Property tax increase, priorities set

WHITE SALMON — Last Wednesday, city council opted to increase property taxes and decided what needs they’ll be advocating for during the upcoming state legislative session.

Residents will see their property tax bill go up by 1%, the maximum increase allowed annually for small cities under Washington State law, in 2027. As previously reported by Columbia Gorge News, city administration expects an unsustainable budget in the near term, with cost of living adjustments for employees and the price of medical, dental and liability insurance all outpacing that 1% rate.

Jennifer Neil, director of operations and finances, framed the decision as a necessary band-aid. Expected to generate just over $4,061 in new revenue, and $476,239 in total, property taxes will only cover about 12% of projected general and street fund expenses next year.

Property tax is split between 11 different state and local districts, with White Salmon receiving about $0.07 for every $1 generated. Council approved the increase unanimously without much discussion, which also incorporated new construction into the calculation.

“In order to maintain the level of service we have, we have to ensure that the revenue side matches the fastidiousness of what we do on the cost side,” Councilor Ben Giant said during the Nov. 4 meeting. “At some point, we’re going to have to solve the bigger problem of closing that gulf.”

Neil is also preparing more in-depth materials on what levers council could pull to generate more revenue as budget adoption nears, tentatively set for their Dec. 16 meeting.

Next, council heard Mayor Marla Keethler’s recommendations on what their state legislative priorities should be: securing funding for the SR 141 Complete Streets Project (which has been stalled since 2020), a number of local fiscal sustainability and infrastructure investment measures and expanding childcare access by funding a capital construction grant program.

On that second bucket, Keethler specifically called for keeping to the terms established by House Bill 1168, among others. Passed in 2021, it dedicated $500 million over eight years to wildfire preparedness and response; part of funding was cut in half and then later restored when the state confronted a budget shortfall in 2025.

Councilor Patty Fink added advancing climate solutions and community resilience to the list, meant to ensure that all city officials hit on the same points when in conversation with representatives from Olympia. It passed unanimously.

During her updates to council, Keethler also noted that meetings regarding free postal delivery had been scheduled in Washington, D.C., and that the city is still awaiting a response from its insurer on Scenic Street repairs. A storm back in May caused $2 million dollars worth of infrastructure damage in the area.

City council’s next meeting is set for 6 p.m. on Nov. 18 in the White Salmon Fire Hall.

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