During a Clark County Council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 5, councilors voted to implement a criminal justice sales tax, contingent upon county officials determining if the county is eligible for a related state grant program.
The decision comes at a time when the Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) staffing is one of the lowest per-capita in the state of Washington. CCSO operates with 0.64 deputies per 1,000 residents. The state average for counties is 1.24 deputies per 1,000 residents, while the national average is 2.8 deputies, according to CCSO.
Earlier this year, the Washington State Legislature approved a new funding method that lets cities and counties adopt a 0.1 percent sales and use tax by June 2028 without voter approval. In Vancouver, during the November 2024 election, voters rejected a sales tax ask that would have provided funding for 80 officers. On Monday, Aug. 4, the Vancouver City Council voted to add a smaller-scale proposition to this coming November’s ballot for voter approval…