Proposition 1: Parks & Public Safety Levy

Proposition 1 is about three things: catching up, creating stability, and protecting the future of the city we all love.

Edmonds is approaching financial insolvency. Rising costs have outpaced revenues, which are capped at 1% under Tim Eyman’s I-747, making it harder for cities to raise the funds needed to maintain essential services like public safety, street and sidewalk repairs, and parks. In response, City leaders made over $8 million in cuts this past year—including painful reductions to staff and services. Edmonds is now operating with far fewer resources than many peer cities, and we've reached the limit. There is nothing left to cut without directly harming the services that keep our neighborhoods safe, vibrant, and livable.

Without new revenue from this levy, Edmonds will face painful cuts starting in 2026:

  • $3.6 million from the Police Department - means fewer officers to respond to citizen needs.

  • $1.8 million from Parks - means Yost Pool and City Park Spray Pad will close.

  • $693,000 from Planning & Economic Development - means permit response times will increase and permit acquisitions delayed.

  • $228,000 from Cultural Services - means the City’ s public art will not be maintained.

  • $160,000 from Public Works - means phone responses and work order fulfillment will be significantly delayed.

These cuts mean losing vital services—it also means some of our community treasures, like the Frances Anderson Center, will close to recreational programs.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Together, we can build a stronger, more stable future for Edmonds—one that protects what we value and invests in what’s ahead. The proposed levy will cost 93 cents per $1,000 assessed property value. In practical terms, that’s about $65/month for the median home—just $2.14 a day—and would sustain the vital city services that make Edmonds such a special place to live.

Vote Yes to approve Prop 1. Edmonds is worth it.

Four Specific Funding Areas

  • The Department of Parks, Recreation and Human Services serves as the community's key resource for providing parks, open space, recreation programs and human services to ensure a healthy and active quality of life for the Edmonds residents and visitors to enjoy.

    When looking to comparable peer cities in our region, Edmonds’ Parks Department is currently underfunded and understaffed. If this levy fails, the city will be forced to cut an additional $1.8 million from the already depleted Department.

    Cuts will include:

    • Recreation programming would be eliminated at the Frances Anderson Center.

    • Yost Pool and Spray Pad at City Park would close.

    • Trash and litter pickup in certain areas would cease, and several public restrooms would close.

    • Special event support would be eliminated for the Summer Market, Edmonds Arts Festival, July 4th parade and other events.

    • Downtown white tree lights would be eliminated. Holiday Tree decorating and lighting ceremony would be eliminated. Downtown flower baskets and corner park planting would be eliminated.

    • Delayed vandalism responses (damage, graffiti, biohazard waste, etc.).

    What’s more, without adequate funding, the City won’t be able to plan for future maintenance, improvements, or expansion of our parks and recreational services. That has real consequences—many Edmonds residents currently live more than a mile from their nearest park, leaving entire neighborhoods underserved.

    Supporting Proposition 1 means supporting the investment in all communities, and ensuring that every resident—no matter where they live—has access to quality parks and green spaces.

  • Our police department and its officers help prevent crime, respond to emergencies, and foster community trust.

    When looking to comparable peer cities, the Edmonds Police Department is significantly underfunded and understaffed. Lynnwood, Issaquah and Bothell - all cities with comparable populations and demographics - retain between 81 to 129 full-time staff within their respective police departments. After this past year’s brutal budget cuts, Edmonds now retains only 59 full-time staff.

    If Proposition 1 fails to pass, additional police reductions totaling $3.6M will be realized. The impacts from these reductions include:

    • Response times would be longer, based on lower staffing.

    • Property crime investigations would be limited.

    • Proactive community engagement would be reduced.

    • The Human Services program would be eliminated.

    Edmonds and its residents deserve a fully-funded police department. Vote YES on Proposition 1!

  • The Planning and Development Department is responsible for land use information and approvals, building permit review and assistance; long-range city and regional planning; building inspection; coordination of development review processes, development standards, and enforcement of the community development code.

    If Proposition 1 fails this November, the City will be forced to cut $693,000 from planning and economic development, leading to:

    • Economic development, tourism, public information and intergovernmental relations would be eliminated.  That means, fewer new restaurants, bars, shops and experiences will find us in Edmonds, and no one will be trying hard to attract visitors and their spending dollars to our businesses.

    • Permit response times will increase and permit acquisitions delayed, disincentivizing future construction and the attraction of new businesses, which will further frustrate the city’s goals of increasing economic development in our city.

    A vibrant, economically thriving city needs a planning department that is well-funded and staffed. Doing so fosters development, streamlines the permitting process, incentivizes collaboration with applicants, and allows for greater accessibility and responsiveness to residents. When planning is efficient and community-focused, progress follows—and so does a stronger local economy.

    Vote YES on Proposition 1!

  • The Street Maintenance Division of our city’s Public Works Department maintains and improves over 157 vehicle lane miles, traffic markings, 93 miles of sidewalks, over 6,000 signs, and 23 signalized intersections with hundreds of electronic control devices. The Division also supports bicycle/pedestrian facilities, provides roadside vegetation management, and coordinates street lighting requests with the Snohomish County PUD No. 1.

    If Proposition 1 fails to pass, $160,000 in additional cuts from our Public Works Department will go into effect, with the resulting impacts:

    • Maintenance backlog on public facilities would continue to grow without funding,

    • Road maintenance would be limited.

    • Safety issues would increase with street potholes and cracks, and poorly maintained sidewalks.

    Our residents deserve safe roads and more walkable neighborhoods. Vote Yes on Proposition 1!