Letter to Editor | Passing San Juan County’s levy lid lift is critical to aging well in the islands

||| FROM JAMI MITCHELL |||

Please understand that I am writing this letter as a private citizen, not as part of my work or in any way affiliated with my employer. It is important to me to personally express my strong support for the upcoming San Juan County general fund levy lid lift because it directly impacts our ability to age well in the islands we love. As a full-time islander for 24 years, I believe this measure is vital for maintaining the essential functions that protect our health and safety – especially senior services.

This measure is about sustaining the network of County services that allows older adults to remain in their homes and communities with dignity. Many island residents rely on senior services that provide transportation, nutrition programs, caregiver support, wellness checks, and social connection. These programs are not luxuries—they are lifelines. They help prevent isolation, support independence, and allow longtime residents to continue contributing to the fabric of island life. 

San Juan County is already struggling to fund senior services due to decreased funding from the federal and state governments, the 1% state-mandated limit on tax increases, and other external pressures. This levy lid lift, which restores the tax rate to the 2019 level of $0.85 per $1,000 of assessed value, is a critical investment in our shared ability to age well in the place we love.

A community that values aging well is one that plans ahead. Supporting this levy means supporting the neighbors who built this community and ensuring that all of us—today and in the future—can continue to live safely, independently, and with connection as we grow older here.

I know that many of us are getting stretched and struggling with rising expenses. As an OPAL homeowner, my mortgage is luckily manageable (and I’m so grateful to have a mortgage!) but increasing property taxes are still a pain point. To me, senior services and the wide plethora of other programs paid for by taxes supporting San Juan County are worth the estimated $22 more per month this levy would cost us.

I urge all San Juan County residents to vote YES on the levy lid lift by April 28. It is a practical, compassionate step that helps ensure our islands remain a place where people can live well at every stage of life.