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Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers submitted his proposed 2021 budget to the County Council on Tuesday. His proposed General Fund budget is $264 million. The total of all funds is $1.045 billion, a decrease of approximately $55 million from 2020’s adopted budget.
You can access the Executive’s proposed 2021 budget here.
“In the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, a major economic downturn, and the largest civil rights movement in our lifetimes, we are prioritizing the county’s essential functions and finding ways to move our community forward in spite of the challenges,” said Executive Somers. “Across our community, people are struggling, and we have responded with compassion and resilience. We don’t know what 2021 may bring, but we are prepared.”
“Snohomish County has done vital work this year, responding to the pandemic, speeding resources to those who are most in need, and keeping our budget balanced,” said Snohomish County Council Chair Nate Nehring. “I look forward to reviewing the Executive’s proposed budget and working with my Council colleagues on preparing for our 2021 spending plan.”
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic downturn, Snohomish County has been committed to cutting costs and reducing expenditures to meet revenue projections. These cost-cutting measures include: across the board General Fund budget reductions, a hiring freeze, furloughs, and the cancellation of most discretionary spending.
The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office remains the largest single part of the proposed general fund budget, representing 42% of spending for their law enforcement and corrections functions combined. The entirety of the County’s law and justice system—including the Courts, Sheriff’s Office, Prosecuting Attorney, Public Defense, Clerk, Emergency Management, and the Medical Examiner—represents about 75% of the proposed General Fund budget. The other 25% is directed toward all other essential county functions.
Highlights of the Executive’s proposed budget include:
- The proposed investment in body cameras for law enforcement officers will improve transparency, maintain accountability, and allow quicker resolution to citizen complaints.
- The merger of existing county roles into a new Department of Natural Resources and Conservation to better align environmental sustainability missions and advance our work on climate change. This proposal would merge the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, with Surface Water Management, our Environmental Sustainability Office, and our Agriculture Office.
- Maintain public safety as a top county priority, while simultaneously making progress on social justice.
- Continue our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Focus countywide efforts with our city partners on the housing crisis that will almost certainly be worse in 2021.
- Continue efforts to diversify our local economy, strengthen our workforce training system, speed economic recovery, and identify innovative ideas to support job growth.
The Snohomish County Council will now consider the Executive’s proposed budget. They are expected to approve the 2021 budget by the end of November.
Read the full release.
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 Gov. Jay Inslee and Dr. Chris Spitters, Snohomish Health District health officer, spoke with more than 180 guests during a virtual Economic Alliance Snohomish County Coffee Chat on Tuesday.
They thanked business leaders taking steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Inslee said he is optimistic about Washington’s recovery, citing a diverse and innovative economy, particularly in Snohomish County.
“These are troubled waters, and we have not been passive,” Inslee said.
He pointed to more than 120 small business grants awarded in Washington, as well as progress in opening or expanding operations for businesses. In the last two months, guidance has allowed for the reopening (with health measures in place) of bowling alleys, agritourism, expanded options for the wedding industry, and conventions, Inslee said.
“We all hope for a vaccine as fast as we can get one, but until then we are confident we’re going to come back,” he said.
Dr. Spitters encouraged business leaders to continue their efforts. There’s been a slight uptick in the two-week case rate per 100,000 population.
“I do think that warrants caution,” Spitters said. “We don’t have a lot of experience with this virus, but every time we’ve seen it go up, it’s taken off.”
He also highlighted heat maps of cases in Snohomish County. Cases tend to cluster along I-5 and in urban areas, and there has been a “substantial amount of activity” recently in Lake Stevens, Snohomish and Monroe.
Spitters also talked about the age distribution of cases. While the first wave in early 2020 primarily affected older adults, recent activity has been mainly among young adults. The shift is likely linked to reopening the economy, as younger workers are more likely to be in customer-facing jobs or jobs where physical distancing is a challenge, and “overindulging in gatherings,” Spitters said.
Outbreaks in workplaces – there have been at least 85 in Snohomish County – are not a failure, he said.
“This is a reality of living with COVID,” Spitters said. “It’s a very difficult organism to stop spreading around.”
While stopping all outbreaks is not realistic, preventing them from expanding is crucial.
Spitters urged employers to have a written COVID safety plan and submit contact information for a site supervisor to the Health District at www.snohd.org/EmployerNotifications. Employers should respond promptly to public health staff in the event of a case or outbreak.
“We only have a few days to get out in front of it before it starts spreading on to the second and third generation of cases in that setting,” he said.
Watch the full Coffee Chat here: https://bit.ly/30gL8Dk (Passcode: 5pT5223=)
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After eight weeks of decreases, Snohomish County saw its first recent increase in the COVID case rate per 100,000 population. The most recent two-week rate (through September 26) is 46.4 per 100,000, up from 41.9 for the two-week period ending September 19.
To help reduce cases, open up more activities, and continue to phase in more in-person learning for school-age children, it is critical that we all take steps to prevent the spread illness. Remember to:
- wear a face covering
- keep six feet apart
- avoid large gatherings
- stay home if you don’t feel well
- wash your hands often
- clean and sanitize high-touch surfaces.
The Snohomish Health District updates case counts daily, case rates weekly (on Mondays), and we also post weekly snapshots and detailed reports on COVID-19 activity at www.snohd.org/casecounts.
Please note that the case rate in the most recent snapshot and the case rate in the graph shown here (which is also posted on the local case counts page) may vary due to the time period they cover. For example, this week’s snapshot covers data from September 13-19, while the case rate graph is for the two weeks ending September 26. The graph shows our most recent case counts figure.
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The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) released the latest statewide situation report. The report shows COVID-19 case counts continue to decrease overall in both eastern and western Washington, though some counties are experiencing plateaus or increases in disease activity.
Report findings include:
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We can crush the curve heading into fall if we all make some small improvements to our current efforts to contain the virus. We’ve held the reproductive number (how many new people each COVID-19 patient will infect) close to one across the state since July. As of September 10, the best estimates of the reproductive number were 1.14 in western Washington and 0.92 in eastern Washington. The goal is a number well below one, which would mean COVID-19 transmission is declining.
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We continue to see significant differences in disease activity from county to county. Benton, Clark, Franklin, Pierce and Spokane counties are experiencing plateaus in their case counts. This is a concerning trend, since COVID-19 risk may increase going into the fall. In Spokane County, we’re seeing increases in case counts after September 10, which is particularly notable because data for that time period is not yet complete and we anticipate case counts will continue to rise as more test results are reported.
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We are at a crossroads statewide as people begin to spend more time indoors and some schools move to hybrid or other in-person models. Even slight increases in transmission due to these changes, may result in exponential growth. However, if we collectively make small improvements to our behavior and environments, we could decrease transmission enough to allow further K-12 school reopening. To illustrate, the report includes projections for Pierce County if transmission continues at current levels and if transmission decreases to mid-August levels.
“As the weather gets colder and people spend more time indoors, we must all take precautions to reduce the risk of COVID-19,” said State Health Officer Dr. Kathy Lofy. “If you gather inside with people outside your household, it’s critical to keep the group as small as possible. Limit the length of time you spend together and the number of gatherings you have. Everyone should wear face coverings and stay at least six feet apart. Opening windows can also improve ventilation, even if it means wearing extra layers to stay warm.”
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The City of Mukilteo is conducting mask distribution events to distribute 9,000 masks recently received from Snohomish County and the Joint Emergency Information Center. These masks are provided for free to anyone, with two per family member and up to 12 total per household.
“These free masks will help our community continue to comply with the direction to wear facial coverings in any public spaces. I am glad that we are able to distribute them and appreciate the work of our recreation staff to make this happen,” said Mayor Gregerson.
The masks will be distributed via a drive through service in the lower parking lot of Rosehill Community Center, 304 Lincoln Avenue in Mukilteo. Due to COVID, the City is unable to accommodate walk ups. If you do not have a car, please contact the city to arrange a pick-up. There is no appointment necessary for any of the dates and times below.
- Tuesday, Sept. 29, 5-7 p.m.
- Thursday, Oct. 1, 5-7 p.m.
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Gov. Jay Inslee extended a proclamation related to the Washington residency requirement for public university tuition waivers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The extension was approved by the Legislature.
Residency for Tuition Waivers – 20-69.1
This proclamation suspends the residency requirement that allows public university graduate students to receive tuition waivers in exchange for performing teaching and research functions. Many graduate students come from outside the state and country. Due to COVID, many of these graduates may not be able to travel to campus, but they can still work remotely within online learning environments.
The proclamation is extended through November 9.
Read the full proclamation here.
Find the list of the governor's emergency proclamations here.
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Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has extended two emergency orders. His order requiring health insurers to waive copays and deductibles for any consumer requiring testing for coronavirus (COVID-19) and his order protecting consumers from receiving surprise bills for lab fees related to medically-necessary diagnostic testing for COVID-19 are both extended until Oct. 25.
Kreidler's order waiving cost-sharing applies to all state-regulated health insurance plans and short-term limited duration medical plans. The order on surprise billing applies to both in-state and out-of-state laboratories, when a provider orders diagnostic testing for COVID-19.
Also, insurers must continue:
- Allowing a one-time early refill for prescription drugs.
- Suspending any prior authorization requirement for treatment or testing of COVID-19.
In addition, if an insurer does not have enough medical providers in its network to provide testing or treatment for COVID-19, it must allow enrollees to be treated by another provider within a reasonable distance at no additional cost.
Read the full release.
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The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has awarded the Washington State Department of Commerce a ninth year of funding to help state small businesses grow through exporting. The $1.35 million grant, part of the SBA’s State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), is the largest awarded from a total $19 million to 48 states.
Commerce will use the funds to continue a number of successful export assistance programs for small businesses including export vouchers, support for industry focused trade shows and trade missions, inbound buyer events and export training.
More than 900 unique small businesses around the state have benefited from STEP-funded support since the program’s inception through the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. They have achieved over $750 million in sales, creating an estimated return on investment of nearly 100:1.
“One in three jobs in Washington depend on international trade, and this funding is essential for us to continue helping small businesses grow through exporting and support a broad-based economic recovery in communities throughout the state,” said Commerce Director Lisa Brown. “The STEP program provides support to companies who might otherwise not have the resources to develop relationships and navigate the complexities of selling their goods and services overseas, especially in today’s challenging trade environment.”
“IDEA International has been involved in the Washington State Department of Commerce export voucher program since 2013. This program has been a major contribution to enabling IDEA to reach new customers on a global level, including in Europe and the Far East. Not only did it provide a platform to showcase our services and areas of expertise, but Commerce staff played a key role in supporting contact between Washington companies and potential customers at such key events as the Big Site, Tokyo, Dubai Air Show and Aircraft Interiors Expo, Hamburg. As a result, IDEA can attribute 40% of its annual business to offshore customers,” said Julian Sharpe, President and CEO, IDEA International Inc..
“The STEP Grant voucher program has allowed Silicon Forest Electronics to play on the world stage of aviation. The grant created an affordable opportunity for a small company to participate in the Farnborough and Paris International Air Shows. Neither would have been feasible without the STEP Grant support. As a result, we created an international marketing and sales presence. Our international business has increased from zero to five percent of our total revenues with many more prospects in the wings,” said Frank Nichols, CEO, Silicon Forest Electronics.
For information about STEP export vouchers or other Commerce programs that help Washington businesses grow, expand and locate in Washington state, please visit ChooseWashington.com.
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The federal government has made it easier for people to participate in the WIC program during the pandemic.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has extended the waivers that allow the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to offer remote services to participants. This, the third extension, will continue as long as there is a declared national public health emergency.
The waivers make it possible for Washington WIC to enroll new applicants, provide health screening, nutrition education and breastfeeding support, make referrals, and issue food benefits by phone or video chat. WIC normally requires in-person meetings.
“This comes as a huge relief for WIC families and WIC staff as they focus on staying as safe as possible during the pandemic,” says Paul Throne, director of Washington WIC. “Many new moms and families with young children may qualify for WIC; we encourage them to reach out to us. If a young family has someone on Apple Health Medical (Provider One), they are especially likely to qualify.”
When WIC started offering all remote services in April, program participation grew by about 4 percent and the rate of missed appointments dropped from 15 percent to almost zero.
Washington WIC recently expanded the list of allowed foods to give families more choices and introduced the WIC Shopper App. More than 90 percent of WIC families now use the app to help them pick out the right foods. The app has parenting tips and recipes that are great for all young families, not just those on WIC.
Given layoffs and other economic consequences related to COVID-19, people may be seeking WIC services for the first time. WIC has capacity and welcomes new families. To find WIC services in your area:
More information on this WIC waiver, and others approved since the start of COVID-19, is available online.
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While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect our daily lives, autumn brings with it another unwanted visitor – the flu. The presence of both viruses could put more people in the hospital and strain Washington’s health care system. While we don’t yet have a vaccine to prevent COVID-19, we do have one to prevent flu.
Everyone 6 months and older needs a flu vaccine. Young children, pregnant women, people with underlying health conditions, and those aged 65 and older are at high risk of complications from flu illness. Flu is a highly contagious disease that can cause mild to severe illness, can lead to hospitalization, and can even be fatal – even in healthy young people. Getting a flu shot reduces your chances of getting the flu, but does not prevent other respiratory infections.
“Think of it as essential to get a flu vaccine this year,” said Dr. Kathy Lofy, Washington State Health Officer. “We should all get a flu vaccine now to help protect ourselves and our communities as we navigate this pandemic together.”
Washington provides all recommended vaccines at no cost for kids from birth through age 18, available across the state.
“Flu vaccine is available everywhere, and many pharmacies now allow younger patients to get vaccinated with their families. Our health care workers need everyone’s support – the decision to get a flu vaccine is more important than ever,” Dr. Lofy added.
For help finding a health care provider or vaccine location, and to learn more about flu, visit www.KnockOutFlu.org.
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Case counts as of September 29, 2020.
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ESSENTIAL LINKS AND PHONE NUMBERS FOR UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION
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