Dear Snohomish County Neighbors, Last month, the County Council took several important votes and continued work on issues that will have a lasting impact on Snohomish County. I am excited to share these updates with you and encourage you to reach out if you have any questions or input on these issues: Tax & Fee Increases: The Council passed a countywide sales tax increase and a $20 car-tab increase; I voted “no” on both. Fiscal Responsibility: As we begin budget deliberations, I’ll push for reductions in discretionary spending and prioritize public safety and other core county functions. Drug Paraphernalia: My ordinance to prohibit the future use of county tax dollars from funding drug paraphernalia programs continues through the committee process. Data Centers: The six-month moratorium remains in place while my office works with county staff and community members on permanent regulations. Evergreen State Fair: The fair is underway through Labor Day, featuring carnival rides, concerts, food, rodeo, animal exhibits, and family entertainment. Council Votes on Tax and Fee Increases On August 12, the Snohomish County Council passed a new countywide sales tax increase and a $20 car-tab increase for residents in unincorporated Snohomish County. I opposed both measures and voted “no.” Unfortunately, both passed by a 3-2 vote. These tax and fee increases come on the heels of a rising cost of living, historic tax increases from the state, and continued economic uncertainty for many families. I have been a strong advocate for county government living within its means, and that means making cuts to programs that are not core functions of government. The “nice-to-haves” that were added when revenues were high should be re-evaluated before we ask hardworking taxpayers to give more. While these tax increases have passed, the fight for fiscal responsibility is not over. This month, the County Council will begin its budget deliberations for our next biennial budget. I will be working to prioritize public safety and other core functions of county government and propose reductions to unnecessary spending so that we don’t find ourselves in the same position several years down the road. You can read more about this in my op-ed in MyEverettNews at this link. In The News Stanwood levee repairs begin: $1.46M emergency fix targets storm damage | Stanwood Camano News – Jul. 31, 2026 Nehring: I will be voting “no” on this sales tax increase | Everett Herald – Aug. 8, 2026 Snohomish County Council approves new $20 car tab fee | Everett Herald – Aug. 13, 2026 Residents in unincorporated Snohomish County will now pay a new annual vehicle license fee for road maintenance | Lynnwood Times – Aug. 13, 2026 Snohomish County Approves 0.1% Sales Tax for Public Safety | Lynnwood Times – Aug. 13, 2026 SnoCo Council approves new 0.1% criminal justice sales tax | Everett Herald – Aug. 14, 2026 New sales tax for public safety, $20 car tabs approved by County Council | Snohomish Tribune – Aug. 19, 2026 Public largely calls for full ban of data centers at county hearing | Snohomish Tribune – Aug. 26, 2026 Community Events Sept. 12 – Marysville National Night Out Sept. 12 – Arlington Hispanic Heritage Event Sept. 12 – Stanwood Touch A Truck Drug Paraphernalia Panel Earlier this year, I introduced an ordinance to prohibit future county tax dollars from being spent on drug paraphernalia. While this may seem like a common-sense proposal, many drug treatment programs endorse a “harm reduction” approach in which the distribution of clean drug paraphernalia is a core component. This includes syringes (needles), smoking pipes, foil, and spoons used for drug consumption. While some believe that distributing clean drug paraphernalia leads to better public health outcomes, I fundamentally oppose the idea of enabling harmful activities like drug abuse. At our Health and Community Services Committee meeting on August 25, we heard from a panel of service providers and public safety personnel about the pros and cons of these distribution programs. I appreciate all of the panelists for taking the time to present to the Council and answer our questions. Despite the support from some panelists for these drug paraphernalia distribution programs, I remain steadfast in opposing this kind of program, especially when taxpayer dollars are involved. My ordinance is currently working its way through the committee process, and a public hearing will eventually be scheduled to collect public testimony and allow the Council to consider taking action. If you are interested in being notified once the public hearing is scheduled, please feel free to email me at Nate.Nehring@snoco.org. Data Center Moratorium Update Earlier this year, the County Council passed a six-month moratorium on data centers in unincorporated Snohomish County. I introduced the proposal based on extensive feedback I have received from community members regarding concerns about the impact of large data centers. The moratorium is an emergency land-use regulation, and a public hearing was held on Wednesday, August 19. During the public hearing, testimony from community members was overwhelmingly opposed to allowing new data centers in Snohomish County. I appreciate everyone who took the time to attend the meeting and share their thoughts with the Council. The intent behind the moratorium was to give the county time to adopt permanent regulations without facing the unintended consequences of a new data center permit being approved before adequate This email was sent to zapox6@gmail.com using Granicus Communications Cloud on behalf of Snohomish County, Washington. regulations are in place. I am working with county staff and community members to craft permanent regulations related to data centers. Once the proposal is drafted, it will be introduced, heard in committee, and brought to a public hearing. If you would like to stay informed about the progress of this issue, please email me at Nate.Nehring@snoco.org, and we will add you to our email distribution list. If you haven’t already, you can also share your thoughts by taking a survey on data centers and data center regulations which was put together by my office. That survey is linked here. Evergreen State Fair The Evergreen State Fair opened on Thursday, August 27th, and runs through Labor Day, with a day off on Wednesday, September 2nd. The annual fair includes great carnival rides, concerts on the main stage, delicious food, competitive animal exhibits, contests, rodeo, and other fun family entertainment. This year’s fair theme is “Barn in the USA,” paying tribute to America 250 while also honoring the agricultural heritage of Snohomish County and the fair. My family and I attended the opening-day ceremonies and enjoyed all the fair had to offer. You can buy tickets and learn more about this year’s fair at www.evergreenfair.org. I send out monthly newsletters to keep you informed about what I am working on and how I am representing the residents of North Snohomish County on the County Council. Please feel free to reach out to me at 425-512-4810 or Nate.Nehring@snoco.org. Sincerely, Nate Nehring Councilman, District 1 Snohomish County Council 3000 Rockefeller Ave., M/S 609 Everett, Washington 98201 8th floor, Robert J. Drewel Building Phone: 425-388-3494 E-Mail: Nate.Nehring@snoco.org Russell Wiita, Legislative Aide Stay Connected with the County Council SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: Manage Subscriptions | Unsubscribe All | Help 3000 Rockefeller Ave. · Everett, WA 98201 · (425) 388-3494