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Council votes to place 0.1% public-safety sales tax on August ballot
Summary
Stanwood council unanimously approved Resolution 2026-07 to submit a 0.1% sales-and-use tax for public safety to the August 2026 primary ballot; staff said the measure would raise about $300,000 a year and help cover projected public-safety cost increases.
The Stanwood City Council voted unanimously to place a 0.1% public-safety sales-and-use tax proposition on the August 2026 primary ballot. Council Member Rob moved to approve Resolution 2026-07; the motion passed after discussion about costs and messaging.
Sean Smith, who presented the staff analysis, said the city contracts for sheriff-provided policing and has maintained 10 officers since 2011 while the city’s population grew from about 6,200 to more than 9,000. "The city police department has 10 officers, same level we've had since 2011… Our population was 6,200, now it's over 9,000," Smith said, and he noted per-capita public-safety costs rose from roughly $260 per resident to about $336.
Smith told the council the measure was not an immediate tax increase but a request to allow voters to decide. He estimated the proposal would provide roughly $300,000 a year in new revenue, with projected additional public-safety costs of about $185,000 in 2027 and $197,000 in 2028 over current levels.
Council members asked for clear voter messaging about what the funds would buy. One councilor urged that the proposal be presented as focused on public safety rather than general expenditures. Staff said communications drafts would be circulated to the council for input before outreach.
The council recorded the motion and vote consistent with procedure: mover identified in the record as Council Member Rob and, per the transcript, a second by Councilor Callan; the resolution was approved unanimously. The matter will appear on the August 2026 primary ballot if administrative and filing steps are completed.
