Bonney Lake council refers proposed public‑safety sales tax to finance and public safety committees

The Bonney Lake City Council on March 10 debated whether to adopt a local 0.1% public safety sales and use tax and decided to refer the proposal to the finance and public safety committees for further study.

City Attorney (on record as the attorney participating remotely) told the council that to take effect on July 1 the ordinance would need to be in the Department of Revenue’s hands about 75 days earlier — “So that’s April 17,” the attorney said — and that eligibility for a related grant requires meeting statute requirements and passing the sales tax. She also described a $100 million fund created with the legislation and a grant award possibility of roughly $125,000 a year for three years for qualifying cities.

Council member McClimans (council member) said she favored putting a tax question to voters rather than enacting a council‑imposed tax and asked staff to model how the city’s ending fund balance would look by 2028. “I always prefer letting the people vote for their own taxes,” McClimans said. Council member Hubler told colleagues she opposed another tax, noting the county tax recently passed and that combined sales taxes would raise the local rate "to 9.6% already," and that Bonney Lake’s staffing ratio is adequate per an email from the police chief.

Proponents and cautious members agreed a committee review would be appropriate. Council member Fullerton moved to refer AB 26‑28 to both public safety and finance committees for more analysis; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

Council discussion covered several practical points: whether Thunder Lake Police Department meets the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) or other RCW requirements (staff said the department was found compliant in staff review), how potential revenue ($800,000–$880,000 was referenced in discussion) could be used — including toward general fund gaps the CFO has identified — and that a city can qualify for the grant without being required to accept related grant funds and their conditions.

The council did not adopt the tax ordinance on March 10; by referring the item to committees it preserved the option to refine statutory compliance, estimated revenues and community engagement before any final council vote. The ordinance and committee review schedule will determine whether the city could meet Department of Revenue filing deadlines for a July 1 effective date or defer to a later implementation or voter ballot in 2028.

What happens next: AB 26‑28 will be scheduled for detailed review by the public safety and finance committees; council members asked staff to provide revenue estimates, compliance checklists tied to the referenced RCW language, and options for voter referral.