Snohomish County, Washington
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Snohomish County is one of 39 counties in Washington. As of 2011, it is estimate to have a population of 717,000 and is estimated to have a population of 909,453 by 2025. The County Seat is in the city of Everett.[1]
Website evaluation
Last rated February 14, 2012.
The good
- Public records request forms and information provided.[2]
- Current bids posted, contracts not available.[3]
- County commissioners listed with contact information. Meeting schedule, minutes and other documents available.[4]
- Budget is published.[5]
- Annual performance and financial audit reports provided.[6]
- Local tax information is provided.[7][8]
- Building permits[9] and zoning information provided.[10]
The bad
- Does not disclose if belongs to government sector lobbying associations.
Budget
The 2012 budget totals $593,309,944 in expenditures.[11]
| Expenditure | Amount | Percent |
| Services | $214,149,666 | 36.1% |
| Salaries | $184,529,492 | 31.1% |
| Benefits | $72,089,865 | 12.2% |
| Capital | $65,559,469 | 10.0% |
| Debt | $33,906,551 | 5.7% |
| Supplies | $23,074,901 | 3.9% |
| Total | $593,309,944 | 99.0% |
| Revenue Type | Amount |
| Taxes | $207,613,923 |
| Intergovernmental | $144,884,284 |
| Services | $127,430,691 |
| Misc | $75,143,684 |
| Fines | $6,721,609 |
| Other | $8,647,907 |
| Licenses and Permits | $4,037,734 |
| Total | $574,479,832.00 |
Public Employees
Elected Officials
The County Council is made up of five members representing individual districts for four year terms.[12]
| First | Last | Position | District |
| Stephanie | Wright | Vice-Chair | 3 |
| Brian | Sullivan | Chair | 2 |
| John | Koster | Member | 1 |
| Dave | Somers | Member | 5 |
| Dave | Gossett | Member | 4 |
| Cindy | Portmann | Assessor | |
| Carolyn | Weikel | Auditor | |
| Sonya | Kraski | Clerk | |
| Aaron | Reardon | Executive | |
| Mark | Roe | Prosecutor | |
| John | Lovick | Sheriff | |
| Kirke | Sievers | Treasurer |
County Executive
The County Executive is the head of the executive branch in Snohomish County and is elected for a four year term.[13] The current County Executive is Democrat Aaron Reardon.[14]
Reardon has recently been the subject of legal trouble along with a recall campaign:
- Possible misuse of public funds
- In June, the Island County Prosecutor has decided that there is insufficient evidence to charge Reardon with misuse of public funds. It was alleged that he used public funds for travel with his mistress, county employee Tamara Dutton. Dutton claims she had a long running affair with Reardon and said he used the funds to conduct the affair.[15]
- During one trip with Dutton, Reardon charged $50.60 to the county credit card for a hotel "intimacy kit". Reardon's secretary called the hotel to have the charge changed to his personal card.[16]
- A Washington State Patrol investigation found only $6 in questionable charges after an investigation of Executive Reardon. Some of the alleged misuse of funds fell outside statute of limitations on misuse of public funds.[17]
- Involvement of public employees in campaign
- Reardon now faces a possible $10,000 fine from the Public Disclosure Commission if he is found guilty of using county funds for his campaign. [18] Phone records show that Reardon used his county cellphone for campaign purposes. Further, they are investigating the possibility of a Reardon employee using a different first name and requesting police records concerning his election opponent.[19]
- Recall campaign
- A recall petition is waiting for a ruling from a judge before it can continue to the signature gathering phase. It was filed by Gold Bar attorney Anne Block who cites Reardon's violation of campaign laws and the use of tax dollars for campaign purposes. If the judge allows the petition to move forward, then 47,444 signatures must be collected in 180 days.[20]
Salaries
The following table outlines the salary history of elected officials in Snohomish County according to the Citizens’ Commission on Salaries of Elected Officials.[21]
| Effective Date | Executive | Assessor | Auditor | Clerk | Sheriff | Treasurer | Council Member | Council Chair |
| 2012 | $147,099 | $104,360 | $99,310 | $98,789 | $121,061 | $98,789 | $102,779 | $113,057 |
| 2011 | $147,099 | $104,360 | $99,310 | $98,789 | $121,061 | $98,789 | $102,779 | $113,057 |
| 2010 | $147,099 | $104,360 | $99,310 | $98,789 | $121,061 | $98,789 | $102,779 | $113,057 |
| 2009 | $147,099 | $104,360 | $99,310 | 98.789.04 | $121,061 | $98,789 | $102,779 | $113,057 |
| 2008 | $138,935 | $98,568 | $93,799 | $93,306 | $114,343 | $93,306 | $97,075 | $106,782 |
| 2007 | $134,697 | $95,562 | $90,937 | $90,460 | $110,855 | $90,460 | $94,266 | $103,692 |
| 2006 | $129,032 | $91,543 | $87,113 | $86,656 | $106,193 | $86,656 | $90,501 | $99,551 |
| 2005 | $126,273 | $89,585 | $85,250 | $84,803 | $103,922 | $84,803 | $88,666 | $97,532 |
| 2004 | $123,193 | $87,400 | $83,171 | $82,735 | $101,387 | $82,735 | $86,715 | $95,385 |
| 2003 | $122,203 | $86,698 | $81,284 | $80,857 | $100,573 | $80,857 | $79,888 | $87,877 |
| 2002 | $120,934 | $85,797 | $80,439 | $80,017 | $99,528 | $80,017 | $78,824 | $86,706 |
Pensions
Snohomish County Employees are entitled to participate in a retirement plan administered by the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems (DRS). These plans include PERS, LEOFF, and PSERS.[22]
Emergency personnel
Emergency personnel is done by the city's Department of Emergency Management and Sheriff's Department. The Sheriff is an elected position and is currently held by John Lovick.[23]
Lobbying
In 2012, Snohomish County reported $20,000 spent on lobbying and has spent $2,224,500 in lobbying since 2000. [24]
| Year | Amount Spent on Lobbying |
| 2012 | $20,000 |
| 2011 | $271,000 |
| 2010 | $320,000 |
| 2009 | $300,000 |
| 2008 | $300,000 |
| 2007 | $160,000 |
| 2006 | $300,000 |
| 2005 | $287,500 |
| 2004 | $136,000 |
| 2003 | $20,000 |
| 2002 | $40,000 |
| 2001 | $40,000 |
| 2000 | $30,000 |
| Total | $2,224,500 |
Transparency & public records
The Citizens’ Commission on Salaries of Elected Officials has a chart on Elected Official Salary History.
Taxes
Information on property taxes in Snohomish County can be found on the Snohomish County Treasurer's Frequently Asked Questions.
External links
References
- ↑ County Information
- ↑ Public Records
- ↑ Bids
- ↑ Council
- ↑ Budget
- ↑ Performance Audits
- ↑ Assessor
- ↑ Treasurer
- ↑ Permits
- ↑ Zoning
- ↑ 2012 Budget
- ↑ County Council
- ↑ Executive
- ↑ Aaron Reardon
- ↑ King 5, No charges against Aaron Reardon for misuse of funds, June 13, 2012
- ↑ Seattle Weekly, Bad Boy Aaron Reardon Faked Headaches and Sure Talked a Lot to His Mistress, Feb. 15 2012
- ↑ Seattle Times, Reardon probe comes down to $6 on county credit card for taxi, June 27, 2012
- ↑ King 5, Aaron Reardon recall petition moves to Skagit County court, July 10, 2012
- ↑ Seattle Times, Documents bolster claim of Reardon misconduct, February 14, 2012
- ↑ King 5, Aaron Reardon recall petition moves to Skagit County court, July 10, 2012
- ↑ Citizens’ Commission on Salaries of Elected Officials, Snohomish County Elected Official Salary History 2002-2012
- ↑ Retirement
- ↑ Sheriff
- ↑ Snohomish County Lobbying Report
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