KCPHD #2 Prop. 1 2025

EvergreenHealth is immensely proud to share that our community has approved Proposition 1, EvergreenHealth's Levy Lid Lift measure. This show of support affirms our community's belief in our purpose and in the high-quality, safe, compassionate care our providers and staff deliver every day.

How much did the Levy Tax rise?

EvergreenHealth is a public hospital district. As a community-owned hospital system, we are here not only to provide the most advanced care, technology and techniques, but also to ensure we continue to meet the needs of our growing and ever-changing Eastside community. Being a public hospital district means that we are accountable to make sound investments in infrastructure, develop new services, and most importantly, ensure we have enough beds and staff to give our Eastside community the best possible care every day and for generations to come.

Thank you to our community for participating in the election and casting your vote for the future of health care on the Eastside.

What Are Additional Levy Dollars Funding?

Since our community approved the increase in funds, EvergreenHealth has been working tirelessly to deliver on the promises we made ahead of the vote last August. Here are some of those promises and examples of how we are keeping them thanks to your support:

1. Investing in more providers: EvergreenHealth continues to aggressively seek new doctors, nurses and support staff to increase access to our services and enhance the services we provide. Increased funding has already helped us hire additional primary care providers so that you can find an appointment sooner, with more expected to join our team throughout 2026. Additionally, EvergreenHealth is investing more in telehealth capabilities so that you can get the care you need when and where you want.
2. Expanding behavioral health services: EvergreenHealth's Behavioral Health Services benefit from community funds, providing comprehensive treatment at two locations in Canyon Park and Kenmore through a team of social workers, therapists and psychiatrists. With support from levy funds, EvergreenHealth Behavioral Health Services is expanding to a third location in Kirkland and adding additional staff to meet our community's needs. Levy funds are also supporting Kirkland Fire Department's Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) unit, which is an alternative EMS response and referral strategy. The MIH unit improves integration between first responders, community members in need and community-based services, including behavioral health services.
3. Continuing support for our community's youth: EvergreenHealth reinvests our community's funds each year into the health and well-being of our community's young students. Levy funds and EvergreenHealth specialists help Northshore School District provide students with access to mental health counselors. Additionally, EvergreenHealth's Youth Mental Health program provides resources to community members to help them recognize signs and symptoms of a mental health crisis and how they can most effectively help.
4. Health and wellness programs for seniors: Community funds allow us to provide health and wellness programs to older adults in the local community through the Northshore Senior Center (NSC) and the Adult Day Health Center. The funding includes seven evidence-based programs such as NSC's Enhance® Wellness program, designed to decrease the length of participants' hospital stays, alleviate symptoms of mood disorders and encourage older adults to maintain control of their lives through a participant-centered approach. Additionally, the community-funded NSC Adult Day Health program offers virtual health and wellness classes to encourage movement, fine motor skills, strengthening and other mental and physical rehabilitation services.

EvergreenHealth's mission is to ensure that services are available to our community and that we continue to grow to meet our district's needs. That's why this is only the beginning of the important changes we have planned thanks to the increase in levy funds. We will continue to update this webpage with the latest community benefits your levy dollars are helping us provide.

Levy Lid Lift 2025

A Levy Lid Lift allows a voter-approved increase in the property tax levy with funds going toward essential maintenance and operations. The current EvergreenHealth property tax levy on our district residents is $0.14 for every $1,000 of assessed property value, which is included in residents' property tax.

As a public hospital district serving the health, wellness and emergency medical needs of more than 1 million residents on the Eastside, EvergreenHealth receives a portion of our budget in taxpayer funding, similar to a school district or fire district.

How much did the levy tax rise?

In 2023, EvergreenHealth received 1.8% of Kirkland residents' property tax. With Proposition 1 approved, EvergreenHealth plans to increase the levy by $0.36 for 2026, raising the total to $0.50 per $1,000 of assessed home value.

That means with the approved Levy Lid Lift, a district homeowner with a property value assessed at $800,000 would see their property tax increase by $288.

Increasing Levy Funds

This is the first Levy Lid Lift in EvergreenHealth's history. EvergreenHealth opened in 1972 with 76 beds and serving 22,000 residents.

Today, in KCPHD#2 alone, we serve a population 15 times larger, with nearly 354 beds, two emergency departments, seven urgent care locations plus virtual urgent care, 12 primary care practices, more than 40 specialty care practices, home health and hospice services, and a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Our community's population continues to grow and, therefore, the needs of our patients continue to increase and become more complex, requiring additional resources and greater access to EvergreenHealth's critical services.