EVERETT — Snohomish County wants to raise the sales tax rate to hire more cops, expand drug addiction resources and prevent youth from getting caught up in violent crime.
This week, the county executive’s office introduced a proposal to the County Council to put a 0.2% countywide sales tax increase on the November ballot.
The county estimates the proposed sales tax increase would bring in more than $39 million per year.
In 2016, the county tried to pass a similar measure, but it narrowly failed with 50.13% of voters rejecting it. This year’s proposal originated from Ty Trenary, a senior policy analyst with the county who was the Snohomish County sheriff in 2016.
If the council approves the measure, the county will have to make its case to voters on why they should vote for higher taxes, when three cities in Snohomish County already have the highest sales tax rate in the state.
Mill Creek, Mukilteo and Lynnwood lead the state with sales tax rates of 10.6%. This measure would further their lead even more. An extra 0.2% would add 2 cents in taxes to every $10 spent.
In a report from the executive’s office, staff proposed seven uses for the tax revenue.
• Hire more law enforcement officers;
• Boost resources to the courts, Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and Office of Public Defense;
• Build and manage a secure withdrawal management facility for involuntarily committed patients;
• Build and manage a second community resource center;
• Expand programs to reduce the “visible impacts of the drug epidemic;”
• Help emergency medical services respond to drug-related calls;
• And create a program to prevent youth from joining gangs or committing violent crime.
Under state law, the countywide sales tax must be shared between the county and its cities. Snohomish County would get 60%, or more than $23 million per year, to use toward public safety. Cities would split the remaining 40% on a per capita basis, with Everett ($3.7 million), Marysville ($2.4 million) and Lynnwood ($1.3 million) receiving the most per year.
On May 23, mayors from 14 cities and towns — including Everett’s Cassie Franklin, Marysville’s Jon Nehring and Lake Stevens’ Brett Gailey — penned a letter to County Council members asking them to support the tax increase. The letter’s signatories mostly match the elected officials in the Mayors and Business Leaders for Public Safety, a Snohomish County group formed in 2022 focused on public safety concerns.
The mayors wrote they are “confident that most of (their) residents support additional investments in public safety, especially in the criminal justice system.”
“The prevalence of violent crime, combined with the visible impacts of the ongoing drug epidemic, threatens community safety, our economy, the quality of life of our residents and the vibrancy of our businesses,” the letter stated.
“We understand that placing this measure on the ballot is not an easy decision; however, as the crisis deepens, a decision needs to be made now,” the letter continued.
Mayors from Lynnwood, Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace, Granite Falls and Index were absent from the list.
Mill Creek, Monroe and Marysville already charge a 0.1% sales tax for public safety. Such taxes cannot exceed 0.3%, so the three cities’ taxes would still increase by 0.2% if voters approve the measure.
Last winter, the state Legislature debated a bill that would have allowed counties and cities to impose the tax without voter approval. Though the bill made no progress, Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers and Everett Police Chief John DeRousse voiced support for it.
The proposed ballot measure comes alongside a few other tax increase requests across the county. In August, Everett residents will be faced with a choice to raise the city portion of their property taxes by 44% to fend off a budget deficit. Also in August, voters outside of Everett will decide if the Port of Everett should expand its boundaries to include nearly all of Snohomish County, which would have the effect of a new property tax on hundreds of thousands of residents.
The public safety sales tax must first pass through the County Council’s Community Safety and Justice committee, then undergo a public comment period, and then pass a vote from the full council.
Voters would have the final say in the general election on Nov. 5.
Jenelle Baumbach: 360-352-8623; jenelle.baumbach@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @jenelleclar.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
