Thurston County officials presented a strategic approach to managing the Public Safety Sales Tax (PSST), which funds law enforcement, public defense and justice services, at a meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 5.
The briefing laid out plans for increased revenues, ongoing project investments and a new domestic violence state pilot program to reduce risks to vulnerable residents.
Budget and Fiscal Manager Summer Miller provided a detailed breakdown of PSST revenue expectations.
Fund 1230, which supports the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO), is expected to bring in $4.1 million in 2024 and $6.6 million in 2025. Annual growth rates of 4% in 2026 and 5% from 2027 to 2034 are anticipated.
Similarly, Fund 1240, allocated to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, public defense and ballot processing, is projected to generate $1.3 million in 2024 and $2.2 million in 2025.
Miller emphasized the need to closely monitor the said projections due to fluctuating sales tax receipts.
“The Economic Forecast Council has revised the sales tax estimates that they generated back in November,” explained Miller, noting updated forecasts may impact future allocations.
The projected expenditures for 2025 include approximately $7.1 million for the TCSO, with $4.1 million earmarked for fleet vehicles, equipment and other operational needs.
Additional costs include an initial purchase of $1.5 million for Axon equipment, which consists of body cameras and evidence management technology.
For the justice side, expenditures include a $220,000 budget for staffing increases and $450,000 for bond interest payments related to a ballot processing center.
In 2027, bond principal payments of $1.4 million will commence.
One of the most significant PSST-funded projects involves acquiring and renovating a new TCSO headquarters at Tumwater.
The county secured the 56,000-square-foot facility for $14.25 million, well below market rates for similar properties, which range between $200 and $550 per square foot.
Renovations are projected to cost an additional $4 million. Another $1.75 million is allocated for a new vehicle impound facility, which may include an outdoor training and shooting range.
Public Defense Director Patrick O’Connor explained the criteria used to select the facility.
“We evaluated buildings based upon criteria, such as accessibility to major artillery, total building square footage to accommodate current, as well as anticipated 20-year needs,” O’Connor said.
The officials noted that a thorough feasibility review conducted by engineers, architects and environmental specialists found the building in good condition.
The inspection revealed no significant structural or environmental issues on the facility.
Regarding the efficiency of the sheriff’s office, the new headquarters is expected to consolidate all operations currently split between multiple locations.
The TCSO is scheduled to complete its move into the new facility by April 2026. Two state agencies who are leasing space in the building are scheduled to vacate by mid-2025.
Meanwhile, a new state pilot program targeting high-risk domestic violence is set to be launched in the county.
A grant from the Office of Crime Victim Advocacy is funding the initiative.
Thurston County is the only jurisdiction in Washington selected for the program to address cases identified as high-risk based on lethality factors, officials noted.
Prosecuting Attorney Jon Tunheim praised the opportunity and explained further that the program will use the Danger Assessment for Law Enforcement (DA-LE) tool. This shall prioritize the cases where victims are at the greatest risk of harm.
According to the Geiger Institute, DA-LE is an 11-question, evidence-based tool used by officers to identify victims at high risk of intimate partner homicide and near-lethal assault. It is administered on-scene to inform police reports, court proceedings and immediate victim services.
“This bubbles those cases to the top in terms of priority,” Tunheim explained. The program will fund a new investigator who will assume the role of liaison between law enforcement, victim services and prosecutors.
Commissioner Carolina Mejia supported the initiative and reiterated its potential to curb rising domestic violence rates.
The grant will fund the investigator position for three years at an annual cost of approximately $120,000. It covers both the salary and additional benefits. Also, additional funds are allocated for fleet vehicles, safety equipment and training.
The Public Defense Office will also benefit from PSST funding as part of the justice system improvements.
Resources are allocated for a new IT matrixed business application specialist to support data management and legal operations.
According to Miller, the position is budgeted at $103,000 for salary and benefits through 2025, with $7,000 allocated for onboarding and hardware expenses in the first year.
However, staffing remains a challenge.
O’Connor reported the office currently has three investigators supporting 25 criminal defense attorneys, falling short of the national standard of one investigator for every four lawyers.
“So, we’re about half now of what the standards require,” O’Connorsaid.
O’Connor emphasized that additional staffing will be necessary if caseloads increase, particularly if the Supreme Court or Washington Legislature imposes new public defense standards.
Commissioner Rachel Grant queried whether metrics would be used to track the effectiveness of new grant-funded positions.
Tunheim confirmed that productivity reports and case outcomes would be key indicators.
“One of the measures also is to see if we can actually have an impact on serious domestic violence cases and related homicides,” he stated.
Grant accountability is expected to play a significant role in sustaining funding for programs beyond the pilot period.
County officials plan to submit regular reports detailing case statistics, victim outreach efforts and collaboration improvements to the grant's oversight body.
Further updates on PSST-funded projects and budget reviews are expected to be presented to the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners later this month.
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BevBassett
I can personally only support new taxes for police and jails if there is a equal and legally mandatory tax to support housing, social services and comprehensive health care services. Equal amount, at least. Police, courts and detention are only a band aid. Time to fix the illness.
Tuesday, February 11 Report this