During a Clark County Council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 5, councilors voted to implement a criminal justice sales tax, contingent upon county officials determining if the county is eligible for a related state grant program.
The decision comes at a time when the Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) staffing is one of the lowest per-capita in the state of Washington. CCSO operates with 0.64 deputies per 1,000 residents. The state average for counties is 1.24 deputies per 1,000 residents, while the national average is 2.8 deputies, according to CCSO.
Earlier this year, the Washington State Legislature approved a new funding method that lets cities and counties adopt a 0.1 percent sales and use tax by June 2028 without voter approval. In Vancouver, during the November 2024 election, voters rejected a sales tax ask that would have provided funding for 80 officers. On Monday, Aug. 4, the Vancouver City Council voted to add a smaller-scale proposition to this coming November’s ballot for voter approval.
In the wake of a failed ballot measure in the city of Vancouver, the county has decided to opt in for the funding mechanism that does not need voter approval.
During a Community Focus Facebook post by Reflector reporter Cade Barker before Aug. 5, community members had mixed feelings about a new tax. The post in multiple Facebook community groups asked for residents’ opinions regarding funding law enforcement, fire and EMS services.
For the most part, the Facebook post garnered questions about other issues in communities that could be addressed by law enforcement or other first responders and programs, which may lead to future stories or topics in future Community Focus articles.
Mary Hodges-Cates, of Amboy, commented that property holders and anyone who buys gas are already overtaxed.
“I will not vote for any increase on those,” she commented.
One commenter stated that previous funding cuts to first responder services should be added back to budgets without further burdening taxpayers.
“People are feeling the pinch and the pain right now,” County Councilor Glen Yung said regarding the tax increase during the Aug. 5 meeting. “I hear it from all different directions, but I also hear the same people who are demanding these services, and all of us are frustrated by what we’re seeing in our community with the crime and the livability.”
Yung also said the sales tax is just one piece to the puzzle for addressing public safety in Clark County and that now is the time to address it.
The criminal justice sales tax legislation, House Bill 2015, included a grant program to be created and run by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission. The legislation enforces that any jurisdiction wanting to utilize the new sales tax must be eligible for a state law enforcement grant. If eligible, CCSO would receive funding from the sales and use tax and the grant.
During the Aug. 5 meeting, County Manager Kathleen Otto said that Clark County Sheriff John Horch is working towards clarifying the eligibility requirements with state officials while the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will also review CCSO’s eligibility, along with the county auditor’s office, before the county notifying the state of its intent to collect the new tax.
The state requires a 75-day notification period before the tax would go into effect. Otto told councilors that the soonest the county could receive tax revenue may be the first quarter of next year. With the council approving the tax, if eligible, there would be no further vote needed by the council for the tax to begin collecting after the 75-day notification period.
As of press time, no updates are available on the eligibility of the county.
