At the July 13, 2026, Snoqualmie City Council meeting, Mayor Mayhew presented a somber picture of the city’s 2027-28 biennial budget, saying that the city would need to run a ballot measure asking residents to approve a $3.4 million property tax increase or face city service level cuts.
According to the budget presentation given by Mayor Mayhew, the 2027-2028 biennial budget faces a $1.5 million shortfall, due to staffing and services costs outpacing city revenue. Washington state law prohibits taxing jurisdictions, including cities, from raising taxes by more than 1% annually without voter approval. The allowed 1% increase is historically outpaced by inflation, which was the driving force behind significant staffing and service cost increases in recent years. It’s also the reason many cities consistently have revenue and budget challenges.
The tax increase proposed by Mayor Mayhew has two parts: 1) In 2027, he proposed a permanent $3.4 million property tax increase (significantly above the allowed 1% cap) to cover the $1.5 million predicted budget shortfall and another $1.9 million to modernize the city and restore services reduced in recent years. 2) For 2028-2036, he proposed adjusting the levy limit for inflation and population growth, which is often higher than the state-allowed 1% cap.
If his proposal is approved by council for the November 3 ballot, and the measure is passed by voters, it would mean a $49/month property tax increase for the average home in Snoqualmie in 2027, and possibly more in the following 9 years…