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Bonney Lake committee weighs 0.1% public safety sales tax estimated to raise about $880,000 annually
Summary
Bonney Lake Finance Committee discussed a proposed one‑tenth of 1% public safety sales tax that staff estimated would yield roughly $880,000 a year; members raised concerns about added tax burden, budget forecasting and whether to place a measure before voters or defer action.
A Finance Committee meeting of Bonney Lake reviewed a proposed public safety sales tax that staff said would be a one‑tenth of 1% local sales tax dedicated to police, emergency management and related public safety needs.
A committee member (speaker 5) told the committee the levy, if implemented on Jan. 1, 2027, would need to be submitted to the Washington State Department of Revenue by Oct. 18, 2026, and that the city's early estimate for revenue is about $880,000 annually. "We've guesstimated that it'd be about $880,000 annually," the committee member said.
Why it matters: staff said dedicating revenue to public safety could free general‑fund dollars for other priorities and help cover expected cost pressures such as replacement of police vehicles and rising benefits. Committee members voiced caution about adding another tax while residents already face increasing taxes at the county and state level.
Council discussion: several council members said they sympathized with the budgetary need but were reluctant to add a new tax without clearer forecasts. One council member, citing a recent county measure, said the region is "taxed, taxed, taxed" and warned about cumulative burden on residents and businesses. Another committee member (speaker 3) said staff will continue to refine revenue and cost projections ahead of any formal decision.
Next steps: staff noted the city has time to test revenue projections and department requests before a submission deadline and that the earliest implementation date would be Jan. 1, 2027, if the council chooses to move forward. The committee discussed referral back to a full council workshop or further study in the budget process rather than immediate placement on a ballot.
The committee did not take a formal vote on the tax during the meeting; members suggested additional analysis and a fuller council discussion at a future workshop.
Quotes used in this article are attributed to speakers who spoke in the committee meeting recording and are presented here by the role labels used in the meeting transcript.
