Proposition 1 - Public Safety Tax
Proposition 1 - Public Safety Tax
- Law (RCW 82.14.450) authorizes Thurston County to submit the question of imposing up to an additional three-tenths of one percent sales tax to support safety and protection needs. The county is proposing two-tenths of one percent, or two cents tax on every $10 spent.
- In 2023 the county’s population reached more than 303,000. Currently, the county ranks 38th among the 39 counties on the number of deputies per population and cannot meet the demand of the combined volume of city and county criminal activity.
- Additional funding will increase the number of deputies in the Sheriff’s Office.
- Additional funding will support law enforcement services and associated infrastructure, including facilities, to safely and effectively manage the safety of citizens.
- Additional funding is necessary to provide additional prosecution and responsive public defense services to address increasing caseloads.
- In 2017, the Department of Homeland Security deemed elections as critical infrastructure. Additional funding is needed to provide adequate infrastructure for elections security.
- The county would distribute the additional tax for up to 75% in law enforcement protection, and up to 25% for additional prosecution and responsive public defense services, and elections security infrastructure.