Clark County 2025 budget: No property tax increase, no new staff for sheriff’s office

The Clark County Council earlier this week approved a 2025 budget that does not raise property tax collections by the 1 percent allowed by state law, which would have added about $1.8 million to the county’s coffers next year.

The council approved a $871.74 million budget for 2025 by a 3-2 vote, with Councilors Sue Marshall, Glen Yung and Karen Bowerman voting in favor and Gary Medvigy and Michelle Belkot voting against. Total revenue for 2025 is expected to be $713.27 million.

Emily Zwetzig, budget director for the county, said the $158.44 million difference between revenue and expenses is primarily from the capital budget. The county will balance the books by tapping existing fund balances, she said.

The capital budget accounts for all of the county’s major infrastructure plans, including roads and parks.

Medvigy said he couldn’t support the budget because it didn’t include new staff for the sheriff’s office. County Manager Kathleen Otto said the county simply doesn’t have the financial resources available to pay for any additional staff.

“There were more than 100 (full-time employee) requests. The only recommendations were some two-year project positions or positions that had a dedicated revenue source, e.g. mental health sales tax, road fund, etc.,” Otto said in an email Wednesday.

Sheriff John Horch had asked for four support specialists, three support supervisors, a volunteer program coordinator, 12 deputies and one sergeant.

“These positions were not recommended for approval until we had revenue to pay for them; therefore, they are not included in the 2025 budget,” Otto said in the email.

Otto warned the council that without either new revenue sources or cuts in spending, the county is facing a significant budget shortfall within the next year.

“It’s very clear from the conversation that we are going to be facing some cuts next year, some considerable cuts,” Yung said in an interview Wednesday. “There’s a lot of uncertainty, and I’m very disappointed that we have added to the problem by not electing to take the 1 percent (property tax) increase.”

Much of the discussion during the budget hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday focused on the general fund. Total general fund revenue is expected to be $198.1 million, while expenses are forecasted to be $208.3 million.

“Since the council did not approve the 1 percent general fund property tax, the operating deficit is just over $12 million,” Otto said. “The operating deficit is simply expenditures exceeding revenues. We were able to balance for 2025 by using one-time fund balance, as well as other strategic measures.”

However, starting in 2026, the county will need to find an additional $10.4 million in additional revenue or reduce expenses in order to balance the budget, Otto said.

Even though the general fund only represents about 25 percent of the total county budget, it includes roughly 70 percent of all labor expenses. The general fund also includes expenses for the sheriff’s office, county jail, courts, public defense and juvenile court programs. Otto said 67.5 percent of the general fund goes to public safety expenses.

How will the county make up that looming budget shortfall? Marshall said the county will eventually have no choice but to ask taxpayers for more money. Before that can happen, Marshall said the county has work to do.

“We need to be able to tell the public that we’ve made cuts, that we’ve tightened even tighter our belts, and this is our coordinated, best projection of what the need will be,” Marshall said.

That work needs to be done in collaboration with the city of Vancouver, she added.

“We do have some big needs on the horizon, and I think I am optimistic that the new councilors coming in will be able to roll up their sleeves and help us figure this out,” Marshall said.

If the county can prove it’s done the hard work necessary, Marshall said she would feel more confident that voters would approve an increase in the public safety or mental health tax or a levy increase.

Rather than waiting until next year’s budget presentations in October or November, Yung said he wants the council to start early. He said he was confident that can happen.

“It’s going to be a hard year for sure, but we have good people that will work towards solving the problem,” he said.