The Clark County Council recently approved placing a Public Safety Sales Tax on the August primary ballot. If approved by the voters, sales tax in Clark County would increase by one-tenth of 1%, or one penny for every $10 spent.
The tax would be used to fund law and justice expenses, including, but not limited to, body worn and dash camera programs, staffing for the Sheriff’s Office needed for jail bed expansion and other expenses.
A public conversation on the measure is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Thursday, June 23. The event will air on CVTV channel 23/323 and online at cvtv.org. Residents can also join the hybrid meeting via phone and online by following the instructions on the county’s website (tinyurl.com/2p8d7vm6). For those wishing to attend in person, the meeting will be in the sixth-floor hearing room in the Public Service Center at 1300 Franklin St., Vancouver.
County staff, leaders and members of the law and justice community, including the sheriff and Superior Court and District Court judges will attend the event. The discussion will include topics such as an overview of the Public Safety Sales Tax, estimated revenues, information regarding body cameras and alternatives to incarceration.
Community members with specific questions about the sales tax are encouraged to email Rebecca Messinger at Rebecca.messinger@clark.wa.gov.
There may be an opportunity for some questions to be discussed during the event, and written responses will be provided to those who submitted questions.