King County to vote Nov. 2 on sales tax for criminal justice

After more than two months of debate by a divided Metropolitan King County Council, it will be up to the voters to decide whether to prevent threatened layoffs of sheriff's deputies and prosecutors by increasing the sales tax.

The council voted 5-4, along party lines, to put on the Nov. 2 ballot a 0.2-cent increase in the tax on each $1 spent.

Democrats supported the measure and Republicans opposed it, saying it should be accompanied by a rollback of property taxes that support functions other than criminal justice.

Councilmember Reagan Dunn, a Republican, said he couldn't vote for the tax — "not in a down economy, not in the tough times we're in now. It's too bad. I think criminal justice is the most important thing a local government does."

Councilmember Jan Drago, a Democrat, defended the tax.

"It's about maintaining our criminal-justice system versus decimating it. It's not adding to it. It's not giving more service, it's only about maintaining the service we have."

The council has been divided for months on whether to ask voters to approve a tax increase in the face of a projected $60 million budget shortfall in 2011 and an $80 million gap forecast for 2012.

Supporters of the tax measure said the county will have to make significant budget cuts even if voters agree to raise the tax to 9.7 cents per $1 spent in most parts of the county.

If passed, the measure would generate about $59 million in 2011 and $80 million in 2012, the first full year of collection. Sixty percent of the tax would go to the county and the remainder to cities based on population. It would expire in three years unless extended by voters.

Sheriff Sue Rahr, Prosecutor Dan Satterberg, Superior Court Presiding Judge Bruce Hilyer and District Court Presiding Judge Barbara Linde have warned of serious cutbacks next year if taxes aren't raised.

"We still have to plan for a budget without the sales tax because there's no guarantee it's going to pass," Rahr said. "We have between now and November to make our case to the voters."

In discussions that took place during a nearly three-hour recess, a proposal by Hilyer and council Chairman Bob Ferguson to fund replacement of the aging Youth Services Center courthouse with sales-tax proceeds didn't win the support of the Democratic majority.

Instead, the council will consider proposals to put a youth-center property-tax levy before voters either in November or next year. The levy would require 60 percent approval by voters.

The sales-tax measure would require only a simple majority to pass. Republican Councilmember Kathy Lambert said she doubted it would be approved.

"I don't think they're going to support the measure," Lambert said. "I think the economy is still stagnant and people are concerned about their house payments and their food bills and the basics. It's a really hard time."

Ferguson, a Democrat, said he was hopeful voters would approve the tax. "My view always is if you put forward a thoughtful proposal before the voters to fund services that they care about, they will give that serious consideration. I think we have done that," he said.

County Executive Dow Constantine, who proposed the sales-tax increase in April, praised the council for sending it to voters.

In an apparent reference to the fatal shooting of two men at Lake Sammamish State Park on Saturday, he said in a statement that the council had recognized "the gravity of the situation. ...

"With each tragic incident in our community, we are reminded how important it is to maintain a public safety net of strong police protection and a functioning criminal-justice system."

Voting to put the measure on the ballot were Councilmembers Julia Patterson, Larry Gossett, Larry Phillips, Ferguson and Drago, all Democrats.

Voting no were Councilmembers Pete von Reichbauer, Jane Hague, Lambert and Dunn, all Republicans.

Voters in 2008 made County Council elections nonpartisan, but members still vote along party lines on many controversial measures.

Keith Ervin: 206-464-2105 or kervin@seattletimes.com