How will the August 4, 2026 Everett EMS levy affect my property tax bill? If the measure passes, your EMS levy rate rises from $0.36 to $0.50 per $1,000 of assessed value. For a home assessed at $500,000, that’s about $70 more per year, or roughly $5.83 per month. The city estimates the average Everett homeowner would pay approximately $80 more per year. The rate would take effect in the 2027 property tax year and would not authorize any rate higher than $0.50, which Everett voters originally approved in 2000.
The one calculation you actually need
If you own a home in Everett, here is the only calculation that matters for the August 4 EMS levy: take your home’s assessed value, divide by 1,000, and multiply by $0.14 (the increase from $0.36 to $0.50 per $1,000). That is your extra annual EMS levy if the measure passes.
- Home assessed at $400,000: about $56 per year more ($4.67/month)
- Home assessed at $500,000: about $70 per year more ($5.83/month)
- Home assessed at $600,000: about $84 per year more ($7.00/month)
- Home assessed at $750,000: about $105 per year more ($8.75/month)
- Home assessed at $1,000,000: about $140 per year more ($11.67/month)
The city’s published estimate is approximately $80 per year for the average Everett homeowner, which tracks closely with the median assessed value in the city.
Where to find your assessed value
Your home’s assessed value is printed on the most recent property tax statement you received from Snohomish County. It is also searchable online through the Snohomish County Assessor’s property lookup — you can type in your address and pull up the assessment history. Assessed value is set by the county, not the city, and is generally updated annually.
Assessed value is different from market value. It is the number the county uses for tax purposes. In practice it tends to track market value over time but with a lag, and your property tax bill is calculated against the assessed figure, not the market figure.
Why the EMS rate drops on its own every year
If you have lived in Everett for a while, you may have noticed that the city has voted on EMS levy restorations in 2010, 2018, and now 2026. That is not because the city keeps asking for more. It is because of Washington state’s 1% property tax cap, set by Initiative 747 in 2001.
Under that cap, a regular property tax levy can grow by no more than 1% per year statewide, regardless of how fast property values or service costs rise. Over time, the effective rate slowly drifts below the ceiling voters originally approved. For the Everett EMS levy, that original ceiling is $0.50 per $1,000, approved in 2000. The current rate — $0.36 — is what’s left after roughly 25 years of that 1% drift and two previous resets.
A lid lift restores the rate to the previously approved ceiling. It does not create a new tax. It does not authorize any rate above $0.50 per $1,000. It is, in budget terms, a reset button voters get to push.
What your extra $70 to $100 per year actually buys
The EMS levy funds about 78 firefighter-paramedic positions inside the Everett Fire Department, according to city documents. These are the people who respond when you call 911 for a medical emergency:
- A family member having a heart attack
- A neighbor who has fallen and can’t get up
- A kid with a severe allergic reaction
- A car crash on I-5 or Evergreen Way
- An overdose or mental health crisis
The overwhelming majority of Everett Fire Department call volume is medical, not fire. For most urban residents, the EMS side of a fire department is the side they are statistically most likely to interact with in their lifetime.
When you pay property tax, a portion of that goes to the EMS levy, which in turn pays the salaries and equipment of the paramedic crew that rolls into your driveway when you call 911.
How this interacts with your other property tax line items
Your Snohomish County property tax statement has multiple line items. EMS is one of them. Others include the state school levy, local school bonds and levies, city general fund levy, county levy, port district, and various smaller special-purpose levies.
The EMS lid lift only affects the EMS line. It does not change any other line on your statement. It does not raise the general city levy, the school levy, or any special assessment you may have.
If the measure passes, your 2027 statement would show the higher EMS line. All other lines would move according to their own rules.
Renters: this affects you too, indirectly
If you rent in Everett rather than own, you don’t pay property tax directly. But landlords typically factor their full operating costs — including property tax — into rent over time. For a single-family rental assessed at $500,000, the $70 annual increase works out to roughly $6 per month in underlying cost pressure. Whether any individual landlord passes that along depends on the rental market at renewal time.
The practical read for renters: it’s probably worth voting on a measure that affects your city’s emergency medical response, regardless of how the property tax math touches you.
What passing vs. failing would mean for you, specifically
If it passes: Your 2027 property tax statement has a slightly higher EMS line — about $70 to $100 more for most Everett homeowners. The Everett Fire Department continues to fund its current 78 firefighter-paramedic positions with a more stable funding base. 911 response stays at current levels.
If it fails: The current $0.36 rate stays. But the EMS fund faces a gap that has to be closed somehow. The three realistic paths: reduced EMS service levels (longer response times, fewer staffed units), a cost shift into Everett’s general fund (which is already projecting a $14 million gap in 2027), or a revised ballot measure in a later election. None of those options leave your property tax picture entirely untouched in the medium term.
How to actually vote
Ballots for the August 4, 2026 primary typically mail to registered voters around mid-July. You can mail your ballot back or drop it in any Snohomish County ballot drop box. You can also register to vote, update your registration, or check your registration status through the Snohomish County Auditor’s office.
Only registered voters who live inside Everett city limits vote on this measure. If you live in unincorporated Snohomish County or in a neighboring city, this specific measure is not on your ballot.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate what I’ll actually pay if the Everett EMS levy passes?
Take your home’s assessed value, divide by 1,000, and multiply by $0.14 (the rate increase from $0.36 to $0.50 per $1,000). That’s your extra annual EMS levy. A $500,000 home pays about $70 more per year.
Where do I find my assessed value?
On your most recent Snohomish County property tax statement, or through the Snohomish County Assessor’s online property lookup by address.
Does the EMS lid lift raise my other property tax line items?
No. It only affects the EMS levy line. The state school levy, local school levies, city general fund, county levy, and special district levies are governed by separate rules and separate votes.
If I rent, does this affect me?
Not directly on a tax bill — renters don’t pay property tax. But landlords generally factor property tax into rent over time. The rough pressure for a $500,000 rental is about $6 per month in underlying cost.
When would the new rate show up on my statement?
The 2027 property tax year, which bills in early 2027.
Is there any cap on how high the rate can go?
Yes. The measure cannot authorize any rate higher than $0.50 per $1,000, which Everett voters originally approved in 2000. If the measure passes, the rate goes from $0.36 to $0.50 and stops.
Can my property tax bill still change in other ways?
Yes — your assessed value can change annually, other levies can be voted on, and school bonds can pass or expire. This measure only governs the EMS line.
Is there any scenario where the EMS levy raises my taxes more than $0.14 per $1,000?
Not through this measure. The ceiling of $0.50 per $1,000 is binding. The only way a higher rate would apply is if voters approved a separate, future measure authorizing one — which is not what is on the August 4 ballot.
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