Allyson Ballard reports from Coupeville for the Whidbey News-Times. Read the whole story.
Coupeville residents received good news about the town’s economic state last week.
During the annual State of the Town address hosted by the Coupeville Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Molly Hughes praised the town’s economic diversity and stability despite hardship hitting the rest of the country.
They Said It
“I feel like it makes us a little bit recession-proof,” Hughes said. “We’re not really dependent on one industry in Coupeville.”
Hughes reported these fears [of reduced Canadian tourism] had not come to pass — at least not in Coupeville. Hotel and motel tax revenue is the highest it has been since 2021, with $25,230 collected through August of this year, up slightly from $24,676 in 2024. That number hovered around $16,000 and $17,000 from 2021 to 2023.
“We haven’t had a fall off like we were worried about at the beginning of the year,” Hughes said of Canadian tourism’s impacts on overnight accommodations.
Sales and use tax revenues continue to increase year-to-year since 2021, Hughes added, totaling $569,525 this year through August, up from $495,977 last year.
Hughes cautioned against taking the increase at face value. A $2 million construction project at WhidbeyHealth Medical Center replacing lighting and HVAC systems in operating rooms with energy efficient upgrades is partly responsible for the jump.
“Any time we have a very large construction project in town, we get a lot of sales tax from that,” Hughes said. So that’s great for us, that helps us.”
Additionally, Hughes pointed to the diversity of jobs as a strength of the town’s. About 43% of jobs in Coupeville are in health care and social assistance, 27% in public administration, 8% in accommodation and food services, 7% in education and 3% in retail trade. The remaining 12% went unspecified.
Since the last mayoral address several new businesses have opened in town, including Osprey Fish Co., The Beary Scoop, Celerity Cycles, Punkin Pie Pet Services and Purple Moon Wellness. Citizens Against Domestic and Sexual Abuse relocated from Oak Harbor to Coupeville, Hughes added, and Harbor Gifts has a new owner.
On the Ballot in November 2025
| TOWN OF COUPEVILLE |
|---|
| Councilmember Position 4 Evan Henrich. Incumbent Michael Moore did not file for another term. |
| Councilmember, Position 5 Kristo Allred Brandon Roos Incumbent Pat Powell did not file for another term. |
