COLFAX, WA – The Whitman County Commissioners voted two to one Monday morning to raise the local sales tax rate to help fund criminal justice functions in the courthouse.

A new law from the Washington Legislature allows counties to raise sales taxes by 0.10% to help fund sheriff’s departments, courts and prosecutor’s offices.  Whitman County is facing a roughly two million dollar budget shortfall.  The sales tax increase is estimated to generate about one million dollars in new revenue annually.  Longtime Whitman County Sheriff Brett Myers and County Prosecutor Denis Tracy asked the commissioners to approve the tax hike.  Both stated that the additional revenue would allow their offices to maintain their current services levels.  The sheriff and prosecutor say they’ve had to make staff cuts recently.  Sheriff Myers told the board he doesn’t like tax increases but believes this move is critical to help keep the county safe.

Commissioner Chairman Art Swannack wanted to put the sales tax hike proposal on the ballot for an advisory vote before making a decision.

Placing a sales tax hike advisory vote on the ballot would cost the county about 35,000 dollars.

Commissioner Chad Whetzel countered Commissioner Swannack arguing that tax decisions are what they are elected to do.

Commissioner Whetzel tried to move the issue to a public hearing in two weeks to formally accept public comment on raising the sales tax before making a decision.  That was countered by Commissioner Tom Handy who argued that the decision shouldn’t be delayed.

Commissioners Handy and Whetzel voted for the resolution to implement the sales tax hike.  Commissioner Swannack voted against the resolution calling for placing the issue on the ballot for an advisory vote.

The decision raises Whitman County’s sales tax rate to 8%.