Statement For:  
This proposed sales tax is a fair and appropriate way to provide long term stable funding for emergency communications.

Emergency Communications Are Needed For Emergencies and/or Disasters.                       

Every day in our community, over 1500 emergent calls are received in our countywide 9-1-1 dispatch center. Those calls are received and dispatched to County and City police and fire departments as well as every fire district within our county to provide timely and appropriate responses to citizen emergencies.

We Must Assure Long Term Stable Funding For This Essential Service.                                      

As we approach September 11th, the worst terrorist attack on US soil, we know that emergency communications played a critical part in assuring the safety of thousands. With appropriate emergency communications more citizens, fire fighters and police officers may have been saved. Assuring long term stable funding for communications is essential to avoiding unnecessary loss of lives or property.

Every Public Safety Agency in Thurston County Will Benefit.

Without passage of this tax, many of our Fire Districts are facing an inability to fund both communications and their operational and equipment needs. Personnel within police and fire departments could be lost, leaving us without needed protection in our communities. With the passage of this tax, every public safety agency in Thurston County will benefit.

Dedicated funds

The funds provided by this proposed sales tax increase can only be utilized for the construction, operations and maintenance of emergency communications within CAPCOM, our countywide  9-1-1 dispatch center.

Vote Yes for a Safer Community

Voters’ Pamphlet statement prepared by: Ken Parsons and Gary Edwards

No Statement Against:
No Statement Against: No one could be found to write a statement against the Emergency Communications 1/10 of 1% Sales Tax.

Explanatory Statement

This proposition would authorize Thurston County to impose a one-tenth of one percent sales and use tax for emergency communications. Within Thurston County, we have a countywide consolidated 9-1-1 dispatch center, called CAPCOM. It is responsible for receiving all emergency calls and dispatching the appropriate police, fire, or emergency medical assistance to the emergencies reported. Tax proceeds would be used for the purpose of providing funds for the costs associated with financing, design, acquisition, construction, equipping, operating, maintaining, remodeling, repairing, re-equipping, and improvement of the emergency communication systems and facilities provided by CAPCOM. The proposed tax would increase the current sales and use tax rate in Thurston County from 8 percent to 8.1 percent. As an example, each $1000.00 of purchases which are subject to sales tax would require the payment of an additional tax of $1.00.

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