GIG HARBOR, Wash. — In Tuesday’s primary election people living in the city of Gig Harbor will decide if they want to approve a sales tax increase that would help fund the police department.
The ballot measure is for a 0.1% sales tax increase that would bring the city’s sales tax from the current 8.9% up to 9.0%. The city said the sales tax increase would create an additional $1 million in revenue each year and would be used to help fund three more police officer positions, including one lieutenant, and other public safety efforts.
According to state law, the city must use 30% of the revenue for public safety, and the rest can go into the general fund. Gig Harbor Mayor Tracie Markley said the goal is to use as much of the revenue from the proposed tax increase as possible towards public safety, and that the money in the general fund is how they fund the police department.
Based on data from the state, even with the proposed increase, Gig Harbor would still have the lowest sales tax rate when compared to other nearby cities. As of July 2024, Tacoma had a 10.4% sales tax and Port Orchard had a 9.3% sales tax.
Markley said the increase is needed to fund its police department.
“We currently have 23 commissioned officers," Markley said. "Our goal is to get to 26 commissioned officers."
She said more officers are needed due to the increasing population of residents and due to the high number of people who come into the city to work and visit. The mayor said most of the arrests in the city are not residents.
“The influx during the day, it's really amazing, actually how many people we have that come in to the city,” Markley said.
After voters rejected a proposed property tax increase earlier this year, the mayor said this increase is even more needed. The cost won't fall just on residents this time, Markley said.
“Anyone that comes into the city to utilize services, shop, play in the parks, utilize our court system even, they would all be sharing in that tax burden,” Markley said.
Some residents said they support the proposed sales tax increase and feel it is reasonable.
“I would vote for it," said Diane Nason, who has lived in Gig Harbor since 1990. "We want to support, as much as we can, the quality of our living environment, and we want people to keep coming here. I think people are always feeling the need for more officers to help with public safety.”
Some people who live outside the city, but visit frequently, told KING 5 they do not mind paying a small percentage more in sales tax to help increase public safety.
“Gig Harbor already has one of the lowest sales taxes in the area,” said Kolby Sugarman, who resides in Tacoma but spends a lot of time in Gig Harbor. “I hardly ever see any police officers, but when we do have petty crimes, it's hard to get, we don't have enough.”