I don't see any provision to assure that the additional tax revenues will actually be used to increase funding for policing, now or in the future.
To assure that the money actually goes to more police services, the current level of police funding must be protected. If it isn't then the new funding can just be offset by reducing base funding, with the bottom-line effect that the new money is used for other expenditures. This is called supplanting, and it is done commonly, most recently in Olympia.
It seems natural that local governments want total flexibility in expending revenues. The ultimate impact can be that earmarked taxing measures like this one can become general (unearmarked) taxes in actual effect.
Bob Jacobs
former budget analyst
former Mayor, Olympia
Please explain the inappropriate content below.
