Voters will not see a Clark County-sponsored law enforcement levy on the ballot this fall to accompany one from the city of Vancouver.
The Clark County Council at a Monday meeting considered a levy comprising three funding proposals, but didn’t proceed with a vote to put the measure on November’s ballot.
The first proposal would cover increased county services resulting from the pending city of Vancouver law enforcement levy. The second would raise money for increased Clark County Sheriff’s Office staffing and a third would address impacts from that additional sheriff’s office staffing increase.
But the councilors ultimately decided to wait.
“I am very disappointed,” Clark County Council Chair Gary Medvigy said at Monday’s meeting. “The public needs to have this information. They need to know what the total bill is.”
The Vancouver City Council voted earlier this month to place a levy lid lift — Proposition 4 — on the November ballot, which would fund about 100 new Vancouver police officers and other staff additions if it passes.
Medvigy advocated for the putting county measure before voters alongside the Vancouver one. Not only does the sheriff’s office need more deputies, he said, if Vancouver adds officers, that will create additional demand on judges, clerks, jail beds and medical treatment in the jail — programs paid for by the county.
“We’re just going to be years behind,” Medvigy said.
All the councilors except Medvigy hesitated to hastily place a levy lid lift before voters this fall.
“It would be great if we had a crystal ball to know how things could play out,” Councilor Sue Marshall said. She argued for waiting to see how a levy lid lift would fit in context of the full county budget.
Councilor Glen Yung expressed concern that one or both levies could fail if they’re on the ballot at the same time.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office presented its case earlier this month for additional funding to hire more deputies and civilian staff. The councilors were considering options that could fund an additional 20 deputies and eight other staffers or an additional 40 deputies and 16 staffers.
The city’s ballot measure asks voters to permanently lift the city’s property tax levy of $2.09 per $1,000 of assessed value by 41 cents beginning in 2025. It would then increase 5 percent annually for six years, according to the city.
The county council looked at options to raise up to $28.35 million with a levy lid lift, as well as sales tax options preferred by Councilor Michelle Belkot.
The councilors said during the meeting they support additional funding for the sheriff’s office and hope to reconsider the issue for the February 2025 ballot.
