July 14, 2011 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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Cit00, pursues public safety sales tax
By NATALIE JOHNSON
In an effort to provide
more stable, long-term
funding for public safety,
the City of Shelton has since
February been developing a
plan for a city or countywide
public safety sales tax
increase.
Earlier this month,
Shelton Mayor John Tarrant
stood before the Mason
County Commissioners
and asked them to consider
adding the tax to the
November ballot.
Tarrant spoke before
the county commission
for a second time Tuesday
morning and asked the
commissioners to consider
placing the three-tenths
of one percent tax on the
November ballot.
"I'm back today not to
bug you but remind you,"
Tarrant said.
During last year's budget
process, city staff struggled
to balance the need to make
budget cuts without cutting
public safety. While the
city's final 2011 budget did
not include extensive cuts
to the police department
several drafts involved
cutting at least one police
officer position.
With about a quarter of a
million dollars in grants to
the police department set to
run out, City Administrator
Dave O'Leary said that the
city needs to look at all its
options to preserve public
safety.
"It's impossible at this
moment to make cuts
without touching public
safety," he said. "The
recession has really pitched
us into the ditch."
While Tarrant has at
several points noted that
adding new taxes is a
politically unpopular move,
he and O'Leary said that the
proposed tax increase would
at the least make up for any
lost grants, and at the most,
allow the police department
to build itself back up to
previous levels.
"I realize that we have
great financial challenges
in our county and still do.
Our public is shy of anything
that even smacks of a tax
increase," Tarrant said to
the commissioners Tuesday.
"Mason County as well as the
City of Shelton is faced with
the issue of grants that are
going away that are keeping
officers on the streets of the
city and the county."
While some people are
vocally opposed to any new
taxes, one Shelton resident
spoke in approval of the tax
on Tuesday.
"I've been a victim of
crime in my neighborhood
for 12 months since I moved
into town," Joseph Coleman
said. "We do not have
sufficient police and we
need to do something about
it. A tax would be a start in
the right direction."
O'Leary said there are
several ways to pursue the
sales tax increase.
In the first option, the
city would al6ne institute
the increase at the
maximum rate of one-tenth
of one percent, which the
city predicts would yield
$177,000 in revenue that
would be dedicated to public
safety within the city.
O'Leary said that this
option would be an adequate
short-term solution.
"It'll replace one round
of expiring grants," he said.
"It would shield us from the
losses for a period of time."
In the second option
however, the option Tarrant
is advocating with the
county, the county would
institute the sales tax at
a maximum rate of three-
tenths of one percent. This
would yield about $573,000
for the city and about
$860,000 in public safety
money for the county.
Commissioner Lynda
Ring Erickson said Tuesday
that the county had
discussed the possibility of
a public safety sales tax, but
that she wasn't convinced
that it was a good deal for
the county.
"Under state law it would
give the City of Shelton
40 percent of the tax. The
city is not 40 percent of
the county," she said. "It's
not that I'm not supportive
of law enforcement ... I'm
reluctant to propose an
increase in taxes."
A third option involves
the city implementing the
sales tax before the county
does. Under that scenario,
the city would collect
about $666,594 and the
county would collect about
$765,362.
Commissioner Lingle, a
former City of Shelton police
officer expressed interest in
the tax.
"Personally, being a
former police officer, I
understand the necessity
of having police officers on
the street," he said. "As far
as the three-tenths of one
percent tax, I stand in favor
of it."
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson.
County Commissioner
Lynda Ring Erickson
said she would oppose
a county-wide public
safety sales tax.
In any option the
proposed tax increase would
have to be brought before
the voters.
"If the county hops on
board with it and lets the
voters choose ... I think it
would benefit not only the
city but the county too,"
Tarrant said.
The city and county have
until August 16 to add the
proposed sales tax increase
to the November ballot.
The city commission may
discuss adding it to the
ballot themselves under
option one.
TOO LATE TO CLASSIFY
TOO LATE TO CLASSIFY
TO0 LATE TO CLASSIFY
ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST
- Service oriented account-
ing position that provides
support across range of fiscal
operations within So. Puget
Intertribal Planning Agency.
Desire associate's degree
and one year work experi-
ence in accounting office or
fiscal support setting. Prior
experience within NFP pre-
ferred. Competitive salary,
DOQ, with full benefit pack-
age. Complete job descrip-
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at www.spipa.org or call 360-
426-3990. Screening begins
7/26/11. Open until filled.
$7/14-21
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Beach split level. Spacious, 3
bedrooms, 2 baths, rec. room,
woodstove in living room.
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storage shed. Fenced back-
yard $1,225 per month plus
deposit. Shirley, RE/MAX Top
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D7/14
GARAGE SALE. 300 SE
Shadowood Dr., Cole Rd. Sat-
urday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Clothes,
art, home decor, computer
games, furniture and kids'
stuff. C7/14
LARGE MULTI-FAMILY yard
sale with lots of items. RE/
MAX parking lot, 2008 Olym-
pic Hwy. N. Look for the bal-
loon. Saturday, 9 a.m-4 p.m.
B7/14
ESTATE SALE, everything
goes. Saturday-Sunday, 9
a.m.-5 pm. 1639 W. Railroad,
Shelton. B7/14
SATURDAY, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
No early birds. Lots of baby
clothes and items. Custom
wheels, glassware, dishes,
Ab-Lounger, lots of miscella-
neous. 970 E. Ballentrae Dr.,
Lake Limerick. W7/14
MULTI-FAMILY GARAGE
sale. Juluy 16, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Bayshore neighborhood off
Hwy. 3, just south of Bay-
shore Golf Course. Mc7/14
BEAUTIFUL AND spacious
duplex for rent. 1,200 sq.ft.,
2 bedroom, 1 bath. Home in-
cludes garage and yard. Rent
$725. 206-396-7307. P7/14-
8/4
TAKING APPLICATIONS for
cashier/clerk, age 21 plus.
Evenings, weekends. De-
pendable, responsible, loves
people, hard working. Apply
at, or mail to, Matlock Gen-
eral Store, 17490 W. Shelton-
Matlock Rd., PO Box 129,
Matlock, WA 98560. Info: ask
for Lori, 360-426-6806 before
noon. M7/14-21
471 PENZANCE, Lake Lim-
erick, Saturday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Lots of baby girl clothes,
equipment, toys. All quality
stuff. TV, rocking chair,
household items. G7/14
MULTI-FAMILY GARAGE
sale. Baby's, kid's and adult's
clothing. DVDs, furniture,
housewares, guns, lots more.
205 E. Springfield Loop, Fri-
day-Saturday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
$7/14
Q2." "Dad sits at home all day while
m at work. I'm afraid that he's just
wasting away. He can't do the things
he used to do and his friends are gone,
but he'd never go to a nursing home.
What can I do?"
A: For less than the cost of
the nursing home, your dad
can live with friends his age
at Alpine Way. Activities will
keep him busy and happy. He
can go for van rides, enjoy
events like Music in the Park
and Lion's Club Tneatre, go
fishing, or stay in to play cards
and shoot the breeze about the good old days. All activities are
optional, so if he'd like some quiet time, he has his own private
apartment for relaxation.
If someone you know is stuck at home, come and tour Alpine Way.
We'd love to treat you to lunch, show you our lovely apartments,
and answer all your questions.
Call Kathy Burbidge at
(360) 426-2600
for a free lunch and tour
900 West Alpine Way
Shelton, WA 98584
@
RETIREMENT APARTMENTS,
ASSISTED LIVING AND
ALZHEIMER'S SPECIAL CARE
www.encorecommumties.com
Page A-6 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, July 14, 2011
Micto$oft"
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Go to
MyMasonHealth.com
for medical histories
Strong bones...
for longer wear.
Dexo scans o men and women. Detecting
early signs of osteoporosis can help reduce the risk of
bone fracture. Along with exercise, calcium, vitamin D,
and a bone density screening at MGH you are in good
shape to play. Get your physician referral today. Covered
by most insurances for patients at risk.
Mason General Hospital
& Family of Clinics
(360) 427-9590, Option 3
901 Mtn. View Drive, Shelton, WA 98584
wwwMasonGeneral.com.
m
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