By MICHAEL WHITNEY
Published October 13, 2021

Snohomish council to consider sales tax toward affordable housing

SNOHOMISH — The City Council last week asked city staff to bring back details for creating a City of Snohomish-specific affordable housing sales tax to aid in encouraging affordable housing within Snohomish. Council appears to find it appealing based on being able to be involved in guiding future growth.
The potential affordable housing sales tax would add 0.1 % to the city sales tax. Based on estimates from Chris Collier of the Alliance for Housing Affordability (AHA), this could bring $550,000 toward local affordable housing and/or mental health services within the city of Snohomish.
If it proceeds to fruition, a city sales tax for affordable housing would create a fund for the city to give grants for affordable housing nonprofits to be better capable of purchasing land and building new subsidized housing.
Councilman Steve Dana called for the tax to be put before council for potential action.
Councilwoman Judith Kuleta and Councilman Tom Merrill both gave favorable comments to the idea during a workshop last week.
The City Council has the authority under House Bill 1590 to set the tax itself without going to voters, formally known as councilmanic authority.
AHA pitched this same idea to the county as a countywide measure in 2020. County leaders haven’t taken it up so far.

Calling all Snohomians
Who’s the oldest Snohomish Panther still around? Maybe it’s your relative? Maybe it’s you? The Tribune wants to find out. Tell us who you think it is: write to P.O. Box 499, Snohomish, WA 98291, email to editor.tribune@snoho.com
or call 360-568-4121.
Watch for the Jan. 25 Tribune to
see some recognitions.

Check out our online publications!