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Shelton council debates adding police positions, public safety grant and sales‑tax options
Summary
Council members and staff discussed funding for new police positions and other public safety costs at the Sept. 23 study session, including an 8‑month training timeline, a potential public safety grant under HB 2015 that covers 75% of a salary for up to $125,000, and the option to place a 0.1% public safety sales tax on the ballot.
Shelton city staff and council members spent significant time at a Sept. 23 study session discussing whether to add police positions in the 2026 budget and how to pay for them. The council discussed short‑term use of unreserved fund balance, a state grant program and a possible local public safety sales tax as potential revenue sources.
City Manager Mark Ziegler and police leadership told the council that adding officers has a multimonth cost and training timeline; a newly hired officer typically requires academy training and field training that can extend eight months before the hire is fully operational. Ziegler warned against hiring officers in the budget if revenue…
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