WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – An initiative aimed at ending a countywide childcare tax will not appear on the November ballot.

Whatcom County Superior Court Judge Lee Grochmal ruled on Tuesday, Sept. 3, that the initiative to repeal the Healthy Children’s Fund is functionally invalid. The Healthy Children’s Fund was approved by voters in 2022 and raised property taxes by 19 cents per $1000 assessed value.

The fund was created by an initiative passed by the Whatcom County Council and submitted to Whatcom County voters, in accordance with state law. Judge Grochmal said in her ruling that local initiatives cannot override statutes created under state law.

That includes initiatives that are filed to repeal existing ordinances.

Washingtonians for a Sound Economy, a political action committee, filed an initiative petition in June calling for the childcare ordinance to be repealed. Their goal was to have the repeal issue decided on by voters in the November election.

Submissions for local issues to be considered for the November ballot must be certified by the county Elections Commissioner by Friday, Sept. 6.