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Staff previews study session on House Bill 2015 funding options for criminal justice: sales tax and grant mechanisms could generate about $5.5M annually
Summary
Finance Director Kelly Cochran briefed the committee on House Bill 2015, which creates two new funding mechanisms—state grants and an optional local sales tax—to support criminal justice costs; staff estimated the optional sales tax could yield about $5.5 million annually but key implementation details remain unsettled.
Finance Director Kelly Cochran briefed the committee about implementation options under House Bill 2015, which provides Washington cities two new funding mechanisms to offset criminal justice program costs: a state grant program and an optional local sales tax. Cochran said staff’s preliminary estimate for a locally implemented sales tax option would generate approximately $5.5 million per year for Redmond if implemented, but that key implementation details remain unresolved and staff are awaiting further guidance from the state and from associations of cities.
Cochran said staff have been tracking unanswered questions, including whether grants will be limited by number of applicants or award caps and how the sales tax would interact with and potentially supplant other city revenues dedicated to similar programs. She said staff will continue to participate in state webinars and stakeholder discussions and can bring the council a fuller analysis and implementation options, including potential one‑time and ongoing uses (equipment, program enhancements, homelessness and human services, or other criminal justice‑related services).
Council members asked whether the city should act quickly or wait for the normal budget process; several members said they want clearer justification for additional revenues given prior actions to fill a public safety funding gap and expressed concern about cumulative sales tax impacts on households. Councilmember Stewart said last year’s funding package included positions that remain unfilled and asked for clarity on why additional revenue is needed now. Councilmember Nueva Camino and others emphasized the regressive nature of sales taxes and asked for a rightsizing analysis of the police department and alternatives such as rental assistance or targeted programs.
Cochran said staff will prepare study session materials that address timing, possible expenditures that are eligible under HB 2015 (including one‑time equipment and programmatic items), interactions with county and regional funding for alternative crisis response, implementation timing and how any chosen sales tax could affect existing revenues. Council indicated interest in reviewing options as part of the next budget cycle if practical but also recognized there may be reasons to act sooner depending on clarifications from the state.
