Skagit County adopts 0.1% HB 2015 sales tax for criminal justice programs
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Summary
The Skagit County Board adopted an ordinance establishing a new 0.1% sales and use tax under HB 2015 to fund law-and-justice functions including detectives, jail and police support, co‑response social workers and the North Star initiative. Commissioners framed the increase as targeted and narrowly applied.
Skagit County commissioners voted Nov. 10 to establish a one-tenth of one percent sales-and-use tax under the authority of House Bill 2015 to support criminal-justice services and related prevention programs.
Commissioner Browning framed the tax as a modest levy—"10¢ on $100 spent"—intended to cover expenses created by state-shifted responsibilities and to fund law-and-justice priorities such as additional detectives, funding for the drug task force and expansion of a co-response social-worker program tied to the county’s North Star initiative. "As tax averse as I am, I am totally willing to move forward with this," Browning said.
Commissioner Wiesen and the Chair expressed reluctant support, saying counties face increasing unfunded mandates that require local resources, and they noted specific new burdens such as fatality investigations that previously fell to state patrol. The board moved to approve the ordinance and voted to adopt the new Skagit County Code chapter (3.15 as described in the packet) implementing the HB 2015 tax.
The Chair asked staff to finalize a press release to explain the measure’s purposes and uses. Commissioners emphasized the tax is intended for law-and-justice functions and for prevention programs that reduce the need for more expensive interventions.
The action was approved by voice vote on the record.