Dotsch demonstrates courage, dedication, and representation of ALL Edmonds residents by being the only CM to present ways to protect our environmental assets. She has consistently presented data to support the least environmental disruption in her votes related to up-zoning. Thank you, CM Dotsch!
Jeremy,
You say “it’s much harder to actually shape solutions and think longer term for the larger whole.” Please explain how advocating continued destruction of our environmental assets and dismissing significant infrastructure burden such as our non-functioning sewage treatment plant for example as “bad smells,” is thinking “longer term for the larger whole.”
I suggest you read Duane Farmen’s LTE:
https://myedmondsnews.com/2025/08/reader-view-middle-housing-comes-to-roost-in-seaview/#comment-550865
In my opinion, CM Dotsch is thinking “longer term for the larger whole.” You are not.
Joan, I’m curious if Edmonds had followed your suggestion of “long-term planning” from your council days, if we’d still be debating whether broadband is a fad and hoping the sewage plant fixes itself. Pointing to every idea you dislike as “destruction” isn’t vision, it appears more like pressing the snooze button on the alarm clock forever. Long-term thinking in my opinion means actually acknowledging that there’s multiple competing interests the city needs to plan for, and solving or improving problems requires compromise / trade offs, in lieu of making sure the future never arrives.
Mr. Ahlvers, EDP is a 501(c)3 non-profit meaning it not an entity or a business supported by the City of Edmonds. Then why would a cultural access sales tax paid by the residents of Edmonds be used to support and pay EDP or “help meet your funding goals”? Your website states that (or used to state) ticket sales cover only 62% of your operating expenses. Why? Even as a 501(c)3 financial solvency must be a priority in your business plan. Requesting funds/grants from us and a bankrupt city is probably not the best path forward to “survive”.