WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Criminal justice services in Whatcom County will soon be funded by a new sales tax.
The County Council voted 5-2 at their meeting on Tuesday night to approve the one tenth of one percent sales tax (0.1%).
Councilmember John Scanlon advocated for a more detailed version of the original ordinance.
“It has the specificity and it puts it right into the text of the ordinance,” Scanlon said. “But I think if we’re going to vote on this tonight, I think we should tell the people how we intend to use the funds.”
KGMI previously reported that the new tax is expected to generate about $7 million in revenue each year.
A separate ordinance that would’ve brought the tax to a vote in August failed 2-5.
Councilmember Ben Elenbaas was a major proponent of bringing the new tax to the voting public.
“There are strings attached to this funding based off of the state law. So, there is direction,” Elenbaas said. “Generally speaking, I would agree that the funds that are coming we should be clear on where we’re going to spend them. but this option doesn’t let the public have input. It just says that we’re going to make the decision and then we’re going to direct it where it needs to go. And if we can be trusted to take the money from them, we should trust ourselves to spend it appropriately.”
The state law that authorized the sales tax does not allow for the measure to be formally approved by voters.
The cities of Bellingham and Lynden, along with Skagit County, have instituted similar sales taxes since the state law went into effect.
