Everett City Council Meeting: 2027 Budget Address and Transit Annexation ILA – October 22, 2026

Note: The agenda and transcript identify this meeting as Wednesday, October 21, 2026; the supplied meeting timestamp is 2026-10-22 16:15:00+00:00. This summary uses the requested date in the title.

The Everett City Council met with Mayor Franklin and six council members present (Councilmember Bader excused). After the pledge and land acknowledgment, Mayor Franklin presented the proposed 2027 city budget. The council approved the Oct. 14, 2026 minutes, approved the consent calendar, heard public comment, and received the first reading of the ordinance authorizing the Everett Transit/Community Transit annexation interlocal agreement (ILA).

Consent Calendar

• Approved a resolution authorizing claims against the city in the amount of $3,705,475.79 for Oct. 3-9, 2026.
• Approved a resolution authorizing payroll claims of $6,291,854.19 for the period ending Oct. 3, 2026.
• Waived public bidding requirements and approved a multiple-year sole-source purchase of Rotork equipment and services from Beaver Equipment, Inc.
• Awarded the Lift Station #24 Conveyance Improvements construction contract to Rodarte Construction, Inc. of Auburn, WA for $1,585,398.17.
• Authorized the mayor to execute the lease agreement with Expedition Physical Therapy P.L.L.C.; staff noted negotiated changes from the standard lease form.

Public Comments & Testimony

No written or online comments were read into the record.

Pre-action-item public comment:

• Janine (Everett) presented data on Everett Police Department calls at Planned Parenthood from 2018 through 2026, said over 95% of calls involved protester activity, and urged the council to establish a buffer zone to protect patient access.
• Kathleen Bergler (Everett), a longtime Planned Parenthood patient escort, described a 1986 clinic encounter and a similar incident that day, quoted an officer telling escorts to 'be the grown-ups,' and called for moving protesters across the street.
• Sergi (Everett), a small gas station owner at 6901 Broadway, said the city has not issued him a permanent pump permit after installing a new pump three years ago, is fining him $250, and alleged retaliation.
• Rosa Riggs (Lake Stevens), an Everett paratransit scheduler, questioned Community Transit's long-term paratransit plan, said the ILA's enforcement provisions are weak, and noted one rider is over 100 years old; she urged council to consider what recourse Everett would have if CT fails to deliver.
• June Schober (District 3) supported consolidation, citing at least 50% more buses in a few years and calling it 'better together.'
• Jan Moistan (Lake Goodwin area) opposed consolidation, compared CT to 'an amoeba eating us,' cited a senior fare increase from 50 cents to $1.25, and said union and paratransit issues remain unresolved.

Public comment on CB 2610-52:

• Brock Howell (Everett; Snohomish County Transportation Coalition executive director) supported the merger and said the rethink transit study projected frequent-service stops rising from 29% to 75% by 2036 with consolidation.
• Rene Bairo (Everett) opposed the ILA, called it a 'grab and run scheme' and an open subsidy to the county, and said Everett would pay more for the same service.
• Daryl Sullivan (Everett; Everett Transit bus driver) opposed the consolidation, called the sales tax increase an unnecessary burden, and said Community Transit cannot replace Everett Transit's local service.
• Gordon Arlin (Mukilteo; Everett business owner) raised a separate concern about Broadway lane and parking changes, saying removal of parking in front of his store would close his business.
• Kirk Hovencotter (Seattle; Transportation Choices Coalition executive director) voiced strong support, citing 50% more bus service, dignity and fairness, light rail readiness, and the importance of supporting transit workers.
• Evan Reid (downtown Everett) said he wants light rail but argued the current ILA is not strong enough; he urged binding contract language for workforce protections, paratransit guarantees, and community engagement programs before asset transfer.

Mayor's 2027 Budget Address

• Mayor Franklin proposed a full city budget of almost $766 million and said the city faces a recurring structural deficit driven by the 1% property tax levy limit and rising service costs; the city has closed more than $100 million in deficits over recent years.
• She highlighted revenue actions taken this year (utility tax alignment, voter-approved EMS levy, B&O tax modernization) and asked council to consider a public safety sales tax of one-tenth of 1% (one cent on a $10 purchase) and transit consolidation.
• Public safety proposals include 220 police officers (two per 1,000 residents), a grant for 10 additional officers and a domestic violence victim advocate, two new municipal court positions, and continued EMS/fire investments. EMS calls rose from about 16,000 in 2018 to more than 21,000 in 2025 and are over 80% of fire dispatches.
• The CARE alternative response team has served more than 2,200 individuals and handled more than 800 active 911 calls as the primary responder this year; the budget restores human needs funding to $4 per capita, nearly $500,000 for nonprofits.
• Housing, South Everett, parks, and libraries are funded, including Edgewater Park, Walter Hall playground, Eclipse Mill Park, and permitting modernization. The mayor announced a coming South Everett directive and continued planning for light rail.
• Economic development: more than 1.5 million visitors this year, visitor spending up almost 20%; the B&O tax reform eliminates B&O tax for 6,500 small businesses and reduces taxes 25% for another 2,000 retailers, generating $3.5 million annually; a proposed outdoor event center is projected to drive $85 million in visitor spending and attract nearly 400,000 visitors annually.
• The mayor said transit consolidation with Community Transit is necessary to support light rail and avoid major service cuts, and she noted Everett's population could grow from about 114,000 to more than 150,000 through annexation, with another 60,000 over the next 20 years.

Discussion: Transit Consolidation ILA (CB 2610-52)

• Staff and Community Transit CEO Rick Ilgerfritz presented the proposed annexation of Everett into Community Transit's benefit area, with an effective date of April 1, 2027 if approved. Everett would move to the 1.2% transit sales tax (60 cents per $100 purchase), receive a $54.5 million lump-sum payment, and transfer transit assets plus $16 million in capital reserves to CT.
• The ILA would keep existing service on day one, increase service in Everett by approximately 50% through 2031, add a zip microtransit zone, protect existing paratransit service, transition employees with collective bargaining protections, and give Everett representation on the CT board.
• Financial discussion: Everett Transit faces a structural deficit; its six-year transit development plan identifies $357 million in capital needs, including a roughly $100 million operations base. With a maximum local sales tax increase, Everett could increase service only about 25% over 20 years, while CT's regional model supports a 50% increase by 2031.
• Council questions addressed reserve sufficiency, the timing of tax revenue, employee retention and seniority, paratransit transfers, microtransit design, board representation, and oversight. Ilgerfritz said CT's plan is to integrate Everett's paratransit dispatch, phase out transfer activity over time, honor existing union contracts as the baseline, and create a board oversight structure with periodic population-based reallocation. He did not commit to a specific seniority integration or to a countywide directly operated paratransit model.
• Councilmember Ryan asked for case studies of other transit integrations at the next meeting; staff committed to follow up on the Broadway parking concern raised by a business owner.

Council Comments and Administrative Updates

• Councilmember Ryan voiced support for enhanced protections for patients accessing Planned Parenthood and reported on Naval Station Everett, the Pet Mayor event (almost $19,000 raised), and neighborhood meetings.
• Councilmember Weir reported on the Pet Mayor event and corrected his prior comments to thank Councilmember Tui for allocating $25,000 in ARPA funds for the Pacific gateway mural.
• Councilmember Zarlingo reported on the Valley View neighborhood meeting and Snohomish County PUD's Peak Assist energy program.
• Councilmember Tui reported that the Housing Authority of Snohomish County purchased a 42-unit apartment complex on Casino Road to preserve it as low-income/section 8 housing near future light rail.
• Council President Schwab reported on the Everett Library Board and the CARE team's work on library behavioral policies.
• Administrative staff noted that consent item 5, the Expedition Physical Therapy lease, included small negotiated changes from the standard lease form.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the Oct. 14, 2026 council minutes unanimously.
• Approved all five consent calendar items unanimously.
• Received the first reading of CB 2610-52; no vote was taken on the ordinance. The public hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28, 2026, and the third/final reading is scheduled for Nov. 4, 2026.
• Held an executive session under RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) for legal matters; after returning, council approved an auto body claim of $30,532.65.
• Next steps include continued budget deliberations, a mayoral directive on South Everett, and Community Transit board consideration of the annexation.