Kent council authorizes steps to consider 0.1% public safety sales tax; staff to draft ordinance

The Kent City Council on June 17 unanimously adopted a resolution directing the mayor and staff to take steps needed to prepare an ordinance to impose a 0.1% public safety sales tax under Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2015.

The resolution, adopted 7-0, does not itself impose the tax. Mayor Dana Ralph said the council’s vote starts “the beginning step in the decision-making process” about whether to use the new state authority. The step authorizes the mayor to submit required documentation to the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) to establish eligibility and to pursue any related grants.

City Attorney Tammy explained what the resolution would authorize: “What the resolution would do if you were to pass it tonight is it would authorize the mayor and staff through the mayor to take actions that would be needed to draft the ordinance, to bring it before you,” and it would allow the city to submit documentation to CJTC and apply for grants if eligible.

Tammy said eligibility hinges on a CJTC determination and several statutory requirements, including adoption of policies consistent with the state’s guidance on use of force, participation in CJTC training on de-escalation and mental-health response, and data reporting. If Kent is determined eligible, the council must act to impose the tax by June 30, 2028, or the tax would require voter approval. City staff said the earliest practical effective date for the tax, if adopted and noticed properly, could be Jan. 1, 2026.

Finance staff member Paula provided a revenue example: “If we had enacted this tax to be effective 01/01/2024, we would have generated $3,880,000,” noting that sales-tax receipts have been declining in recent months and that annual revenue estimates will vary.

Police Chief Pablo Padilla presented a preliminary plan for how additional recurring revenue could be used if the council chooses to impose the tax and fund recurring positions. He emphasized the proposal is conceptual and not final: “These are no final decisions. There’s no outcomes.” He said the city would seek to maximize the impact of any positions funded and outlined a possible mix of new staff: bicycle-mounted patrol focused on downtown and transit, a street-level narcotics and human-trafficking team, community-engagement patrols, a corrections officer to handle added detention workload, and an additional commander to manage the increased units. Chief Padilla said the staffing proposal would amount to roughly 10 sworn officers, one corrections officer, and 2–2.5 public-safety support positions, plus possible prosecutor and court-clerk support depending on needs.

Mayor Ralph and multiple council members framed the step as necessary to show the legislature the city is using the tools available while continuing to press for broader state action. The mayor recalled past efforts to seek state relief after changes in sales-tax distribution and said the council’s unanimous legislative priority for the past two years has been public-safety funding.

Councilmembers asked for flexibility in how any revenue would be spent and emphasized that final budget decisions would continue to come through the council’s budget process. Councilmember Trautner and others cautioned that the proposed increase would not fully solve Kent’s staffing shortfall — Chief Padilla said the department would need about 30–35 officers to reach a statewide average — but would be a meaningful step.

Next steps: the resolution authorizes city staff to prepare and submit CJTC eligibility materials. CJTC has 45 days to review submitted documentation and identify deficiencies; staff said the ordinance would be brought back to council for formal action after that review. If the council later decides to impose the tax it must adopt an implementing ordinance and then follow state notice and collection timelines. The council also may apply for state grant funds created by the same legislation; those grants have different eligibility priorities and narrower allowable uses than the tax.

Votes at the June 17 meeting: the council adopted Resolution No. 2092 authorizing the mayor to take steps necessary to prepare an ordinance to impose a 0.1% sales tax and to submit CJTC documentation. Motion moved by Council President Gore; second not specified in the public record. Outcome: approved 7–0.

Background: Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2015, enacted by the state legislature in 2025, creates both a competitive grant program and a separate limited authority for cities and counties to impose a 0.1% local sales tax dedicated to criminal-justice purposes. The statute requires participating jurisdictions to meet policy and training conditions and imposes reporting obligations if the tax is imposed.

Council and staff said they will continue outreach and briefings as the city proceeds through the CJTC review and the ordinance drafting process.