The city government has budgeted expenditures of $50.4 million and revenues of $43.4 million in 2020, largely funded by sales, property, and utility taxes. It has 85 employees organized into departments of economic development, finance, human resources, parks and recreation, planning, policing, and public works. Lake Stevens has several non-elected executive positions, including the city administrator, city clerk, police chief, planning director, public works director, and community programs planner. Several regional agencies provide other services, such as fire protection, library access, and water management.