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Pierce County approves 0.1% justice sales tax to shore up public-safety funding
Summary
After hours of staff briefings, agency testimony and public comment, the Pierce County Council adopted Ordinance O2026-501 on March 3, 2026, to levy an additional 0.1% sales and use tax for criminal justice purposes (Justice Fund); the measure passed 5-2 and is projected to generate more than $27 million annually by 2027.
Pierce County Council adopted Ordinance O2026-501 on March 3, 2026, authorizing an additional one-tenth of one percent (0.1%) sales and use tax dedicated to criminal justice purposes. The ordinance passed on a 5-2 roll call vote after an extended staff briefing, testimony from law-enforcement and judicial leaders, and more than two hours of public comment.
Finance Director Julie DeMuth framed the ordinance as a response to a widening structural gap in the county general fund. "Public safety and the criminal justice system represent 76% of general fund spending," DeMuth told the council, noting a projected $34 million ongoing structural deficit by 2028 and a projection that the Justice Fund would generate more than $27 million annually by 2027. DeMuth said the proposed 2026–27 investments total roughly $36 million and would prioritize sheriff operations, technology modernization, jail improvements, and…
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