Liberty Lake council directs staff to prepare resolution for 0.1% public-safety sales tax amid county timing risk

Mayor Pro Tem Dan Dunn and city staff led a March 3 workshop on options for a public-safety sales tax, and the council gave staff consensus to draft a resolution to place a 0.1% city measure on the November general-election ballot.

Kyle, a city staff presenter, summarized the legal and financial context: state law allows cities and counties to submit sales-and-use-tax ballot measures dedicated to criminal-justice purposes, but the jurisdiction that places a measure on the ballot first claims priority in revenue allocation. City staff walked council members through five outcome scenarios, showing that if Liberty Lake acts first and voters approve a 0.1% measure, the city would retain about 85% of that revenue (estimated at roughly $730,000 annually). If the county places and wins a 0.2% measure first, cities would receive a prorated share and the county would retain a larger share of local receipts. Kyle emphasized that “timing is everything” on whether the city can maximize local revenue.

Council members broadly voiced the importance of local control and public safety funding during the discussion. One council member said, “it seems like an absolute no-brainer to keep the revenue here because we know we're gonna need it for our level of service,” and others echoed that preserving local authority was a primary motive for moving forward. Members asked about ballot timing; staff advised the general election would reach the largest cross-section of voters, but noted statutory deadlines for submitting measures to the auditor.

Council did not adopt a formal ordinance or resolution at the meeting. Instead, council consensus was recorded directing staff to prepare a resolution for consideration so the city can meet scheduling windows that would allow it to act before the county moves forward. Staff said they would return with a draft resolution and the logistical timeline for placing a 0.1% measure on the November ballot.

Why it matters: If the county moves first and voters approve the county measure, Liberty Lake could lose the opportunity to collect the full 0.1% local allocation and would instead receive only a prorated share. The revenue under discussion would fund public-safety operating needs the council said are under pressure from rising costs and expected long-term budget stresses.

Next steps: Staff will prepare a draft resolution and a recommended schedule for council consideration; staff noted May 19 as a proposed council action date to preserve electoral priority, while also saying the city could advance the timeline if necessary.