Kenmore council was scheduled to weigh sales taxes, levy lid lifts, and a park district to close a projected budget gap

What the records say

The Kenmore City Council was scheduled to hold a study session on fiscal strategies and revenue measures at a special meeting on Monday, April 6, 2026 at 7:00 PM, continuing a discussion begun at the council's March 21–22 retreat and intended to produce direction to staff ¹. The agenda bill lays out the specific decisions staff sought: whether to proceed with a police services study; which councilmanic actions to pursue, including a 0.1% transportation sales tax and a 0.1% public safety sales tax (each estimated to generate about $425,000); which potential revenue measures to advance, including a police study levy lid lift, a 'KenMORE' levy lid lift, or a Metropolitan Park District; when any such measures should go on a ballot; and what additional fiscal strategies to consider for the rest of the year and the 2027–2028 biennium ¹. The accompanying presentation cites forecasted general fund shortfalls of $3.1 million (2027–2028), $6.7 million (2029–2030), and $10.5 million (2031–2032) against forecast, with fallback approaches that include eliminating special projects, cutting programs, or spending down reserves ¹. The packet does not establish what the council decided at the meeting.

• Staff asked the council for direction on two 0.1% councilmanic sales taxes — transportation and public safety — each estimated to generate about $425,000, plus potential property tax measures: a police study levy lid lift, a 'KenMORE' levy lid lift, or formation of a Metropolitan Park District.
• The presentation shows forecasted general fund shortfalls of $3.1 million for 2027–2028, $6.7 million for 2029–2030, and $10.5 million for 2031–2032, with fallback approaches including eliminating special projects, broad service reductions, or spending down reserves.
• Levy lid lift options include single-year or multi-year structures, temporary or permanent, with different election-date restrictions; a Metropolitan Park District levy would be dedicated to parks and recreation and generally permanent.

Why it matters

The options under discussion — property tax levy lid lifts, a Metropolitan Park District levy of up to $0.75 per $1,000 of assessed value, and new sales taxes — would directly affect what Kenmore households pay and what services the city can fund as it faces a projected multi-year budget gap ¹.

What changed / what's next

• No change was documented; the record shows the item was scheduled for discussion and direction at the April 6, 2026 study session, following fiscal discussions at the February 23 study session and the March 21–22 council retreat ¹.
• The supplied records do not establish the meeting's outcome — which, if any, revenue measures the council directed staff to pursue. The packet's ballot-measure timing table shows the next feasible council action windows beginning in April–July 2026 for the August 2026 primary and November 2026 general elections, so any council direction could move quickly toward a ballot ¹.
• The available records do not establish the meeting's outcome.