ISLAND COUNTY: Sales tax to improve emergency communications heads to ballot

Luisa Loi reports from the Island County Commissioners’ board meeting of Tue., Feb. 18, 2025 for the Whidbey News-Times. Read the whole story.

Starting in 2026, the hundreds of thousands of tourists who spend money on Whidbey and Camano islands every year could help make local emergency communication systems better for all.

Following a request by the Board of Directors of ICOM 911, Island County Commissioners unanimously voted Tuesday to add to the next special election ballot a proposition that asks voters to support a two-tenths of 1% — or 0.2% — sales and use tax that would fund improvements to the county’s aging emergency communication systems and facilities.

The next special election is April 22.

This means that residents and visitors will have to pay 2 extra cents for every $10 they spend in the county, or 20 cents for every $100 spent.

They Said It

In 2024, [Sofia Kohfield, the executive director of the Island County Emergency Services Communications Center] said, the Island County Emergency Services Communications Center received a record 93,000 calls, a number that Commissioner Melanie Bacon said was “astonishing” for a county with approximately 88,000 residents and highlights the need for this tax.

Tuesday, Bacon and Commissioner Jill Johnson asked if it would be possible to give part of those reimbursements to the user agencies, which could use the funds to hire more staff if the proposed tax does pass, to which Kohfield responded affirmatively.

Bacon also asked why the ICOM board is asking for a two-tenths of 1% tax instead of a one-tenth of 1% tax. According to Kohfield and various news sources, multiple counties in the state have passed this same proposal.

Kohfield explained this rate is necessary to keep up with inflation and be “future ready” in case new upgrades are required to meet potential future mandates, though she does not know what mandates will be introduced, nor when.

Johnson, who is a member of the ICOM 911 board, said the board of commissioners is “very sensitive about pulling more money out of the community than it needs to, particularly at this time.” However, being familiar with the challenges discussed, she said she supports the tax as it would help ensure the safety of the community, which she said is a priority.

Commissioner Janet St. Clair attended the meeting virtually. While she couldn’t be heard due to technical difficulties, she showed her approval for the addition of the tax proposal on the ballot.

On the Ballot in April 2025