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The City of Brier will hold a community meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 29, at City Hall to discuss the Proposition 1 levy lift.
Brier’s Proposition 1 would lift the levy lid for police and government services such as Sno911 emergency dispatch, prosecutor and public defender services, fire marshal services, and emergency management.
“If the proposition does not pass, the city council and I will need to consider reductions in expenditures in several areas,” Mayor Dale Kaemingk said.
Kaemingk said the city would need to examine staffing levels, ongoing regular maintenance, proposed projects, equipment updates and essential city services when making cuts.
Brier’s website for Proposition 1 states that public safety services take up 51% of the city’s general gund budget. The police department represents 45% of that amount..
Washington state law limits property tax revenue increases to 1% annually. The city’s website says that the 1% increase hasn’t kept pace with inflation and fees unique to city governments, such as insurance and legal fees.
The city faces an annual deficit of about $500,000, which will put the general fund into a negative balance by 2029.
Proposition 1 will be on the ballot April 22.
A sample ballot with the pro and con arguments can be seen here.
Learn more about Proposition 1 on the city webpage.
Brier City Hall is at 2901 228th St. S.W., Brier.
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