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Whatcom County
County government
· 235000 residents
· Updated Apr 16, 2026
$429M
2026 budget
↑8.3% vs prior year
2184
Total FTEs
↑47 added
5
Active policies
In debate now
167
Briefings filed
Since 2025
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CDC unilateral childhood vaccine schedule reduction
federal
Active
CDC unilateral childhood vaccine schedule reduction
Federal executive action · Jan 2026
Affects all CDC-funded county programs
Reduced federal health data systems; CDC VRFSS broken down
WA DOH and 12+ medical societies maintaining prior schedule
state
In Committee
2026-2027 biennium budget session
Governor's budget cuts FPHS funding by ~1/3
SB 6129 · SB 6116 · HB 2383 · HB 2439
$300M statewide projected → significant reduction
Food safety inspections, disease response, environmental health degraded
All four bills in executive committee · SB 6129 has most traction · vapor tax sourcing unresolved
↳ responds-to
county
Enacted
Whatcom County Health Board — urge Legislature to maintain FPHS
AB2026-119
$3.6M/yr at risk · ~30 FTEs across health and environmental divisions
Loss of epidemiologists, environmental health staff, emergency preparedness capacity
Passed 7-0 PWHS Committee · forwarded to full Council · joins similar resolutions statewide
Local mental health and housing sales tax authority
state
Enacted
Local mental health and housing sales tax authority
RCW 82.14.460
Enables up to 0.1% county sales tax
Authorization only — no cost until county acts
Existing statute · authorizes counties to levy up to 0.1% for 10 years
county
Pending Vote
Estimated May 2026
Whatcom County 0.1% sales tax — mental health and housing services
Proposed ordinance · FAS reviewed Feb 24 2026
$12.4M/yr estimated revenue · 10-year duration
~$100–$150/yr per household at median spend
Full Council vote estimated May 2026 · 5-2 committee pattern on fiscal items
Lake Whatcom Watershed Protection Fee — financial structure
Under investigation
special-district
~$103M collected since 2001 · <6% of legally required phosphorus reduction
special-district
Under Investigation
Lake Whatcom Watershed Protection Fee — financial structure
WAC 173-201A · City/County watershed interlocal
~$103M collected since 2001 · <6% of legally required phosphorus reduction
~$84/yr residential fee · self-reinforcing borrowing loop documented
Pre-publication notice sent to Council + Mayor + Finance Director Apr 8 2026
Nooksack River flood management — scope and funding
Pending vote
county
Near-term capital: $182M · system-wide: $474M · state budgeted $9–13M
county
Pending Vote
End of April 2026
Nooksack River flood management — scope and funding
AB2026-161 · 2026 state flood grants
Near-term capital: $182M · system-wide: $474M · state budgeted $9–13M
Flood risk to properties in Nooksack floodplain · levy/tax TBD
Executive deadline end of April 2026 · emergency ordinance authority under legal review
Budget intelligence
2026 adopted budget
Full history ↗
$429.0M
↑8.3% vs 2025
Top spending departments
Public Works and Health
$118M
Criminal Justice
$94M
Human Services
$62M
Parks and Recreation
$28M
General Government
$48M
Tax & fee register
What you pay · current rates
Property tax levy (county general)
per $1,000 assessed value
$1.5484
↑ 2025
Lake Whatcom Watershed Protection Fee
↗
per year / residential parcel
~$84
under review
See investigation: $103M collected since 2001
Sales tax (county portion)
↗
of taxable purchases
1.9%
+proposed
+0.1% proposed (mental health levy)
Road levy
per $1,000 assessed value
$0.4250
unchanged
Recent briefings
Lake Whatcom Joint Councils and Commissioners Meeting
Apr 1, 2026
· Whatcom County Council Regular
Whatcom County Council (hosting joint meeting)
Apr 1, 2026
· Committee of the Whole
Whatcom County Council
All briefings ↗
Mar 24, 2026
· Whatcom County Council Regular
Barry Buchanan
Council President
· CJPS Chair
Yes on all CANR and community service ...
Elizabeth Boyle
Council Member
· PWHS Chair
7-0 consensus votes on health and ...
Ben Elenbaas
Council Member
5-2 fiscal dissent (with Harris) on ...
Kaylee Galloway
Council Member
· CANR Chair
Yes on all environmental and ...
Jon Scanlon
Council Member
· FAS Chair · Health Board Chair
Generally consensus; active on ...
Mark Stremler
Council Member
· CANR member
Generally yes; requests cost clarity ...
Jessica Rienstra
Council Member
Generally consensus
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