SEATTLE, WA – Despite concerns about the impact of the proposed tax, the Seattle City Council is poised to approve a 0.1% public safety sales tax next week, even as city leaders brace for a projected revenue shortfall later this month.
The council is scheduled to vote on the public safety sales tax on Tuesday. The measure was authorized by state law and would fund various public safety initiatives, including the expansion of the city’s nonpolice emergency response program. The vote follows an 8-1 recommendation from a Select Budget Committee meeting on the preceding Wednesday.
During the budget committee meeting, Ben Noble, city council central staff leader, described the sales tax as “effectively, general fund resource” as the city faces a $143 million deficit going into 2026…