What Does It Mean That Everett Is a “Full-Service City”?
- Grassroots Everett
- Oct 8
- 3 min read
Understanding the Pros, Cons, and What It Means for Our Future
Everett is proud to call itself a “full-service city.” It’s a phrase that often comes up in council meetings, budget discussions, and campaign seasons — but what does it actually mean, and how common is it today?
What a “Full-Service City” Is
Being a full-service city means Everett provides most essential services directly to residents, rather than contracting them out or relying on other agencies.
That includes things like:
In some other cities, those same services might be handled by a county agency, a special district, or a private contractor. But Everett keeps them in-house — which gives the city more control but also more responsibility.
The Upside: Local Control and Community Connection
There’s a lot to like about being a full-service city.
Because Everett manages its own police, fire, utilities, and parks, decisions are made right here — by local leaders who live and work in the same community they serve. That means more accountability and often a faster response when residents have concerns.
It also allows for better coordination between departments. For example, public works, parks, and planning can collaborate directly on projects that shape Everett’s neighborhoods and quality of life.
And it’s part of what gives Everett its distinct identity — our libraries, our firefighters, our parks and community programs. Those things build civic pride and connection.
The Challenge: Cost and Complexity
But providing all those services comes with a price tag.
Running a full-service city means maintaining a large workforce, complex facilities, and long-term obligations like pensions and infrastructure upkeep. Those costs keep rising, while cities in Washington face tight limits on property tax growth and other revenue sources.
That’s why Everett’s budget conversations so often focus on sustainability. The city bears the full cost of operations, so when one department faces rising expenses — like public safety or equipment replacement — it affects the entire budget.
There’s also the challenge of scale: managing every major service in-house requires expertise, more overhead, coordination, and sometimes difficult trade-offs.
Is This Common in the U.S. Today?
Not as much as it used to be.
Many newer or suburban cities now contract out services to counties, regional agencies, or private providers to keep costs down. For example, some cities rely on the county sheriff’s office instead of having their own police department, or use regional utility providers instead of running their own systems.
Full-service cities like Everett tend to be older, established communities that built their own systems long before regional partnerships were common. It’s part of our history — and part of what makes Everett unique — but it also means we face financial challenges that smaller or newer cities can avoid.
Finding the Balance
Everett’s full-service model is both a strength and a challenge. It gives residents direct accountability, strong local identity, and high-quality services — but it also puts pressure on the city budget and limits flexibility.
As Everett continues to grow and evolve, the question isn’t whether to abandon our full-service identity — it’s how to make it financially sustainable while maintaining the local character and quality of life that define our city.
