Skip to main content

You make this possible. Support our independent, nonprofit newsroom today.

Give Now

Feeling overtaxed? Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan wants to cut the city's budget

caption: Jenny Durkan at her election night party on Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2017
Enlarge Icon
Jenny Durkan at her election night party on Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2017
KUOW PHOTO / MEGAN FARMER

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said she plans to ask city departments to trim their budgets for next year. She told KUOW's The Record that she'll ask for cuts that could be as much as 5 percent.

"Part of the problem is that we've put in place new programs with one-time money. Instead of having a dedicated revenue source for all the programs that we're doing, we have short-term revenue sources. So we have to be planning for the future in a very responsible way and make sure that we can live within our means," she said.

Durkan did not specify which programs she was referring to, but she said she wants to trim the city's budget because people are telling her that they're feeling tapped out.

"Our property taxes are high, our sales taxes are high, our B&O taxes are very high, and people want to give, but they feel like that they want to see progress and results from government,” she said.

The city's budget has grown under previous mayors. Durkan first suggested there could be budget cuts in her first State of the City address last month.

Why you can trust KUOW