By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Lewis County commissioners have drafted an ordinance to increase the local sales tax to fund drug court and other measures to reduce substance abuse and help keep mentally ill individuals stable and are asking for community feedback before voting on the measure.
A public hearing on the matter is set for June 20 during the regular 10 a.m. board of commissioners meeting.
Judge Nelson Hunt was told last fall the county budget could only pay for drug court one more year and has garnered support for a tax increase of one-tenth of one cent.
County Commissioner Bill Schulte said they have received about 500 letters in favor of the idea and only two or three opposed to it.
He spoke about the benefits of investing money up front to keep some people out of the jail.
“It looks like it could be cheaper,” Schulte said. “So dollar-wise, it looks like it’s starting to make sense.”
Supporters have said the increase would amount to about $20 per household per year.
Commissioner Ron Averill says there just isn’t enough money in the regular county budget, even though he considers it an investment that would reduce costs overall.
Both men said nine local city councils have endorsed the idea, with only three individual members opposed. (Judge Hunt later noted it was only eight of the nine municipalities in the county; Vader opposed the idea.)
The third county commissioner, Lee Grose, was unavailable for comment yesterday.
Sales tax in most of Lewis County, as in many places around the state is 7.7 percent. It varies in cities and counties as each tacks on portions of pennies to fund local initiatives.
Sales tax in Chehalis and Centralia is 7.9 percent.
It is as low as 7 percent in Skamania County and as high as 9.5 percent in much of King County.
Members of the public will get an opportunity to ask questions and share their opinion on the proposed ordinance at the hearing before a vote is taken by the commissioners.
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CORRECTION: Eight of the nine municipalities in Lewis County endorsed the sales tax idea; not all nine as two of the county commissioners said.
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Read background here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter