Letter to Editor | Vote Yes on levy lid lift, for all of us

I work at the Orcas Senior Center, where every day I witness what it means to age on this island: the resilience, the deep roots, the quiet courage it takes to ask for help, and the difference it makes when that help is there.

That is why I urge every San Juan County resident to vote YES on the general fund levy lid lift by April 28. San Juan County Senior Service staff help seniors stay independent by coordinating Meals on Wheels and community lunches, providing case coordination, connecting families with caregiver support, facilitating transportation referrals, and offering health and wellness programs.

These are not luxuries. They are the infrastructure that makes aging in place possible. The need is growing. San Juan County has one of the oldest and fastest-growing senior populations in Washington State. Shrinking state and federal funding, combined with strict revenue caps, have left the county with fewer options. This levy simply restores the tax rate to its 2019 level.

Not a dramatic ask; a necessary one. Orcas Senior Center operates independently and receives no county funding, but we are part of the same ecosystem of care. When that network is strong, everyone benefits. When it frays, our most vulnerable neighbors feel it first.

Vote YES by April 28. Help ensure San Juan County remains a place where everyone can age with dignity and connection.