Lake Stevens’ Finance Department ensures your tax dollars are used responsibly. We manage the city’s balanced budget, guarantee fiscal compliance, and safeguard the city services you expect and enjoy. 

Residents, businesses, and visitors are all essential to fund city services. These services include police, planning, economic development, parks, streets, sidewalks, public facilities, and some utilities. Funding for services is raised through a property tax, a tax on some utilities, and a sales tax. The City is limited by law to a 1% increase per year on its property tax levy. Most utility taxes are capped at 6%, and the City retains 1.05% ($0.0105) per $1 of the 9.3% sales tax. Voters approved a tax increase of 0.20% to fund the transportation benefit district. The City must seek voter approval for tax increases in addition to these revenue limits.