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Federal Way committee moves sales-tax ordinance forward to pursue public-safety grant
Summary
The Parks, Recreation, Human Services & Public Safety Committee voted to forward an ordinance for a 0.1% local criminal-justice sales tax to first reading after a staff presentation that the city has applied for $5.1 million from a $100 million statewide HB 2015 grant and that the tax could raise an estimated $2.5–3.0 million annually.
The Federal Way Parks, Recreation, Human Services & Public Safety Committee voted March 10 to forward to the full council an ordinance that would enact a 0.1% local sales tax for public safety and criminal-justice purposes and position the city to seek one-time grant funding from House Bill 2015.
Brian Davis, who presented the agenda items, told the committee the city has applied for “just over $5,000,000” from the $100,000,000 statewide grant pot established by the Legislature and explained that the council retains the choice to adopt the local 0.1% sales tax. Davis said the city’s estimate is that the tax would produce roughly $2.5 million to $3.0 million a year if implemented.
The proposal includes two linked options created by the Legislature: a narrow, one-time grant that can fund hiring, retention and training of officers, and an ongoing councilmanic sales tax intended to sustain personnel and criminal-justice programs. Davis said the grant request focuses on officer pay, vehicles and academy costs but that eligibility rules and the application process are rigorous.
Councilmember Melissa Hamilton, who moved to forward the ordinance for first reading, argued the city should act to capture available resources. “If we pursue this, we’re gonna position our city to get a portion of that $100,000,000 grant,” Hamilton said, adding that the sales tax can fund community-based programs as well as police retention.
Council President Susan Honda and other members pressed staff for additional budget detail and outreach plans before final council action. Honda said she supports public safety but asked for a fuller fiscal picture, noting a current near-term general-fund shortfall of roughly $1.5 million. Davis and police leadership told the committee that the grant would cover three years of new or retained officer-related costs while the sales tax is an ongoing revenue stream that the council could later rescind if it chose.
Police officials described the grant as a way to avoid eliminating positions amid tight budgets. The police chief said maintaining staffing at about 154 officers is a priority and that grant and local revenues could be used for retention bonuses and to fill vacant positions without supplanting existing budgets.
The committee approved a motion to move the ordinance to first reading on the council docket (first reading scheduled March 24). Staff also committed to additional public engagement, including multiple committee briefings and a town hall scheduled for April 30, ahead of council action.
Next steps: the ordinance will appear for council first reading on March 24; staff will provide follow-up fiscal detail and a public-notice plan in advance of subsequent readings and public hearings.
