Bremerton’s Budget Mess

Mayor Wheeler inherited a strong budget, complete with a $15 million rainy day fund. Today, that fund is drying up, and our city is deep in the red.

Work in progress

Work in progress

Modern house with wood siding and large front window, set in a grassy landscape with mountains in the background.

Bremerton wasn’t built in a day…

Bremerton’s ballooning deficit

  • Deficit Disaster: His administration began running a deficit in 2023, and it's only worsened. In 2024, the city spent an alarming $8 million more than it collected. Projections show deficits of $7 million in 2025 and $5 million in 2026.

  • Irresponsible Spending: Even after these dire budget warnings, Mayor Wheeler negotiated large pay raises for city workers, pushing us further into financial peril.

  • Wasteful Contracting: The city continues to rely on expensive contractors like Parametrix, rather than completing engineering in-house. Parametrix is currently working on no fewer than 7 city contracts, totaling more than $3 million.

Bremerton needs a mayor who will tackle our budget crisis head-on, not ignore it.