Image Courtesy Snohomish County
In Snohomish County, 75% of the budget released Tuesday is going to be spent on law and justice.
“The federal government granted Snohomish County an additional $80M of Pandemic Recovery funding,” County executive Dave Somers says the 2023 spending plan comes with one big advantage “these one time dollars can be used for strategic long term investments and giving us leverage to achieve even more.”
2023 will see more spending on body-worn camera’s for sheriffs deputies, two new prosecuting attorney’s and two new judges, “the public has the right to expect those who commit crimes to be held accountable” Somers told a crowded room at the county building in Everett, “our residents also deserve to know that domestic violence, drug trafficking and other threats to public safety are taken seriously.”
Snohomish County is investing in affordable housing, behavioral health services & facilities and pay raises of close to 20% for sheriff’s deputies over the next 4 years.
“One of the greatest single threats facing our residents is the flood of fentanyl into our streets,” but the Opioid Crisis, in Somers words, has taken a sinister turn in the past year “fentanyl is 100 times stronger than morphine and we have heard in Snohomish county fentanyl pills sell for a dollar or two, in other parts of the country they can go for $30 a pill.” That’s how easily available they are throughout western Washington.
Millions of dollar are being spent on better access to childcare access, law and justice data collection and $27M is going to new road construction, “For 13 projects and continue to provide maintenance for our transportation infrastructure which includes over 1,600 miles of county roads, 205 bridges (and) 200 signals” says Somers, citing a long standing commitment “since 2016 we have invested over $700M and maintaining our county roadways.”
There’s also money for a mountain bike park & trail restoration.
