Everett mayor: No layoffs needed to balance 2026 budget
EVERETT — Everett will be able to maintain current service levels while balancing a $7.9 million gap in its 2026 budget, the city’s mayor said Wednesday.
In her annual budget address to the City Council, Mayor Cassie Franklin said a freeze on non-essential spending, cutbacks on city grants, suspension of general fund contributions to pension funds and street maintenance were the cost-cutting measures that are set to prevent the looming deficit. The city is also planning to use about $4.8 million in one-time COVID relief dollars — some previously allocated to other projects — to plug funding gaps.
The proposed budget reduces maintenance and operation budgets for departments across the city to the tune of about $200,000, city staff said in a September presentation. It halts about $4 million worth of contributions to LEOFF 1 pension funds, reduces $1 million of general fund contributions to street repair and cuts human needs grants and contributions to Clare’s Place Supportive housing by about $300,000.
During her address, Franklin said the city’s persistent imbalance between expenses and revenues continues to present challenges when budgeting.
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