For the last two months I’ve written about property taxes. I noted that the Kitsap County General Fund receives only 10 percent of the total property taxes you pay each year. For the average homeowner in Kitsap County, county services cost less than 70 cents per day! This month I’d like to “talk” a little about what you get for that 70 cents a day.
First, a little history. Kitsap County celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. Most folks don’t realize that, unlike cities, counties were actually created by the state to provide law and justice and other statewide services at the local level. (Interestingly, it appears that the word “county” has its origins in England where geographic regions were held by “Counts” hence the term “county” for their lands). It’s also interesting that Washington wasn’t magically divided into counties all at once. In fact, Washington’s counties were created and revised over almost a 70-year period from 1844 to 1909. (You can see an animation of this process at http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~stephan/Animation/wa.div.html.)
Kitsap County, created in 1857, was one of the earliest and smallest counties. With a population of 240,000, it is also among the most densely populated counties in the state. We are also unique because most Kitsap residents live in unincorporated areas rather than cities; 170,000 people live outside of cities. In fact, the county serves more residents living in urban areas (like Kingston) than in all of the cities in the county combined.
While the county is providing “city” services to so many people, it actually has less money to do so than cities. Cities have at least two more revenue sources to pay for services than the county does. This means that the county must rely on the property tax more heavily than cities.
The state created counties and directs the services that counties must provide. Virtually every service the county provides is mandated by the state. (By comparison, local residents create cities and decide what services to offer.) The state also directs how we do it. What this means is that the county has very little discretion in what it does or how it does it. So when citizens suggest we just stop doing some things that often is not possible.
The county provides many services that are “in the background” that most people never think about. We all expect a deputy to come when we call the sheriff’s office. But arresting someone is just the start of the process. The County Prosecutor prosecutes offenders in county courts and those found guilty are either sent to the county jail or some form of county diversion. A parallel system exists for kids. All together, public safety consumes about two-thirds of the county’s General Fund. Kitsap County’s criminal justice system is known for its innovative programs aimed at helping folks from becoming repeat offenders.
The remaining one-third of the General Fund has to be stretched to cover the other state-mandated services. Here are some examples. The county manages all elections countywide and we have a spotless record for accuracy. When you get married, buy a house or license a vehicle or boat you do it through the county or a county-supervised agency. The assessor and treasurer combine to operate the property tax system that funds all governments in the county. The county contracts with Kitsap County Humane Society to provide animal control in the unincorporated areas. Immunizations for school kids, teen suicide prevention, septic approval and water quality monitoring are provided by the county-supported Health District. With only a handful of county-paid staff, Kitsap County administers over $40 million worth of human service programs in Kitsap, Jefferson and Clallam counties. The County Coroner investigates over 300 deaths each year. The fire marshal investigates all arson fires. The county’s Comprehensive Plan provides for future growth while protecting our environment and resource lands. The Department of Community Development regulates land development and building safety.
About the only significant “discretionary” (meaning we can decide to do it or not do it) program offered by the county is our excellent parks system. These parks are critical to the quality of life for all Kitsap residents and will be especially important as 100,000 more people move here in the future.
These are the programs funded in the General Fund. The county also provides critical transportation, sewer, solid waste and storm water management programs that are not funded by property or sales taxes.
As you can see, county services touch every one of us countless times each day.
The state not only mandates service areas – like jails – that the county must provide, it also mandates how we deliver those services. The state usually doesn’t fund these mandates. A good example is a recent law that requires drunk drivers or those with suspended licenses to spend some time in jail. This may be good policy, but the state didn’t pay the county for the $3 million this will cost local taxpayers this year. The state legislature passes the law but leaves it to the county to ask local taxpayers to pay the bill.
You can learn more about the wide array of county services at the county’s Web site www.kitsapgov.com. When you look at all the services provided by the county, I think you will agree that, at 70 cents a day for the average homeowner, we’re a pretty darned good bargain.
Next month, I’ll write about the problems in paying for these services. In the meantime, I want to let you know that the County Commission is changing its formal meetings to evenings so that you don’t have to take time off from work to attend. Our first evening meeting will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 5. This is consistent with the county’s value of providing “open and accessible” government. I hope to see you at one of our meetings.
As always, feel free to contact me with comments or questions at sbauer@co.kitsap.wa.us or by phone at (360) 337-7146.
