Election results: Here’s what Gig Harbor voters think of public safety sales tax so far
Early election results Tuesday night showed voters approving a public safety sales tax increase proposed in Gig Harbor.
So far, 2,153 votes (69.63%) are in favor of Proposition No. 1, while 939 votes (30.37%) are against it. The sales tax increase needs a simple majority to pass. Gig Harbor has 9,005 registered voters and saw a turnout of 35.26%, according to the Pierce County Auditor.
Proposition No. 1 - Additional Sales and Use Tax for Police and Public Safety would increase the current sales tax rate by 0.1% from 8.9% to 9.0%, according to the city of Gig Harbor. That’s 1/10 of a penny or 10 cents more on every $100 purchase.
Most of the revenue from the tax increase would support staffing in the city’s police department. Fifteen percent of the revenue would go to Pierce County as required by state law.
The sales tax proposal comes after Gig Harbor voters rejected a property tax increase earlier this year. Both were proposals the city made in response to a projected budget deficit to the tune of $2 to $3 million projected each year beginning in 2026. That deficit can be attributed to increasing costs related to the city’s growth. There has been a 65% increase in the city’s population since 2013, according to a January finance memo to the Gig Harbor mayor and City Council.
The city has also tightened its spending in other areas and will discuss a business-and-occupation tax in early September, Gig Harbor City Administrator Katrina Knutson told The News Tribune last month.
Upon seeing the early election results Tuesday night, Knutson said the city is happy with the results.
“We’re very thankful to the voters of the city of Gig Harbor and we look forward to getting to work, getting up to 26 commissioned officers,” Knutson told The News Tribune.
The city currently budgets to support 25 commissioned officers in the Gig Harbor Police Department, but only 23 positions are filled. The city planned to fill the remaining two vacancies as the budget allows after Aug. 6, she told The News Tribune last month.
“Safety is more important now than ever before. 1/10 of a penny will allow Gig Harbor Police Department an ability to maintain its current budget level. This is a small amount for peace of mind,” the committee in support of the tax increase wrote in their statement in the voters’ pamphlet. There was no statement submitted against the measure.
Pamela Smith, one of the members of the committee in favor and a Gig Harbor resident of 18 years, said she was very pleased with the initial results of the vote.
“I don’t see how the vote will fail with those numbers now . . . We have a very well-aware community that believes in our law enforcement and wants to keep it at the level we have and more,” Smith told The News Tribune Tuesday night.
The tax increase would go into effect in 2025, according to the local voters’ pamphlet.
The next round of results will be released Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., and results will be certified Aug. 20.
This story was originally published August 6, 2024 at 8:25 PM.
