Kelso City Council Moving Forward with Public Safety Sales Tax—Classic Hits 100.7 KLOG News

Last night, the Kelso City Council approved a motion for a path forward on a public safety sales tax. The motion calls for city staff to draft an ordinance for a one-tenth of one percent sales tax for public safety funding.

The push came after Councilmember Keenan Harvey requested a discussion item on holding an advisory vote for the tax. He said that these types of votes, including law enforcement funding, typically receive strong public support. He added that these types of taxes are often dependent on the content and that public safety is different than the two-tenths of one percent sales tax for roads that was recently rejected by voters.

It is still up in the air whether an advisory vote will be held at all, because it is not mandatory by the state for public safety needs. There were questions from councilmembers about whether it was necessary to hold a vote if this funding is an immediate need; getting an advisory vote on the ballot would cost about $2,500 to $5,000.

Police Chief Rich Fletcher said they have an impending crisis related to subsidizing defense counsel for all accused offenders for misdemeanor crimes in the City of Kelso. Over the next 10-year period, he said they are looking at defense counsel expenses of more than one million dollars per year.

The one-tenth of one percent sales tax would apply to all purchases made in Kelso. According to Finance Director Brian Butterfield, similar taxes have generated between $260,000 and $400,000 annually for the city.