County needs to live within means | Guest Column
Published 1:30 am Saturday, May 23, 2026
By Lauren Cohen, San Juan Island
I am amazed that any of our elected officials would claim that “misinformation” was the reason for their loss in trying once again to raise our taxes. They must believe that their constituents are uninformed or perhaps just not intelligent enough to understand what they have to deal with. How insulting to the good people of San Juan County. Have you considered that maybe your tax increase lost handily because much of the public does not trust that you can responsibly spend the money we consign to you?
Most often, when reading about the activities of our County Government, it involves their spending. One recent example stood out. Our county recently distributed $385,000 of taxpayer money to nineteen non-profits. The funds came from a tax instituted by our County Council without a vote of their constituents. Our community is extremely generous but given the dire picture painted of our finances, it seems quite foolish to be distributing hundreds of thousands in taxpayer monies to non-profits, many of whom have enormous assets themselves. They may be worthy but is this really the role of our government? Shouldn’t reallocating frivolous spending to only necessary spending be step number one? Should they be purchasing properties, hiring consultants, creating or expanding departments or holding expensive special elections complete with their own propaganda paid for by County taxpayers for the sole purpose of taking more money from County property owners?
The “overwhelming” number of secret whispers in your ear asking you to put the levy lid lift back on the ballot is a disrespectful dismissal of the voters and what they just told you, which was NO! Councilwoman Fuller seems to understand that we want you to find a way to live within your means, which I greatly appreciate.
Now you are going to show the public a draconian budget that cuts important services as a way to emotionally manipulate and threaten us using fear. That is a despicable tactic. Your constituents deserve better. The good, decent, hardworking individuals of San Juan County turn their hard-earned dollars over to you, desperately wishing that you will spend them wisely, prudently, carefully on the true needs of those you serve and not wants based on taps on the shoulder.
I certainly recognize that yours is not an easy job, but it is one you voluntarily took. I, for one, expect you to clean up your own finances before you come after mine.
