Should Washington cities adopt the 0.1% sales tax to unlock HB 2015 police-hiring grants?

House Bill 2015, signed by Gov. Ferguson in May 2025, established a $100 million grant program to hire and train law enforcement officers. But to unlock the state grants, cities and counties must first pass a 0.1% local sales tax — a design that has left Washington still ranked 50th per capita for officers while local councils debate adoption. Pierce County, Kent, Federal Way, Covington and Maple Valley have advanced or approved the tax; Bellingham has secured a $5 million award; other cities are still deliberating. Opposition at city hearings has focused on the regressive impact of sales taxes on low-income households, cumulative tax burden, and the state's decision to tie grants to local adoption — in Pierce County, councilmembers Herrera and Kuver were the two dissenting votes on the 5–2 adoption.

AI-generated summary compiled from Citizen Portal's coverage of the bill. Officials' positions below are sourced from their own words in indexed meetings and press events.