King County "Transparency Assessor Tool"

Transparency Assessor Tool: https://localscape.property/#kingcountyassessor/My-Property

The King County Assessor developed an invaluable Localscape "transparency assessor tool" to calculate individual 2025 taxes and levy rates based on your home's appraised value.  Current and past taxes, area median household income, area sales, and other useful data are resourced.   

In 1981, I bought my 1,800 sf home on Education Hill for $92,000.  According to the calculator, the 2023 average sales price in my area is $999,375.  

My total property taxes in 2023 were $8961.80 (up $1,630 from 2022.)  The calculator showed 2024 King County levy rates and dollar amounts on my property, as follows: 

• Local School 29.30%  - $2475.48
• City 11.04% - $849.3
• County 10.9% - $1311.16
• Library 3.57% - $282.98
• EMS 2.85% - $222.24
• Hospital 2.57% - $151.47
• Transit 2.12% - $160.53
• Port 1.03% - $102.61
• Flood .92% - $69.26
• STATE Taxes $2467.16 (schools, fire, roads, parks & recreation) 

Total 2026 taxes may increase from 2025 owing to voter approved levies, bonds and the 1%/year allowable increase.  

In 2024 voters passed a 14 cents /$1000 property tax for the King County Mental Health Crisis Centers; and King County's homeless hotel.  LWSD passed a  6-year $676.9 million construction levy refresh measure. EvergreenHealth District No. 2 is proposing a 50 cents/$1000 levy lid-lift August 2025; and King County is proposing a 23 cents/$1000 parks, trails & open space 6-year levy refresh August 2025.

To check out the tax data on your home:  

https://localscape.property/#kingcountyassessor/My-Property

-- Bob Yoder, 7/25/2025

Vote "yes" for Osman

Osman Salahuddin was appointed to the 48th Legislative District and now faces a Primary to keep his position. 
 Osman also currently serves as a Redmond city council member. 

                     

As your representative in the Washington State House for the 48th Legislative District, I am deeply honored to listen to your concerns and be your voice in Olympia.

I approach governance as a collaborative effort rooted in listening, understanding, and action. As we move forward together, I remain focused on addressing the issues that matter most to our district.

One of the greatest challenges we face is the rising cost of living. Addressing the interconnected needs of housing, childcare, healthcare, and economic stability requires thoughtful, comprehensive strategies. To better accomplish this work, I am honored to serve as a member of the House Capital Budget, Civil Rights & Judiciary, and Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committees.

My office is here as a resource for you and your family. Often, we can help you directly, but if for some reason, we don’t have all the answers, we can connect you with others who can help.

It is an honor to serve the people of the 48th District.

Sincerely,

State Representative Osman Salahuddin

EvergreenHealth CEO Honors King County Paramedics

Ettore Palazzo, MD, FACPEttore Palazzo, MD, FACP • 1st1stChief Executive OfficerChief Executive Officer
3 days ago • Edited • Visible to anyone on or off LinkedIn

It was an honor to be present today for the graduation ceremony of Class 51 of the King County Medic One Paramedic Training Program. These exceptional individuals, along with those who came before them and those who will follow, carry forward a proud tradition of delivering some of the highest quality prehospital emergency care anywhere in the nation. Their dedication, skill, and service are a true credit to our community.

-- CEO Ettore Palazzo, EvergreenHealth

Redmond Code Enforcement Officers

If you have concerns to report like campaign sign placement, commercial signs, and tree removal, please use this link.  Request for Service - Redmond, WA 

­Elena McKee Code Enforcement Officer, City of Redmond
425-448-0964  (cell phone)  425-556-2412 (land line)  emckee@redmond.gov (email)   The Code Enforcement system is used to report non-emergency concerns and is only monitored during City business hours. Our Code Enforcement Team addresses concerns regarding potential code violations on private property like tree removal.  We collaborate with other City departments and Redmond residents to develop and implement solutions for issues related to health and safety codes in our community. Our primary goal is to inform and educate you while promoting voluntary compliance. Please note that the City does not intervene in civil disputes, such as disagreements over property lines, hazardous trees on neighboring properties, or tenant-landlord issues. Please include the following information: Detailed description of the concern Complete details of the location Your contact information Please note this request system is public domain. Any correspondence from, to, or contained in this system is a public record. Accordingly, this request, in whole or in part, may be subject to disclosure pursuant to RCW 42.56, regardless of any claim of confidentiality or privilege asserted by an external party. -- Redmond.gov  6/30/2025

Evergreenhealth Proposition 1

EvergreenHealth, Our Independent Community-Owned Hospital

Submitted by: Barb Jensen, Josh Pratt, Kevin Hanson

As a nurse, emergency department physician and firefighter/EMT, we’ve witnessed the health care needs of our communities growing as the region has. We know the Puget Sound area has a critical shortage of available hospital beds and wait times for primary and specialty care appointments can be long. We’ve seen a growing number of healthcare mergers leading to consolidated services and longer travel times for many services.

Proposition 1 will address these challenges and renew support for EvergreenHealth - our independent, community-owned public hospital - to meet the needs of the Eastside on the Eastside.

Vote yes to reduce wait times and expand access. Prop 1 means more physicians and clinical staff and expanded access to primary, emergency, and specialty care including maternity services and behavioral healthcare.

Vote yes to maintain high quality. EvergreenHealth is nationally recognized for its quality of care receiving five stars from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service and ranked a top-50 hospital nationally by Healthgrades. Prop. 1 allows investments to maintain this high quality.

Vote yes to keep quality care close to home and protect local decision-making.  Prop 1 ensures EvergreenHealth stays independent, avoiding the need to merge with a larger organization where services and staff will be consolidated and local residents will likely have to travel to Seattle or other urban centers for many services.

When our families need medical help – in an emergency, for regular check-ups or specialized care – we want to access high-quality healthcare close to home. Join physicians, nurses and emergency responders in voting yes on EvergreenHealth’s Prop. 1 to expand access here on the Eastside and protect our independent, locally-controlled community healthcare.

-- Submitted by: Barb Jensen, Josh Pratt, Kevin Hanson,              www.yesevergreenhealth.com

Downtown Station Light Rail Mural

Light Rail Line 2 Downtown Station Art Mural / photo Yoder

This 8'x4' piece sits on a pedestal directly north of the light rail bicycle/pedestrian trail.  It visually screens some buildings.   

Updated, 6/24/25: Another Small Business Bites The Dust

 

Tian Tian Noodle, 16421 Cleveland Street

My wife and I enjoyed an awesome Chinese dinner at Tian Tian Noodle tonight! I ordered "Cranequin Spicy & Crispy fish" and liked it so much I tossed away the chop sticks and dug in with the fork. Pam enjoyed the savory broccoli and pork dish.  [Orders to go: 425-242-1915.]

The waitress said the "owners are taking a break" and will be shuttering the restaurant July 3.   Tian Tian  Noodle will be the last small business standing in an old one-story "Redmond Square" mall.  All the other  businesses are gone including the developer's remnant EASTLINE leasing office. 

A proposal is under review  to remodel the exterior and interior of the existing retail mall in which Tian Tian is located. 

-- Bob Yoder

    redmond.gov 

   6/23/25, updated 6/24

CEO Palazzo Updates Kirkland Alliance Of Neighborhoods

 

I'm grateful to the Kirkland Alliance of Thirteen Neighborhoods (KAN) for the opportunity to provide an update on King County Public Hospital District #2 / EvergreenHealth, including information about our upcoming levy lid lift on the August 2025 ballot. As a Kirkland resident for over two decades, it’s an honor to live and work in such a special city!

-- Ettore Palazzo, MD

    EvergreenHealth CEO

    6/19/2025

UPDATED: Old Fire House Teen Center Analysis

Old Fire House Teen Center

After two listening sessions Council still hasn't made a decision on saving the Old Fire House Teen Center.  Councilmenbers Steve Fields and Jessica Forsythe see the 50-year old builidng as a city treasure. 5/19.

Background:  It took years of deliberation on funding and design for "rebuilding" and expansion of the Senior Center.  Council actually considered a $17,116,000  "councilmanic"  bond fundiing that doesn't require a vote of the people. Later, they decided to discard and replace this funding with "one-time money" (funds from retail construction excise taxes.)

Thus, I agree, Council could find the money to renovate  the Old Fire House Teen Center, but Mayor Birney would have to work with the One Redmond Foundation, with backing from the historical society and Director Helland to make it happen.  According to historical society President John Oftebro, the building isn't safe.  

The Mayor has to conclude the Old Fire House a totally unsafe while taking heat from the development community. The Center is used primarily by a tiny, vocal segment of the city in a time with affordable housing is at a premium.  The longer this teen review process goes on, the more deteriorated their mental health will be.    

An unwelcome alternative to renovating our cherished firehouse is tear down the entire Old Fire House  (including the basketball courts)  and expand to 5-6 stories for affordable housing with the lower 1-2 stories reserved the for the teens. The teens would have final say on the programs there, as per listening sessions.

-- Response to a reader's comment, by Bob Yoder, 6/19/2025, 6/23/25

City To Partner With County On Crisis Response

 

City Plans to Partner with King County's Mobile Rapid Response Crisis Team.

• In 2018, the Police Department launched their co-response model, utilizing a mental health professional on police calls. In 2021, the City expanded to a tiered community health model called THRIVE including homeless outreach, mobile integrated health, and community care coordinators.
•  As an addition to the current program, the Redmond may partner with King County’s Mobile Rapid Response Crisis Team (MRRCT) to provide the city with 24/7 mental health response.
• OUTCOMES: Staff has recommended partnering with MRRCT to provide de-escalation services 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. MRRCT is equipped with two-person units, staffed by behavioral health professionals and peer counselors. The teams respond to incidents involving adults aged 18 and older experiencing mental health crises. 
• King County placed a team in Redmond, stationed at the Together Center  "SOUND," office. although there are other Crisis Teams countywide. All teams are a part of King County’s Behavioral Health Program and the teams are dispatched through 911, 988, or their direct line. 
• Utilizing King County’s services comes at no additional cost to Redmond as it is funded through the King County Crisis Care Levy. 
•  SOURCE:  Committee of the Whole - Public Safety and Human Services (Tuesday, June 17, 2025, 4:30 p.m.)

EvergreenHealth Receives Environmenal Sustainablily Award

There are many ways hospital systems can impact the health of our communities including minimizing our environmental impact. Congratulations to David Reed and the entire Environmental Services Team at EvergreenHealth for once again earning Practice Greenhealth's Partner for Change Award. Your continued leadership in sustainability helps create a healthier environment for everyone we serve.

-- Ettore Palazzo, CEO EvergreenHealth

One of EvergreenHealth’s core values is to provide high-quality health care while minimizing our environmental impact. The Greenhealth Partner for Change Award recognizes our ongoing dedication to improving our environmental performance and our efforts to integrate sustainability and resiliency into the operations and culture of our organization.

-- David Reed, EvergreenHealth Environmental Services Team

EvergreenHealth Proposition 1 Levy Lid Lift Measure

The current levy for EvergreenHealth’s public hospital district is $0.14 per $1,000 of estimated home value, based on 2023 data. This is the first time EvergreenHealth has requested a levy lid lift in its more than 50-year history.  

When the levy was first passed in 1970, it was set at $0.75 per $1,000.  Over time, as property values increased, the levy rate was reduced in accordance with district regulations.  Proposition 1 proposes to increase the levy $0.36, bringing the total, if passed, to 50 cents per $1,000 assessed home value. 

 

If passed, levy funding will help EvergreenHealth expand services and infrastructure, which means more access for more people. Those expanded services will also attract and retain providers and staff, increasing access and expanding key service lines to meet the community’s need, including:

 

• Expanded access to primary, urgent and specialty care, advanced diagnostics, and outpatient behavioral health
• Funding to recruit and retain additional providers to improve appointment availability and to increase capacity to meet current and future demand for services on the Eastside
• Upgrading facilities in preparation for projected population growth

 

EvergreenHealth will continue to use levy funding to help support free and low-cost community education classes, programs, and events on a wide variety of everyday and specialized health and wellness topics, developed by experts and available to everyone in our community.

-- Commissioner Virgil Snyder

   Chair, EvergreenHealth Board of Commissioners

Updated 6/27: EvergreenHealth Levy Funds Community Programs

EvergreenHealth, Kirkland
Your Community - Owned Hospital

EvergreenHealth will continue to use levy funding to help support free and low-cost community education classes, programs, and events on a wide variety of everyday and specialized health and wellness topics, developed by experts and available to everyone in our community.

LEVY FUNDED PROGRAMS:

The Community Healthcare Access Team (CHAT) is probably EvergreenHealth's flagship levy-funded community service: 

• If you have a loved one looking for quality long-term care CHAT will help you. Trust me, this is a great service.  We were "left on our own" when my mother in California desperately needed a decent long-term home. 
• CHAT also offers financial assistance, insurance coverage "navigators", and assistance for low-income and underinsured. 
• CHAT partners with Hopelink for psycho-social asistance and transporting patients. 

The EvergreenHealth levy invests in our youth and seniors:  

• They provide four social workers at LWSD for help during a mental health crisis.
• The North Shore School District hires levy-funded mental health therapists to provide access to mental health providers.  They held 2,961 visits in 2024.  
• Levy provide access to "Palliative"  support for you and family members facing serious illness; and Hospice care.  
• There's off-site access to geriatric care for seniors with dementia and behavioral health problems.  

EvergreenHealth offered access to 114 community-funded educational health classes in 2024, including the "Youth Suicide Emergency Kit."

If the levy lid lift passes, outpatient behavioral services will be accessed in primary care clinics and psychiatric services accessed in EvergreenHealth's two Emergency Departments.  

-- Bob Yoder, 6/15,2025, updated 6/27/2025

City PRIDE Month Celebration Goes Dark

As you know, it's PRIDE month with many celebrations around town.  However, in Council's June 3 Businees meeting during the public comment period, PRIDE went dark.

It all started with the first 3-minute testimony by Aeron H.  He's a Redmond transgender and gave an horrific story of humiliation and death threats. He reported it to the police "with a picture, message, and name and the police did nothing, they did NOTHING!"  Fearful, "I stayed locked in my apartment for two months. No wonder PRIDE doesn't trust the police."  

At this point pro tem mayor, President Kritzer stated "in conclusion," signifying that Aeron's allowable 3-mintute speaking time was up.  Councilmember Fields made a motion to suspend the rules and extend the time.  It was seconded by CM Forsythe. 

After 13 minutes of  Council rules discussion and advice from the city attorney, they decided to suspend the 3-minute rule for this one meeting and allow 4-minute testimonies. Councilmember Stuart thanked Aeron for his patience.  Aeron was annoyed, and then went on for over a minute about "targeted hate crimes" and his distrust for the police. 

-- Bob Yoder, 8/13.25 

Source:  6/3/25 Business meeting video of testimonies  (Aeron's testimony starts at 8:00 min.)

(Historically, the comment period at Business meetings had been 4- minutes but the present council reduced it to 3-minutes; Councilmember David Carson had strong objections to this limitation.) 

Downtown Redmond Homeless House Stalled, Federal Funds At Risk?

 

I chatted almost an hour with Sarah Dickmeyer today in her Together Center office. Sarah is the "Exterrnal Affaires Manager" for Plymouth Housing. They plan to open permanent supportive housing for 100 men and wowen,mostly seniors with disabilities. 

I wanted to know why the ground isn't yet broken for construction; late April was the target month.  Sarah thinks August is the likely start time.  The large AMLI apartment project is still under construction and is interfering.  Sarah said the delay had nothing to do with finances, at this time.   

Federal money accounts for 25 - 30% of their system-wide funding!  The funding goes through the county first (a jursidiction in the hole.) Of course, Trump has cutting federal, homeless funding on his list (along with everything else.)  Ms. Lee, the Plymouth CEO, is very concerned and is planning for the worse.  Sarah was worried Medicaid is on the chopping block as well.  CONNECTIONS Behavioral Health Crisis Center in Kirkland offers hope. Plymouth's dual diagnosis individuals can be treated for free.  EvergreenHealth is also close by.  

Los Angeles, New York and then Seattle have the highest homelessness in the Nation, according to a study in the Seattle Times.  The cities that do the best for homeless focus on shelters.  Shelters give immediate care.  It can take almost a decade to construct and fully develop a permanent suportive building. In the meantime, individuals die in the streets unsheltered. It's happening in Seattle and with light rail, Kenmore, Redmond and Kirkland will follow.   

Call our Senators Patty Murray and Maria Canwell to protest withdrawals of federal funds and Medicaid cuts.  

-- Bob Yoder, opinion. 6/11/25

Sound Transit To Run Service For World Cup

 

Luman Field, Seattle 

Sound Transit to run additional service for Club World Cup, in part, to stress-test light rail for FIFA 2026.

Link more frequent.  Six matches at Lumen Field in Seattle June 15 --25.  Sounder game trains available for five of six games.  150,000 people fans are expected.

Sound Transit is preparing to welcome FIFA Club World Cup 2025 soccer attendees by running additional service on Link light rail as well as special Sounder game trains.

Passengers taking transit during the 10-day, six-game span can find all the information they need in one place by visiting https://www.soundtransit.org/worldcup.

Additional security personnel and Sound Transit staff will be available at stations to help passengers during FIFA Club World Cup 2025. Even with extra service, trains will be crowded during peak times. In order for passengers to have the best riding experience, Sound Transit has tips to help riders during FIFA Club World Cup 2025 and throughout the busy summer season. These include:

• Sign up for service alerts
• Spread out on platforms. The first and last cars are frequently less crowded.
• Get to your destination early and leave later.
• Consider alternative routes or other ways of getting around.

Following are details about service during FIFA Club World Cup 2025:

Link light rail service

There will be increased service on the 1 Line, post-game on Sunday, June 15 and all-day on June 23, with 8-minute headways, to both serve game attendees and our regular riders. As is typical for previous large events at the stadiums, additional trains will be on standby to manage demand and fill any service gaps throughout the tournament.

OPINION: Rebuild And Enlarge the Old Firehouse Teen Center, Everyone Wins

After participating in the Marymoor "Listening Session" and talking to the Parks Director and historical society, I see little hope of saving the Old Fire House (OFH) for the teens. 

Affordable housing is desparately needed.  Rebuilding and enlarging the firehouse to 6-stories may be the best solutionl.  The two lower floors could be used for teen programs; the top four floors for work-force housing.  

 A resident gave testimony at the last council meeting, recommending re-opening the outside areas of the OFH center this summer until council takes action. The chairs, tables and 2 basketball courts could be put to good use for performing arts and social space.  

_ Bob Yoder, 6/8/2025, opinion

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