Treatment Sales Tax
"Your Tax Dollars at Work"

Message from the Thurston County Commissioners

In December, 2008, the Thurston County Board of Commissioners, voted, as allowed by state statute RCW 82.14.460, to impose a 1/10 of 1 percent sales tax to provide funding for enhanced and expanded chemical dependency and mental health treatment services and for therapeutic courts. Thurston County Ordinance #14138 was effective January 1, 2009; taxes were collected beginning April 1, 2009 and tax funds began to be disbursed as of July 1, 2009. The Ordinance is currently set to expire on December 31, 2016.

The Treatment Sales Tax currently realizes $4,000,000 in sales tax revenues annually. Funds are used to pay for chemical dependency and mental health treatment services in the jail (including work release), for coordination and support of six therapeutic courts in Thurston County, and for outpatient mental health and chemical dependency treatment services for adults and juveniles currently involved in the criminal justice system or at very high risk of criminal involvement. Services are provided by both county staff and community service providers under contract with the County.

The Treatment Sales Tax oversight is provided by the County Board of Commissioners and a newly hired Program Manager. Services funded by the tax are required to collect data on types of services provided, number of people served and the outcomes (impacts) of the provision of those services. The Board of County Commissioners receives valuable information regarding community needs, suggested uses for Treatment Sales Tax (TST) revenues and review of the effectiveness of TST-funded services.

For more information about the Treatment Sales Tax fund please contact:

  • Barbara Burgener | TST Program Manager
  • Thurston County | Commissioners’ Office
  • 2000 Lakeridge Dr SW | Olympia, WA 98502
  • PH 360.867-2092 | FX 360.786.5140
  • burgenb@co.thurston.wa.us