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By Neil Zolot
A special Everett City Council meeting to set the Fiscal 2026 tax rates and the regularly scheduled meeting to follow it were canceled due to technical problems with the ECTV cablecast of the meetings, Monday, December 8. “There were some audio issues that couldn’t be fixed in time for the meeting to continue,” ECTV Director of Communications Kyla Galer explained. “Out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of transparency, the meeting was rescheduled to ensure full public access. Our technical team identified the issue, completed all necessary repairs, and confirmed that the system is now fully operational. We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding as we worked to resolve the problem and ensure a reliable and accessible broadcast for all residents.”
Continuing would have violated modifications to open meeting laws established during the pandemic in 2020 “that permit the convening of a public body through virtual means and allow real time public access to the activities of a public body.”
Consideration of the tax rates was postponed until Thursday, December 11, and other items until Monday, December 22. An earlier plan to set the tax rate on November 24 was also cancelled because the numbers weren’t ready.
The December 22 meeting was planned as more of a ceremonial meeting than a business one: to thank people for their service, honor outgoing Councillors, welcome new ones and the like. That can happen without a quorum because no votes are required, but business cannot be conducted without a quorum. Given that it’s Christmas week it may be hard to get one, in which case another meeting might have to be scheduled for Monday, December 29. “Some business was planned for December 22, but not as much as we now anticipate,” City Council aide Michael Mangan said.
Although no action was taken, the members were given a packet of proposals for the tax rates with residential property tax rates rising in the four property categories in Fiscal 2026. Proposals include taxes for the average single-family home to rise $642 from $4,405 to $5,047, the result of an increase in average value from $585,535 to $604,871; for the average two-family home to rise $992 from $6,615 to $7,607, the result of an increase in average value from $775,912 to $812,150; and for the average three-family home to rise $1,103 from $8,387 to $9,410, the result of an increase in average value from $931,555 to $959,017. The taxes on the average condominium are also proposed to rise, but only $351, from $1,913 to $2,264, the result of an increase of average value from $363,118 to $388,437. As in previous years, much of the growth in the tax base was the result of new multifamily construction and increases in personal property.
The figures were calculated factoring in a Residential Tax Factor at .774312, which shifts some of the tax burden to Commercial/Industrial/Personal Property (C/I/P). (Personal Property covers items in commercial and industrial parcels, like office equipment and even barbershop chairs.) The Residential Factor governs the percentage of the tax levy to be paid by property owners. Under a Uniform Tax rate, each class of property pays a share equal to its share of the total city value, a factor of 1, but communities can shift the burden from one classification of property owner to another; 30% of cities and towns do. In other words, for every $2 raised in taxes residents paid $.73-.74 and C/I/P taxes were $1.26-1.27. It does not change the total tax levy. It simply shifts the burden between classes.
Without the shift taxes would increase $649 for condominiums, $823 for a one-family home, $1,167 for a two-family and $1,205 for a three-family. An earlier incorrect version of the tax proposals had the numbers without the shift lower than those with the shift.
The impact on C/I/P is an increase in $2,666 for convenience stores from $14,368 to $17,034 based on an increase in value from $624,700 to $645,700, an increase for fast food restaurants of $9,908 based on an increase in value from $2,369,500 to $2,441,500 and an increase of $6,563 for warehouses based on an increase in value from $1,578,800 to $1,625,300.
A Residential Exemption Factor of 25% will also help lower taxes for many people. It is the amount taken off the tax bill for homeowners that live in their homes in their community. It reduces the amount they are taxed on. The Residential Tax Factor is the formula used to get the Residential Tax Bill; 4,324 parcels qualify. Under the Residential Tax Factor, residents would be taxed at .75% of each dollar, with the dollar value of their home decreased for tax purposes. There are 8,736 residential parcels in all with a combined value of $7,151,335,781.
The municipal tax levy for Fiscal Year 2026 is $133,987,765, up from $117,262,518 in Fiscal Year 2025, $110,509,989 in Fiscal Year 2024 and $108,958,844 in Fiscal Year 2023.
Other items on the agenda for the special meeting were a vote to appropriate $6,000,000 from the Budgetary Fund Balance or Free Cash to reduce the tax levy, $750,000 for the Water/Sewer Budgetary Fund to offset water and sewer rates and $250,000 from the ECTV local cable TV Budgetary Fund Balance to offset costs for ECTV.
Major items on the regular meeting agenda, some of which may be on the December 22 agenda, included accepting a grant of $469,030.80 from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security for equipment, training and overtime related to hazmat operations at the Fire Department; accepting a donation from Everett Supply & True Value Hardware of the use of a rental truck for picking up toys in the City’s Annual Toy Drive; a request to borrow $2,000,000 for the construction of the Boathouse; a resolution to invite Everett Police Sgt. and chair of the Traffic Commission Joseph Gaff and Parking Director Adriana Indrisano to give updates for the 2026 residential parking program and speed bumps; a petition to approve a special one-day alcoholic beverage license for the Mayor’s Inaugural Ball on January 10, 2026, from 6-11 p.m. at the Connolly Center, 90 Chelsea Street; an order requesting borrowing an additional $455,000 for the police station roof project; a resolution for the administration to provide information on the process to ensure American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds; a request for an update on the date of overflow trash day; a request that the facilities maintenance director provide an update on the status of the roof project and gym at the old High School and when tenants will be back in the building; and that Encore casino provide an update on the number of Everett residents employed, the number of subcontracts with local businesses, including those woman- and minority-owned, and an itemized report with the amounts of vouchers and gift certificates purchased from Everett businesses as called for in the Community Host Agreement.
