Background:
In August, 2014, the citizens of Benton County approved Proposition 14-5, a 3/10 of one percent sales and use tax, pursuant to RCW 82.14.450, applicable to most sales and use registrations, within Benton County. While the Law and Justice Council was the entity that originally researched, studied, and ultimately proposed this sales tax ballot measure to the Benton County Board of Commissioners, the Council has no role in the policy decisions behind expenditures and implementation of programs relating to revenues from this tax. Rather, expenditures are managed independently by Benton County and the cities within Benton County, for their respective shares of Public Safety Sales Tax revenue.
This page, and the links within it, provide information about the background and applicability of this tax, as well as the programs and hiring efforts that the tax will fund.
While the Law and Justice Council does not manage the Public Safety Sales Tax, many of its members do manage programs and hiring from its proceeds. Updates about these programs and hiring efforts are routinely provided at Law and Justice Council meetings. Please click Here for more information about those meetings, which are always open to the public.
Ballot Measure:
Resolution 2014-259 - At the request of the Benton County Law & Justice Council, on March 25, 2014, the Benton County Board of County Commissioners signed a resolution placing a public safety sales tax on the ballot in August, 2014 for voter approval. Details about the portions of this tax revenue allocated to County and City use, and the progress of projects or hiring funded with the revenue, can be found on the respective Revenues & Expenditures and City Information subpages.
Future Plans:
How will Public Safety Sales Tax revenue be used into the future. In mid-2023, County leadership created a roadmap identifying how anticipated funds over the next ten years will be allocated to projects and organizations, not only in the County but for area cities as well. That information can be found Here.