By Noah Haglund, The Everett Herald

Everett, Wash.—A united Snohomish County Council passed a budget Monday that staves off most public safety cuts with help from a modest property tax increase.

The spending plan for 2017 followed the contours that council Chairman Terry Ryan had recommended a week earlier. Ryan's budget, in turn, hewed closely to a $238 million plan that Executive Dave Somers unveiled in September, though the council softened cuts to key sheriff's office programs.

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Builder Confidence Remains Low in August

Builder confidence in the housing market slipped to 32 nationally in August, an 18% decline from last year, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. In the West, sentiment was even weaker, with an HMI reading of 26, underscoring the region’s ongoing affordability and housing challenges. 

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By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

June housing data from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service show a growing inventory of homes for sale, with 1.34 months’ supply available in both King and Snohomish counties. This marks the first time the housing measure has exceeded one month’s supply since September 2020 in King County and May 2020 in Snohomish County. While this moves us toward greater balance in the market, many analysts consider a four-to-six-month level as an indicator of a healthy market.

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