PORT ANGELES — A panel of law and justice officials will consider a one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax to help support juvenile services.
The three commissioners Monday directed staff to ask the county’s Law and Justice Committee to make a recommendation on a potential tax increase for the Clallam County Juvenile and Family Services facility.
Commissioners have until Aug. 1 to place a tax measure on the November ballot.
Board members expressed support for a ballot measure for the general election. The tax would allow the juvenile center at 1912 W. 18th St. in Port Angeles to continue to serve area youth without breaking the bank.
The Clallam County Juvenile and Family Services Department operates at an annual loss of between $1 million and $2 million, Commissioner Bill Peach said.
The department’s 2017 budget shows $1.25 million in revenue, $3.14 million in expenses and a $1.89 million draw on general fund reserves.
“This is an opportunity to try and help the public understand that this service is both mandated and necessary, and expensive and unfunded,” Commissioner Mark Ozias said in a work session.
Of the 21 county-operated juvenile detention centers in the state, Clallam County’s is the only facility with a licensed crisis center for runaway youth and an in-house drug, alcohol and mental health program.
Commissioners are looking for ways to cut costs or to find new revenue to offset a long-term structural budget deficit.
A one-tenth of 1 percent tax increase would add 1 cent to a $10 purchase.
Fourteen counties in the state have implemented the allowed one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax to help pay for juvenile justice services.
“In our case, it would cover roughly half of our out-of-pocket cost, maybe a little bit more than half of our out-of-pocket cost, if the voters were to pass this one-tenth,” County Administrator Jim Jones said.
The state legislature allowed counties to impose the tax because cities, where most juvenile crimes occur, do not pay for juvenile services, Jones said.
“It’s an elegant solution that the state legislature came up [with] recognizing the inequity,” Jones said.
“And I think that’s our sales pitch. That’s what we talk to people about.”
Commissioners stressed that the ballot measure, if approved, would not represent an “either/or” proposition for juvenile services.
“Should we put it on the ballot and the citizens say no, that doesn’t mean two days later the operation closes,” Peach said.
“I’m very opposed to the notion that we send a message to the public that you’ve got to vote for this or we’re going to close this thing down.”
If voters reject the tax increase, county officials might consider reducing programs offered at the juvenile center over the long term.
“We don’t have the option of closing down,” Jones said.
“We might have a little bit of an option of changing the structure over time to provide less robust services, potentially, but we don’t have an option to shut it down.”
Longtime Clallam County Juvenile and Family Services Director Pete Peterson and Deputy Director Jody Jacobsen briefed commissioners on the services offered at the 32-bed juvenile facility, which opened in 1994.
“The need is still there, but one of the things that has happened, as with everything, the costs continue to rise,” said Peterson, a three-time Washington Association of Juvenile Court Administrators administrator of the year.
Clallam County pays for state-mandated juvenile services such as basic detention and basic probation, Peterson said.
“Stable funding has become critical,” Peterson said.
“I wouldn’t say it’s critical here yet, but it’s becoming critical in virtually every county, not just for juvenile services, but for anything that we’re mandated to do.”
In an April 26 letter, Peterson asked Kitsap County Juvenile and Family Court Services Director Michael Merringer whether that agency would be willing to provide contracted detention services for Clallam County youth.
Kitsap County declined.
“Even if it was feasible to send our youth to another agency, it’s not the best for our youth,” Peterson said.
Commissioner Randy Johnson said the county’s juvenile services represent the best chance to capture wayward youth.
“Sure, we won’t get them all, but certainly you’re the first hope that we have to hopefully turn some of them, in my mind,” Johnson told Peterson.
“So I’m a great proponent of your operation. There’s no doubt about that.
“And if the voters say no, then the voters say no,” Johnson added.
“By the way, it will take us all out on the stump to be making this pitch.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
