Gig Harbor council directs staff to put 0.1% cultural access sales tax on November ballot after wide public comment

The Gig Harbor City Council on March 10 directed staff to prepare an ordinance to establish a Cultural Access Program funded by a 0.1% sales tax, with the requirement that the tax be approved by city voters at the November 2025 election. The motion passed 6–0 after more than an hour of public testimony from museum, science and cultural organizations and extended council deliberation.

City Administrator Katrina Knudson told the council that the program, under state law, could be funded by a 0.1% sales tax that would generate about $1,000,000 annually within the city limits if imposed. She said the tax could be adopted by the council directly (councilmanic authority) or placed on the ballot for voter approval; the council asked staff to prepare an ordinance for a ballot measure in November. "This tax may be imposed directly by you, the city council, councilmanically, or placed on a…