(VANCOUVER, WA.) — The Vancouver City Council passed the sales tax meant to increase police and public defender staffing. The City Council meeting on August 24, 2026 covered critical municipal issues, including the authorization of a public safety sales tax.
Photo Credit: CVTV
This authorization of the implementation of a 0.1% Public Safety sales tax for criminal justice purposes will be aimed at hiring 29 additional police officers, enhancing secondary services, and funding public defenders.
Police Chief Troy Price again addressed the council, outlining what the sales tax will cover.
“It would net us about 29 additional police officers, plus some of the support services that we need for those folks, it would get them trained, equipped, and deployed out onto the streets," he said, "It would also allow us to enhance our secondary services, which are our investigators, our detective units, units like the Domestic Violence Prosecution Center would get an additional two detectives."
"Our traffic unit, which has been woefully understaffed for years, would get some enhancements,” Price said.
The tax will also provide additional funding to hire defense attorneys, which are needed after a ruling from the state Supreme court that caused public defenders to carry smaller caseloads.
Following the brief reintroduction of the ordinance, Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle opened the discussion, giving the councilors the opportunity to ask Chief Price questions.
Councilor Sarah Fox raised the point that part of the action is to leverage the city’s funding with the state.
“Without taking this action, then we lose about $6 million in funding. So, it's not something that we should typically do is turn around and not try to do everything we can to bolster our own funding,” Fox said.
Councilor Diana Perez said again that she would not be supporting the tax increase.
Photo Credit: CVTV
“I believe the responsible choice is to pause before adding another tax for our residents. And just as I've shared last time, I think too many working families, seniors, and people living on fixed incomes are struggling with the cost of housing, groceries, utilities, and just everyday necessities. And even our own staff report, as I mentioned last week, acknowledges that this sales tax will disproportionately affect our lower-income residents,” Perez said
Kimberly Elbon testified remotely. She expressed her concern that Clark County's judicial system is "fundamentally broken" due to a severe public defender shortfall and case backlogs.
“A massive point of failure right now is the backlog of the public defense system; strict state-mandated caseload limits are completely valid. Public defenders should have the time to properly defend human beings, but without immediate local funding to hire more attorneys, the system has ground to a halt. Justice delayed is justice denied,” Elbon said.
The tax increase was passed with Councilor Perez casting the only nay vote. During communication from the council, she again explained her reasoning.
“I just want to reiterate my vote on this last ordinance, that my concern is timing and the cumulative tax burden that continues to be placed on all of us," Perez said.
The new tax rate will become effective on January 1, 2027.
If you would like to comment on this report, please email me at rory.h@lead4earth.org.
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