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One – clearly necessary – solution to a part of the budget shortfall.
Tom Thiersch
From: Kitsap County <kitsapcounty@public.govdelivery.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2026 10:38 AM
To: tprosys@gmail.com
Subject: Kitsap County Board adopts new regional justice sales and use tax
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<https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/WAKITSAP/2026/06/13936798/6978392/logo-badgewhite_crop.png> Kitsap County News
Date: October 13, 2026
Kitsap County Board adopts new regional justice sales and use tax
(Port Orchard, WA) - The Kitsap County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously at its October 12 meeting to adopt a new 0.1% sales and use tax <https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fagenda
suite.org%2Fiip%2Fkitsap%2Ffile%2Fgetfile%2F3417/1/010001a136579dbc-4d24703c-fd61-4245-a19e-5ee6e6ce3e06-000000/uptduvdi45XWD5WCdjpluSjPADz_yVOjneKlJnRnIdg=452> to fund essential criminal
justice services.
In 2025, the Washington State Legislature passed House Bill 2015 (HB 2015), which allows local governments to implement a local 0.1% sales and use tax dedicated to criminal justice,
provided law enforcement agencies receiving the funding meet specific standards for policies, training, and accountability.
The regional justice sales and use tax is set to take effect January 1, 2027, and is expected to generate approximately $7.7 million annually. For most residents, the tax is expected
to amount to approximately $20 to $40 more per year, depending on household spending.
Kitsap County relies heavily on its General Fund to pay for law enforcement, the jail, the courts, and other critical services. More than 76% of the County’s budget is dedicated to public
safety. At the same time, costs are rising faster than revenue due to limits on property tax growth and increased service demands.
Board Chair Oran Root emphasized the importance of the new funding, “This was a difficult decision, knowing how it affects all our families. House Bill 2015 provides counties with a
crucial funding bridge for public safety - a reliable mechanism to maintain the essential public safety services our community depends on. Here in Kitsap, this funding temporarily sustains
our justice system to keep our community safe, support victims, and ensure that our current level of service is not degraded.”
Root added that the Board has worked to identify efficiencies while balancing the need to maintain essential services, “We’ve looked at our budget from every single angle and put absolutely
everything on the table. We found some efficiencies, but nowhere near enough to cover the shortfall. The reality is that no local solution can fix a structural problem caused by the
State's unfunded mandates - a burden that is actively draining resources from all 39 counties. As a Board, we work hard to be as transparent as possible, and truly respect the burden
on our taxpayers, but we also have a solemn duty to keep our community safe. At some point, deeper cuts stop being about numbers and start hurting vital services - and that is a compromise
we are not willing to make with your safety.”
To qualify for HB 2015 funding, jurisdictions must meet standards established by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC), including requirements for use-of-force
policies, training, reporting, and accountability. By meeting these requirements, the County will also be eligible to apply for additional grants through CJTC.
Interim Sheriff Kenneth Dickinson noted the financial challenges facing the County, “We’ve done the heavy lift to adjust policies, make changes, and meet the requirements for this funding.
There is simply nothing left to cut without harming the services we provide. While the implementation of HB 2015 was not our preferred option, the loss of 12 corrections officers and
nine deputy sheriffs is a catastrophic option. At current levels, our agency is already among the lowest staffed in Washington, which is the second lowest staffed in the United States
of America. Without the one-tenth of one percent sales tax option, we would not be able to avoid these layoffs and our service to the public, as well as the safety and wellbeing of
our remaining staff, would be greatly jeopardized.”
Revenues from HB 2015 may only be used for law and justice purposes. The funding will help the County maintain staffing in the Sheriff’s Office and jail, keep court and legal services
functioning, update essential equipment, and support programs that help prevent crime and support reentry. Without additional funding, the County could be forced to make significant
reductions in 2027 which could reduce jail capacity and increase the risk of delays in court cases.
Jail Chief Penelope Sapp highlighted the risks, “The cost of operating a jail continues to rise each year, driven largely by increases in our medical and mental‑health service contracts.
We are legally required to provide these essential services to the individuals in our care, which leaves staffing as the only place to make cuts. But reducing corrections staff creates
serious safety risks for both our employees and those who are incarcerated. Increasing taxes is the last thing any of us want to do, yet we cannot ignore the growing gap between mandated
obligations and the resources needed to meet them safely.”
Chair Root concluded, “This funding is critical to keeping Kitsap County safe and ensuring our justice system continues to serve everyone fairly.”
To learn more about HB 2015, visit kcowa.us/HB2015 <https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kitsap.gov%2FBOC_p%2FPages%2FHB2015.aspx/1/010001a136579dbc-4d24703c-fd61-4245-a19e-5ee6e6ce3e0
6-000000/mPB09vu1esDWJFCqx8faG9l1YNHSPwrQgKIHIJuTo_Q=452> .
###
Contact Information
Kimberly Pleger <mailto:kpleger@kitsap.gov> , communications & community engagement manager, 360.277.6032
________________________________
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Other Contacts
Communications & Community Engagement Manager
Kym Pleger <mailto:kpleger@kitsap.gov>
360.277.6032
Sheriff's Office
Public Information Officer
Kevin McCarty <mailto:kmccarty@kitsap.gov>
360.271.0728
Kitsap Electronic Notification System
Questions? Contact Kitsap1 at 360.337.5777 or help@kitsap1.com <mailto:help@kitsap1.com>
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