Medical Lake approves comprehensive plan update, increase in taxes - The year in review - top 10

MEDICAL LAKE — The City Council approved an update to the city’s Comprehensive Plan that will help guide its direction for the next decade in October, while also approving a 5 percent property tax increase.

The first, a 4 percent tax increase, tapped into the city’s available 8.04 percent “banked levy capacity” — tax increases the city had opted not to use since 1985 that allows it to raise taxes beyond the state’s 1 percent per-year levy cap limit.

The increase will add an additional $22,256 to city’s estimated $5.1 million 2020 budget, according to city officials.

The city would have gained an additional $44,710 if the council elected to raise taxes by the entire 8.04 percent, but after some lengthy discussion that included educating councilmembers on issues and the complex mathematical effects of the 1 percent levy cap, they opted to split the difference. Councilmen Don Kennedy and A.J. Burton voting in opposition to the increase.

The council also voted unanimously to increase the city’s EMS levy by 1 percent to offset the cost of the voter approved annexation of the Medical Lake Fire Department into Spokane County Fire District 3.

Under a pre-annexation agreement with Spokane County Fire District 3, EMS levy monies are now passed from the city to the district until the district’s full annexation amount will be levied against Medical Lake property owners beginning in 2021.

The Comprehensive Plan update was the first in seven years.

Lee Hughes can be reached at [email protected].