Where the Rest of the Money Lives

When you see numbers in the millions, it’s natural to wonder — is Duvall overspending?

Here’s what’s really happening:

A lot of our budget lives in restricted funds — like water, sewer, and stormwater utilities. Those are self-sustaining and paid for by user rates, not property taxes.

Then there are Capital and Street Funds, which rely on grants, impact fees, and savings for specific projects — like rebuilding 3rd Avenue or improving Main Street crossings.

Sometimes you’ll see a “negative” balance listed for one of those funds. That doesn’t mean the City is in debt — it often means we’re using reserves that were saved for exactly that purpose (for example, spending grant matches or construction savings).

In short: our funds are doing their jobs — maintaining the systems we rely on and investing in future improvements.