Council Legislation

Proposed Ordinance No. 2022-81s

Title: An Ordinance of the Pierce County Council Levying an Additional Sales and Use Tax of One-Tenth of One Percent for Housing and Related Services as Authorized by RCW 82.14.530; Amending Pierce County Code Chapter 4.28, "Sales and Use Tax," and Section 4.48.020, "Special Revenue Funds"; and Reaffirming Projects for Funding During 2023. (The Maureen Howard Affordable Housing Act)

Status: Passed

Final votes

March 21, 2023
Aye Nay Nay Aye Aye Aye Aye


Documents
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Public Comments

Name Date Comment
Christy Johnson 12/1/22 6:13 AM Instead of raising more money from hard-working taxpayers, let’s use the funds that you’ve already been given. Let’s Offer treatment and rehabilitation to addicts and mentally ill individuals while making it illegal for people to commit crime. By going soft on crime, you are punishing the very people that you are wanting to tax, the very people who are paying into these taxes. I understand something needs to be done, but Asking for more money for homelessness is wrong, especially considering for the past 3 to 5 years you have stuck your head in the sand when it comes to prime and addiction and mental illness. If Public Safety was really an issue for you, you would set boundaries and consequences for individuals who break the law. Most of the homeless individuals living on the streets, do not want help. They do not want to get sober and clean, they do not want to live by society standards. And for the last 3 to 5 years, you have encouraged that you have made it OK for people to steal, you have made it OK for people to do drugs on the street in front of everyone, you have made it OK for people to do whatever they want. Stop asking for more money when you yourself are not even held accountable!
Don Duncan 12/5/22 10:31 AM Another tax . Will it ever end?
Kevin Shelton 12/5/22 12:16 PM Another tax? In today's economic climate? Are you joking? With food and gas prices up, you want to increase taxes. Use the money you already have and stop being soft on crime. If not, then the money you would have to be used to rebuild what the criminals would destroy. "Affordable housing"? Just another word for "slums". How are the very people you want to put in there are going to pay for it? Subsidies? Tax-payers paying their rent, groceries, and cost of living? When will you politicians realize that these things never worked. Look at Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, or any other large city. This affordable housing thing has already been tried and they failed miserably. Try healing them mentally and finding them a job so they can become a productive member of society. That is what is needed. There are jobs to be had. I keep hearing about a worker shortage. Just saying.
Sue Ann and Eddie Hamilton 12/5/22 8:06 PM Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And look! The tears of the oppressed, but they have no comforter — on the side of their oppressors there is power, but they have no comforter. Eccesiastes 4:1 Please accept our written testimony regarding Ordinance 2022-81 - Levying an Additional Sales and Use Tax of One-Tenth of One Percent for Housing and Related Services… scheduled for consideration by the Human Services Committee on 6 December 2022. To everything there is a season — we are oppressed beyond our ability — now is not the time for more burdensome obligation — but relief and comfort. People suffer with inflation teetering on the brink of recession and stagflation. Self imposed and inept supply chain capabilities limit availability of provisions and increase costs to the point of having to choose between necessities. We are severely plagued by the lagging effects of a worldwide pandemic; yet the culprit nation, stubbornly refuses attempts to determine its origin that we may more effectively combat this devastating disease, escapes any repercussions. Our children have been handed a very bleak future due to diminished education caused by extended school closures. Crime rages as elected officials prioritize criminals’ rights over public safety. Government spending continues unabated as public debt reaches historic levels committing us to generations of payments, while billions of surplus dollars idle away in state coffers. Immigration policies languished for more than 40 years recently reaching unsustainable and dangerous levels — adding to our homeless numbers. Homlessness has reached epic levels and continues to grow out of control without solutions — only attempts feining progress and providing job security for Homeless Industry Agencies. Too many more than can be listed here remain, but we believe we have been clear. — The times we live in are hard. There is no rest, Probably God chastises us for our neglect of Him. Foolish and sinful people bring God’s judgments upon themselves and then fret and complain of them. — Family rather than government is the first line of support for relatives needing help? What family reunification efforts have been made? — It is said the market won’t bear the need without offering developers incentives. So what incentives have been offered? In addition to impact fees would a requirement for a percentage of affordable housing be appropriate in addition to a higher end development? In view of the above, we cannot support Ordinance 2022-81 and urge your DO NOT RECOMMEND vote in committee. May we suggest: — Countywide Prayer Proclamation (enlist clergy - all faiths - prayer changes attitudes) — Policies encouraging family unity (tax incentives and programs etc, to encourage family reunification) — Review of Affordable Housing Policy (Aggressive recruitment of developers) — Enforcement of Public Nuisance legislation (PCC 8.08 to prevent flaunting current laws, promote safety and sanitation) — Re-establishment of vagrancy laws (RCW 9.87.010; repealed 1975, effective 1 July 1976) If We Will… Sue Ann and Eddie Hamilton 7510 208th St Ct E Spanaway, WA. 98387 253.846.8615 hamilbe5@comcast.net
Carolyn Read 12/7/22 3:40 PM Thank you for your recent passage of the Pierce County Housing Action Strategy (HAS) and the Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness (CPEH). These plans are critical to addressing the housing shortage and consequent homelessness in Pierce County. To avoid making this plan just another one on the shelf gathering dust, the plan must include county funding. I ask that you enact the local option 1/10 of one percent sales tax for housing and related services to support these plans. The estimated $20 million annually that would be generated by this local option tax would be a reliable annual funding source and would provide a local match for other funding necessary to achieve the strategies and goals of these plans. Housing shortages and skyrocketing housing prices, combined with wages that are not keeping up with those prices, have created a situation in this county where about one-third, or 100,000, households are cost-burdened. They are paying more than 30% of their income on housing and utilities. Of these, about 43,000 are paying more than 50% of their income on housing and utilities. Many people are even using credit cards for this necessity, putting their futures at risk. The greatest need for housing is among the lowest income residents. To meet these needs, the county must produce, on average, over 2,300 units per year of housing affordable at or below 50% of area median income (AMI) through the year 2044. Over half of those units are needed for households at 30% of AMI or below. We know the private market cannot solve for housing needs at this scale or at these income levels. That is why the revenue from the 1/10 of one percent tax for housing and related services is essential. It would: Allow housing developers to build homeownership and rental opportunities at a quicker scale for those earning 60% AMI and less; Allow housing developers to have access to more locally sourced equity that will be leveraged by at least five-fold and compete better for low-income housing tax credits, state Housing Trust Fund dollars and other competitive state and federal grants; Provide critical revenues for operating expenses, support services, and capital costs to implement the many strategies identified in the CPEH such as the Pierce County Village; Play a major role in building and helping operate the 1,200 new permanent supportive housing units Pierce County needs over the next 10 years. This tax would cost the average Pierce County resident very little, a penny on a $10 purchase, and it would benefit the most low-income households in the county. Without this dedicated revenue, significantly fewer housing units affordable to Pierce County families will be developed, and the county will have dramatically fewer options to address our homelessness crisis. We know you take implementation of both the HAS and CPEH plans very seriously. We know that you believe everyone deserves a safe and affordable home. Please approve this local, flexible, and dedicated revenue stream immediately so that you may begin to meaningfully address this major challenge of housing affordability and homelessness. I am happy to pay 1 Cent on $10 to be able to build the housing units needed to get people off the streets!
Carol Colleran 12/7/22 4:45 PM 2022-81 is a realistic and well thought out plan to help address all types of homelessness, from 60% AMI down to those actually living without any shelter right now. There are not enough beds in all these categories, and ignoring the problem and keeping us at status quo is not only not a solution, but there will continue to be more and more people living in cars, tents and dilapidated campers. We cannot go back and change the beginning, but we can change the ending. It is your responsibility to pass laws that provide the means to make life safe for all residents. The for-profit community cannot do this without the help from you.
Angela Schick 12/9/22 7:20 PM I oppose this ordinance. These types policies are creating the housing crisis. Taxes especially property taxes are way to high and all costs are rising, inflation is out of control. Everything has substantially gone up from food, power, gas, garbage, water, taxes everything. There will eventually be a straw that breaks the camels back. You are taking too much from working constituents to pander to the homeless. You are incentivizing their behavior and further the collapse of housing markets. There are many working family struggling according to ALICE Report by United Way pay says 31% of pierce county family are struggling. This means you are taking from too many poor families to give to poorer people. You need to come up with another solution.
Melody Atwood 12/12/22 6:42 AM I oppose Ordinance 2022-81. Raising taxes yet again is causing harm to people who are struggling to make ends meet in this difficult economy. Rather than solving the homeless crisis, you are adding to it. Tighten the County's budget, instead of asking struggling citizens to tighten theirs even more.
Daniel Atwood 12/12/22 3:45 PM Its hard to believe. It feels as if the County is finding multiple ways to oppress the working people of Pierce County. Raise our property taxes through the roof. Propose to build a homeless village on our property line to destroy our properties value and now more taxes. How are working citizens supposed to survive when their elected officials seem bent on working against them rather than working for them?
Kathy Woods 12/12/22 4:33 PM Stop the madness!!! I've done my whole life wrong. I worked for a company for 36 years.I paid my taxes, raised a family, and continue to do the right thing. After retiring I have continued to work part time in various businesses. I am now 70 and still work. I should have done what the homeless do, quit work and become homeless so I could get everything for free. It is so easy to pick on the people who do everything right. Enough is enough. I am so tired of hearing about the homeless and how us good citizens need to take care of them. Every homeless person has a family, parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, siblings; shouldn't they be first in taking care of their family? Why do I have to take care of my family and somebody else's that I don't know. Please do not do this. From a senior trying to stay a float.
Cheryl Walter 12/12/22 6:29 PM More money out of taxpayers’ pockets is not going to solve the homeless crisis in Washington. As costs rise, more and more are going to struggle to stay in their homes, and raising taxes will only make it worse. It’s obvious that throwing money at the symptoms does not work! No more taxes! Vote NO on this proposal!
Adam Schick 12/12/22 6:32 PM "Taxation Without Representation" Is The Quote For What's Going On Here. This Needs To Stop, The Prices Of Everything (Groceries, Gas, Clothing, Building Materials, Etc.) Going Up Under The Guise Of "Inflation" Is Truly Just Another TAX. For Trying To Reach In The Pockets Of People Who Work Hard To Earn Everything They Own, Just To Hand It Over For Programs Which Already Have Enough Funding Is Wrong On All Aspects. This Vote Is A Hard NO! On Another Unjust Tax Meant To Take From US And Install What WE Already Dont Want Here. VOTE NO.
Bill Sanders 12/12/22 6:52 PM With inflation so high now is not the time to increase taxes. It’s time to find ways to get to the root of homelessness and find solutions.
Rip Steckel 12/12/22 6:59 PM NO! Placing more tax on hard working middle class is what’s causing more homelessness. We can barely make payments now. This endless cycle of taxation is parallel to school taxation. It’s more more more, and we get less less less. Public school education in America is now ranked 29 th in the world and we spend more on it than those who out rank us. No more wasteful spending on bandaids. No more spending on good sound theories. No more open spending period!!!!! It’s time to plug the dam.
Brent Arnett 12/12/22 7:49 PM We left Britain due to taxation and persecution, now we have our own Government trying to due the same. We are a Constitutional Republic not a Democracy, we should not be forced to pay for all these Social Services! You want to end homelessness? Haven’t you had a war on drugs scene the 80’s? How are you doing on that? Put them in rehab and job core! Work with the 40 mil you already use!
Carla Steckel 12/12/22 9:49 PM No. Enough is enough. Let’s put money towards our law enforcement so our streets and neighborhoods can be safe again. Maybe show you can be good stewards of what you already have.
Edith Owens 12/13/22 7:38 AM I oppose Proposed Ordinance 2022-81. Raising taxes (even 1/10th of a percent) is not the answer to our problems. Addressing the root cause would be the first step , and that is understanding the reason people are homeless in the first place. I understand the desire to help, but placing the burden on the people of Pierce County who are already working and paying our taxes is not the answer. We already spend $40 million per year. How do we know that another $117 million per year will solve what we haven’t made headway in already? Our homeless population continues to grow, in part because people simply cannot afford to live in their homes. Instead of raising taxes to create affordable housing options, let’s looks at opportunities to lower taxes and costs of living so people can remain in their homes. Please vote “No” on Ordinance 2022-81.
Samuel Warren 12/13/22 7:50 AM Guys really? You think throwing more money at this will solve it? Money will not solve this problem. Your legislation, your choices to remove policing or drastically defund it, your choices to support lawless behavior is what is fueling this. I strongly oppose spending more and whatsmore, I will vote against it when it comes into voting this fall.
PennyChoward 12/13/22 8:06 AM Due to location that is in a wetland I do not support,
Amber Belanger 12/13/22 9:30 AM I understand wanting to solve the homeless issue; however, throwing more money at the situation without effective procedures in place AND further taxing those who are already struggling to meet their own expenses due to inflation is not the answer. We don’t need any more low-income housing or handouts. We need accountability and public servants to represent and listen to the people who have elected them. We have resources in place and there is money currently available, let’s put that to use and add to what we already have with the funds available. Try fundraising or asking big donors for funds. Let’s stop taking from the American middle class while we still have one. By building more and holding people accountable less, we get those who are ready to take a free handout, deem themselves not capable of taking care of themselves, and add to our already ridiculous infrastructure issues. Building more is not the answer. Taxing us more is not the answer. With the price of everything sky rocketing it is mindboggling to me that this ordnance is even on the table for discussion. Let’s make crime illegal again. Let’s stop incentivizing people to rely on the government at the expense of those who are trying to be productive members of our society. Throwing more money at this issue is just a band-aid and will solve nothing. It only makes you look good and allows you to say that you are trying to help fix the issue. The underlying issue is the lack of a nuclear family; healthy mothers and fathers being present in the lives of children. The underlying issue is that lawlessness is running rampant and criminals aren’t being held accountable. The underlying issue is drugs and the fact that users can freely shoot up at a deemed safe injection site, further perpetuating and enabling their use. The underlying is that we have defunded our police - our protectors – leaving them left with slim RCW and WAC codes to defend our cities. The underlying issue is that we have lost sight of accountability and that the blame game has run rampant. The underlying issue is that we are dumbing down our schools and our children. Instead of raising taxes, yet again, let’s look at opportunities to lower taxes and the cost of living so that people can remain in their homes, take care of their families, and provide for themselves. Please vote “NO” on Ordinance 2022-81.
Lee Ann Westwood 12/13/22 10:38 AM I do not support any tax dollars going to fund a drug camp as a next-door neighbor. How about put this camp in Olympia instead of shuffling it out to the suburbs.
John Leslie 12/13/22 10:48 AM I believe we are currently spending millions from Covid funds on this. It is high time that we recognize that homelessness is directly tied to drug addiction. Providing housing will not stop drug addiction. It will not stop shoplifting, prostitution, robbery and assault which are also symptoms of drug addiction. It is NOT compassionate to enable drug addicted people to continue in that behavior. The current bill here is misguided and will add to the expansion of the problem rather than solve it.
Mark Harp 12/13/22 11:33 AM The economic forecast looks dismal, why raise taxes when people are hurting from inflation? The Legislature already passed a REET tax increase. Why not give incentives to developers by removing some regulation?
Carol Colleran 12/13/22 11:36 AM Dec 13, 2022 Chair Young and Council Members: My name is Carol Colleran and I come before you today representing only myself and others citizens concerned about housing and serving fellow citizens of Pierce County. The County Council exists for one purpose: To make life better for all the citizens of Pierce County. Everyone includes the wealthy as well as the low income, the broken as well as the healthy, those without a safety net as well as those with strong familial and financial resources, the sick, and yes, even the drug addicted. Each is precious. Our County is on fire! Citizens are needlessly cold, sick and dying due to lack of housing. Living expenses for everyone constantly go up, but the minimum wage has not kept up with inflation. A lady I chatted with in a store this week owns a double-wide mobile home in the County, but she and her husband are selling it because the rent for just the land in their park has gone up to $1,000 per month. They plan to live in a 5th wheel. When the changes were made in the 1970’s regarding housing institutionalized adults who might be able to live outside the institution, it became the responsibility of cities and counties to provide for their minimal maintenance. But the cities and counties never picked up the full responsibility. It has been 50 years now, and the time has come for all citizens to chip in one penny on a 10-dollar purchase to help our neighbors. The Federal and State governments have been and are providing resources to help counties provide both housing and services, but it also takes local matching money to qualify for the state and federal money. Pierce County has left 168 million dollars of grant money on table for lack of 11 million dollars in matching money. This is real life and death money not currently coming to Pierce County. Criticism is often raised about a sales tax being a larger burden for the low-income folks. Our state has provided the Working Families Tax Credit so low-income people can apply to the state for a refund of sales tax based on their income. As leaders in your district, please educate your constituents as to the necessity for this minor tax. As leaders you have the power and responsibility to take positive steps to make life for all citizens better. When all citizens are safely off the streets and housed, businesspeople as well as blue collar working people, police and the medical community, and the regular citizens like me, will thank and congratulate you for putting people first over ideology. Thank you.
Carol Stevens 12/13/22 12:55 PM pls vote NO on this proposal....adding taxes on people who are overtaxed as it is will just add MORE people to the homeless population
Heather 12/13/22 1:52 PM No. No more taxation. Hardworking people are already suffering to stay afloat. Stop letting drugs be legal and stop letting criminals get away with stuff and use the money youre already taking to make better rehabilitation centers. Stay on budget and stop wasting money.
Sara Bradley 12/13/22 2:50 PM I oppose 22-81.
Nancy Slotick 12/13/22 4:00 PM I oppose the levying of an additional on-tenth of one percent sales and use tax. Sales tax is a regressive tax and disproportionately impacts those with lower income. People are already suffering with rising prices from high rates of inflation. Increasing sales tax will further increase those prices and the cost of living. Additionally, it is important to remember that sales taxes not only increase the cost of goods and services, but also increase the cost of building ALL housing, whether single family homes or multi-unit apartments and complexes. Pierce County already has higher sales tax than 80.8% of all Washington Counties and municipalities. Prioritizing affordable housing is important, but we need to find a way to achieve that through careful management of existing revenue sources and not by increasing sales taxes.
Sandy & debbie Williamson 12/13/22 6:35 PM is there no end to increasing sales tax when it is already highest in the nation. figure out something else to cut to live within your means just like we do.
Toni Smith 12/14/22 1:23 AM I Oppose the # 2022-81. NO more money. Work with what you have. Plus, what happened to the Federal funding that was given during COVID?
Gaylen Russell 12/17/22 7:56 AM Mrs. Cruver; I am opposed to the .01% or any other new tax you folks have planned to in your words end homelessness. I worked at the Salvation Army as an attendant and at the Tacoma Rescue Mission as director for a combined time of 13 years. I can tell you with authority that there is no cure for homelessness it is a symptom of a deeper illness. We don’t take Nyquil to cure a cold we take it to hide the symptoms we just let the disease run its course. Taxing the productive citizens, the ones who are responsible for your job, to give freebies to others is immoral. Your function is to maintain roads, infrastructure and public security. Another tax will only increase the cost of living and hinder life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Thank you, G. Russell
Kathy Warnke 1/9/23 5:47 PM We should not be taxed for a project that will not be effective and is quite frankly, headed for failure.
Barry 1/10/23 6:11 PM The Community was forced to watch a video at Sprinkler of how the Texas village may become self sufficient by actually providing a service. If their model is actually the blue print then the village being forced upon Spanaway should also be self sufficient. There is no reason to tax thousands of Spanaway tax payers when the 300 being provided free housing can provide for the village needs by working.
Bonnie J Johnson 1/12/23 3:28 PM How do we stop this corrupt, illegal building of this micro city?! I have been passing out flyers to everyone! Th public is irrate!No one wants this and the city council needs to held accountable! They need to be fired!
Lee Ann Westwood 1/18/23 12:09 PM Are you kidding me! Another tax? You tax us and we the people get nothing in return except more problems in the community not less. Make better spending decisions in the first place like the rest of us have to.
Carol Colleran 1/19/23 10:29 PM Th Proposed Ordinance 2022-81 is fiscally responsible and smart legislation for both the housed and unhoused. Please support it unanimously. Thank you.
Jerry Roxbury 1/24/23 6:46 PM This is BS building a homeless village in Spanaway so Tacoma and the other 6 districts have a place to dump their homeless population in unincorporated Spanaway, I hope Amy Cruver doesn’t vote for this she is Spanaway’s representative if she does we will hold her accountable and also any other council member that votes for dumping on rural Spanaway, build it in Tacoma their liberal policies created the homeless problems.
Michelle Ash 3/6/23 6:29 PM Another tax increase-STOP! Vote no on this ordinance!
Shana Veillette 3/6/23 7:51 PM Stop the Crazyness,we have some of the highest taxes in the country. Our Counsel and lawmakers need to be more accountable with the programs we already have, and the spending. It seen we don't get anywhere and yet here we are with yet again with another tax. Just stop targeting hard working people and already pay huge taxes we have family's and bills,food and gas. All of which have gone up. This has to stop and need to happen now.
ramdas vaidyanathan 3/6/23 9:02 PM My wife and me became citizens less than a year ago. Having friends and relatives in San Francisco, Portland and NY City, having had conversations with them, has made me realize that the more services you give only attracts more drug addicts and dealers. It is a vicious cycle that destroys communities and families very quickly. Having lived in Pierce County since 2003, and having seen the slow decline in law and order as well as other things detrimental to living a clean and happy life… and having been very Liberal in my outlook all these year, I fear that doing this is the first step to disaster. If this Council votes this tax, there will be more and more taxes that will follow. My wife and me and our friends and relatives are willing to flip the way we vote, maybe to bring some sanity and balance in this State if this continues. So please heed my plea, and iam a person of color as well as an immigrant. No new taxes, no invitation to addicts.
John Leslie 3/6/23 9:58 PM Back in April 2022 I received an e-mail from Marty Campbell noting “We invested $253 million for myriad homeless and affordable housing strategies” Its time to end this madness. The premise of Ordinance 2022-81s is inverted. Thinking that providing housing will end drug addiction has clearly not worked. Nor will it ever. There is no compassion in providing anything for drug addicted people other than forced treatment. Drug addicts are truly helpless. It is virtually impossible for them to choose treatment on their own. The truly compassionate response to someone killing themselves is to make the choice for them. Anything less than that is helping them to kill themselves or at minimum helping them to become permanently mentally incapacitated. It is time to finally stop spending money making things worse and in doing so, implicating the citizens of Pierce County in the destruction of so many helpless souls. Please do not vote for Ordinance 2022-81s.
Jeneen Breshears 3/7/23 8:01 AM Step 1. Restore law and order NOW. Good morning. The political leaders of this state have become accustomed to reaching into the pockets of the taxpayers and taking what they want to fund program after program with little to no positive results. I completed over 21 years of military service in late 2020 and moved back to Washington state while my husband continues his local work in Puyallup. The decline I have observed since 2011 when I was first stationed here is steep, abysmal, and disheartening. It is the very demonstration of all these failed programs that our money is being taken to subsidize. Driving from my home to nearly anywhere in the county (let alone the state), the highways are littered with trash from the vagrants living in tents anywhere they want. Graffiti covers buildings and road signs. Vagrants steal from stores and other businesses with no thought to any consequence. I never thought I would live in a place where I would see a half-naked man sitting on the side of the road shooting drugs into his arm in the middle of the day. Yet here we are, and the first thing I think of is NOT "Wow, more money will definitely fix this problem." Despite being taxed to death while our political leaders spout the language that lulls people into acceptance of these conditions, the problems not only persist but are worsening by the day. You do not deserve our livelihoods. Vagrants (they're not homeless if their car or tent is their home and police need a warrant to search it even when the occupant just shot someone with a long rifle) do not deserve our livelihoods to fund theirs. Many "homeless encampments" are simply government funded drug dens. Are drugs fueling the mental health crisis or is untreated mental health fueling the drug crisis? I don't know. What I do know is that I don't want my livelihood taken to fund programs to support either. Be efficient and produce results. Maybe then, we will not be inclined to slap away the hand that reaches out for more, more, more, more, more. We work, we take care of our property, we contribute to society through volunteerism and other types of support. There is no justification for allowing socialism in America. It's not how we became successsful and it's not how we're going to remain successful. Step 2: See Step 1.
Amber Stol 3/7/23 8:43 AM Please vote NO to raising tax
Samuel Stol 3/7/23 8:47 AM Please vote NO to raising tax
Candace Estruth 3/7/23 8:49 AM Please vote NO to tax increase
Lisa Olson 3/7/23 8:51 AM Do not raise anymore taxes. Solve the problem another way. First, Re-criminalize drug possession, spend the budget you already have, decre you already have. No more tax increases!!!
Shiban Williamson 3/7/23 8:58 AM Quit wasting my money!!
Lisa Olson 3/7/23 9:01 AM Please replace previous typo filled response with this response: Do not raise anymore taxes in Pierce County. Solve the problem another way. First, work with legislation and Country Prosecutor Robinette to re-criminalize drug possession. Also, cut unnecessary County headcount and responsibly spend the budget you already have. No more tax increases as we are tapped out here in Pierce County! Please listen to the people of Pierce County and stop with tax increase proposals. Thank you for listening. Sincerely, Lisa Olson
Steve McCoy 3/7/23 9:01 AM When has any public housing produced a positive benefit to the community? Please reference examples. Public housing results in drug infested slums. This is a misguided effort that will result in increased mental health issues and increased crime. Oppose this Ordinance.
Betty Rust 3/7/23 9:08 AM Use your current budget. We citizens are getting tired of more and more taxes with unfulfilled promises. Surely you can use the dollars already available without constantly picking our pockets little by little.
Samuel Warren 3/7/23 9:22 AM Council Members, I urge you to stop this. The people of our country are already suffering under the effects from covid lockdowns, supply chain issues, the war in Ukraine, Congress eating money that they didn't have for stupid initiatives that didn't work. Adding more taxes is not the answer. The state itself was at a surplus, more taxes is not the answer. I urge you to vote no.
Suzanne Ramsdell 3/7/23 9:23 AM Instead of throwing more money at a problem work to actually solve the problem.
Josh C Harris 3/7/23 9:27 AM The mismanagement of funds under the name of homelessness and drug addiction has been played out. You have had millions of dollars spent in the name of homelessness and drug addiction with minimal success to show for it. Show us you know how to manage money and how to apply good policy on accountability and then come ask for more money. You'll see you don't need it
Jeremy Wolfson 3/7/23 9:29 AM 2022-81 Absolutely no! Poor decision to throw more money at a problem that’s funded and mismanaged..
Martin Lehman 3/7/23 9:33 AM Absolutely not! These increases in our taxes to fund homelessness/ drug addiction are NOT working! I own a small business and can currently count 5 homeless people in our parking lot. We constantly find used needles, people passed out in cars, we see drugs being used/sold and 2 weeks ago we had a break in where these drug addicts were on camera only stealing things which they could sell quickly for cash. With nothing being done by now we all know that you will not be doing anything constructive with added funds! Start doing better with how much you currently have/are taking to try to rebuild our safety and what little trust we have in you!
Melissa Elder 3/7/23 9:34 AM I urge you to stop this! Our friends and family are already suffering under the effects of the past two years and how the administration has been running our atate and nation. Adding more taxes is NOT the answer! The state itself was at a surplus, more taxes is not the answer. I urge you to vote no.
Aaron bedker 3/7/23 9:38 AM Stop wasting our money. Recriminalize drug possession so the prosecutor has a deterrent to push these poor addicts into rehab
Mark Harp 3/7/23 9:40 AM Why would you even consider raising taxes when so many people are struggling with inflation? 1st prove to me that the existing taxes are working to end homelessness.
Codi Brownson 3/7/23 9:44 AM raising taxes at the county level while already having millions that haven't helped and while the state has raised taxes added more taxes and the inflation will not help homeless that want to be homeless or addicts that refuse to help themselves is not the answer to the homeless problem in the county if it was Seattle would have no homeless and the state of WA would have zero homeless taxes already do nothing to help those that refuse to help themselves.
Kelsey Stock 3/7/23 9:45 AM No tax without representation (1778) this quote was quoted then and it will be quoted now. If millions are already being spent on this why spend more of tax payers money on something that isn’t working? My husband works all over Washington state and tells us about all of the “nice” homeless encampments all around the state. Why spend more when it seems like they don’t want to be helped.
Marilyn Bennett 3/7/23 9:46 AM It is high time that we recognize that homelessness is directly tied to drug addiction. Providing housing will not stop drug addiction. It will not stop shoplifting, prostitution, robbery and assault which are also symptoms of drug addiction. It is NOT compassionate to enable drug addicted people to continue in that behavior. The current bill here is misguided and will add to the expansion of the problem rather than solve it. If the drug addicts can live in buildings where there are no behavior requirements as to their drug usage they have no motivation to change their life style. The drug addicts that I have personally tried to help made more money than me but spent it on drugs instead of housing. I discovered I was hurting them and myself by "HELPING" them. They needed things to get bad enough to WANT change. The tax increase on the working citizens may lead to more homelessness. It will definitely increase the cost of housing too.
Joseph Harper 3/7/23 9:47 AM The tiny village plan is going to just increase crime and drugs into our neighborhoods. To increased taxes for it is just adding salt to a wound. You refuse to address the real issue, drug abuse, and think throwing more money at the problem is the solution? Washington spends more on homelessness than nearly every other state and the problem is getting worse. That is shear insanity and poor stewardship of the public trust.
Sarah Cline 3/7/23 9:51 AM Oppose
Marilyn Bennett 3/7/23 9:52 AM It is high time that we recognize that homelessness is directly tied to drug addiction. Providing housing will not stop drug addiction. It will not stop shoplifting, prostitution, robbery and assault which are also symptoms of drug addiction. It is NOT compassionate to enable drug addicted people to continue in that behavior. The current bill here is misguided and will add to the expansion of the problem rather than solve it. If the drug addicts can live in buildings where there are no behavior requirements as to their drug usage they have no motivation to change their life style. The drug addicts that I have personally tried to help made more money than me but spent it on drugs instead of housing. I discovered I was hurting them and myself by "HELPING" them. They needed things to get bad enough to WANT real change. The tax increase on the working citizens may lead to more homelessness. It will definitely INCREASE the cost of housing for EVERYONE and make housing more UNAFFORDABLE too. It will make drug usage/addiction more AFFORDABLE for the addicts.
Angelina 3/7/23 9:53 AM What about homeless enforcement . The camps breed more crime, drugs and lawlessness. Why would we want to support this???
Melinda Schou 3/7/23 9:57 AM As a hard working tax payer in this county, I oppose yet another tax hike. Instead of pulling yet more money from the people of this county struggling to live with the ever increasing cost of living, time should be spent analyzing why the existing programs are not working. Millions of dollars have been spent in this county and state on this, and the problem has gotten worse, not better. Pierce county needs to take more responsibility in how they are spending the money they already have, not just throw more money at the problem. We as citizens are tired of Pierce County not being held accountable for the out of control spending. Use what you have in a better fashion. Listen to the people you are suppose to represent.
Jim Myers 3/7/23 10:00 AM Useless. What happens when you feed pigeons? I'd rather spend my money on a special election to replace you with someone with more common sense. There are jurisdictions that deal successfully with this and jurisdictions that have failed. You are on the wrong path. See you on election day.
Brittney Jacobsen 3/7/23 10:04 AM Our taxes are already too high and putting extra pressure on families is unnecessary but especially during this time of inflation and impending recession. Also, putting extra stress and pressure on small businesses is absolutely horrible and will ensure that businesses either fail or move out of this state.
Jennifer Beaty 3/7/23 10:09 AM NO to new taxes! The homelessness epidemic has received millions and millions of dollars for years - and this money has been wasted time and time again. No. Use the money you have in an honorable way. Cut useless spending. I will not support higher taxes just to have increased tents on our sidewalks and encampments in our parks. There has not been a feasible proposal given to taxpayers that would outline the plan going forward. No more money until accountability happens. No more money until a reasonable proposal is given, accepted by the taxpayers, and those in charge are held accountable for the plan's success. Vote NO to this bill! Use the money we have given you over the years with the promise of solving the problem. This is must more of the same. Empty promises. No, no, no.
Allen Jones 3/7/23 10:09 AM I am adamantly opposed to the tax increase. The cost of living through taxes is already onerous and borderline immoral. This issue may need to be addressed, but reallocating current revenues, not increase taxes. NO to this ordinance.
Michele Stephens 3/7/23 10:16 AM The citizens of PC have already lost their trust in your ability to make wise, prudent decisions with our tax payer dollars. Paying sales tax at 10.3% is atrocious and you want MORE if our tax dollars to ‘help’ those that do NOT want to be helped! Have you forgotten that citizens have property taxes and IRS payments due in April? Are you compleoblind to the fact that hyperinflation in Washington state has caused the cost of living to become untenable for MANY living here? If I had the power to fire/remove EVERY council member in PC from their positions right now, I would NOT hesitate! None of you have shown us that you have the ability, capacity or willingness to make decisions that serve the WHOLE of this community properly and justly. We can not sustain an increased sales tax. FIND ways to divert the funds you already have and repurpose them to accomplish these new goals you have of ‘trying’ to fix a broken problem that can’t be fixed. Do the right thing. Your convictions tell you what is RIGHT but all you ever do is ignore them.
Wayne Ogilvy 3/7/23 10:19 AM Please stop throwing money at the homeless/drug problem, All this does is bring in more homeless from other areas because "we" give away better free stuff. Thanks for your consideration.
Jami Weaver 3/7/23 10:21 AM I am 100% opposed to raising taxes to provide more money for this proposal. Instead, use the existing money…audit where and what it is truly being spent on. Every dollar should be accounted for and a majority of that should go directly to the services needed. We know this is not the case. More money doesn’t help. Holding people, companies, organizations, etc accountable for the money they have been given does. Stop the insanity! No more taxes!!
Bill Sanders 3/7/23 10:22 AM Learn how to utilize the resources that are currently available instead of throwing more money away.
Cheryl Isley 3/7/23 10:32 AM I oppose this proposal. Millions of dollars are already being spent to fund homeless and drug addiction services.
Linda Siegel 3/7/23 10:33 AM How do you plan to incentivize drug addicts and those who prefer to live on the street to participate in these programs?? At the same time, WA State Democrats have made it less likely that people can be incentivized by Law Enforcement to participate in rehab programs! You’re working against each other, this is crazy! Unless you submit a clearly delineated Plan of how you will spend this ostensible $20M payment (regressive no less) from US the public—complete with SPECIFIC goals and methods as well as mechanisms to evaluate whether those goals have been achieved, we will not support it. Joe and Linda Siegel, Fox Island
Edie Owens 3/7/23 10:36 AM Please vote no on this proposal. Raising taxes will not solve the homelessness crisis. We must find a better solution.
Joan Sanders 3/7/23 10:38 AM Please vote no to tax increase. Gas is high, Eggs and groceries in general are high, Enough is enough!
Theresa Pfeiffer 3/7/23 10:44 AM We spend enough money on. Use the taxes that are allocated. If you keep taxing people you are going to increase homelessness. Folks are losing hope.
Monica Jacobson 3/7/23 10:45 AM The current programs aren’t working, don’t throw more money at failing programs! Let there be accountability, stop enabling criminal behavior! Allow law enforcement to do their jobs and get rid of prosecutors who DON’T do their job. FIX what legislators BROKE!!!
Zac Mohar 3/7/23 10:48 AM This is NOT ok! Stop punishing hardworking citizens for your poor ability to lead our county!! Stop spending OUR money to make our communities homeless drug and crime havens!! We The People are opposed to your proposal!!!!
Leah Amyakar 3/7/23 10:49 AM With so many families in Pierce County experiencing financial difficulty due to increased costs of living, we should not be increasing the sales and use tax. I oppose Ordinance 2022-81. While helping to provide housing for the homeless is a worthy endeavor, it can be done without increasing taxes. Please return to the drawing board to readjust the current budget. As more money has been devoted to solve this issue taxpayers have seen little improvements which indicates a lack of accountability. A viable housing plan must also include adequate safety and policing for the public as well as counseling programs for the addicted population. I am against this ordinance and ask that you oppose it for the good of the greater good of our communities.
Linda Ader 3/7/23 10:51 AM The State has plenty of revenue already to assist with homelessness and does not need additional funds for this. Also, the private sector should be leveraged for addressing this issue, rather than the taxpayer. Please do not pass this ordinance.
Joshua Hardwick 3/7/23 10:53 AM This sales tax will increase homelessness and drug use in our communities. It penalizes regular citizens and gives us more of what we don't want. Wrong idea.
Gwen Morse 3/7/23 11:00 AM We have already paid out too much money on this issue, with it becoming a money-grab.
Scott Berry 3/7/23 11:04 AM I recommend you OPPOSE Ordinance 2022-81s. Homelessness is primarily mental health and drug addiction problem. Millions have already been allocated to the homeless issue and it appears little progress has been made. Throwing more money at ineffective programs is not likely to make any improvement. Change the drug enforcement laws to allow the police to arrest drug addicts. Many recovered addicts have told their stories about how they finally got serious about getting sober & clean after being arrested. Work with the money that has already been allocated to homelessness and find more effective solutions please.
Nicole 3/7/23 11:09 AM I urge you to vote against this. The homeless problem is more mental health and drug addiction. The state already funds homeless with millions of our tax payer dollars. No more
Martha Bowman 3/7/23 11:12 AM No. More. Taxes. It's already been demonstrated that the money already had for such issues has not and is not being used effectively. More dollars siphoned off of hardworking citizens will not make floundering approaches and flailing programs more effective. People that don't want to be in the streets accept help. There are those whose addictions supercede all else. They should not be shuffled around or coddled. Their addictions need to be treated, not fed and supported. There needs to be mandatory rehab or incarceration for drug/alcohol fueled offenses. Stop making us pay even more for your failings.
Amber Belanger 3/7/23 11:16 AM Please vote NO on this piece of legislation. Homelessness is primarily a mental health and drug addiction issue. Throwing more money at something that enables and perpetuates the same exact cycle will not fix the problem. Another option, than just taxing us more, is to allow law enforcement to enforce the law and arrest those who break it. The lawlessness is a key factor in the homelessness crisis we find ourselves in. Please go back to the drawing board and come up with a solution that doesn't involve additional tax on the law abiding citizens.
Kristi Merritt 3/7/23 11:38 AM Stop wasting our tax dollars!!! Throwing money at the homelessness issue has not helped, why continue the same strategy that doesn’t work??? Try a mandate of treatment, after all the government didn’t seem to mind mandating things during Covid…… oh, but that’s right, government only madantes things on law abiding citizens.
Elizabeth Perry 3/7/23 11:41 AM Clearly the current management of our tax money isn’t up to par. You cannot continuously tax to solve the problem. We are trying to be one the cleanest and lowest emission states which I am all for, but how does that work when our state and cities allow homeless to litter all over our beautiful land. I understand the housing price increase but we have to have parameters. How our governments can stand by and tout their care for the environment and human beings then allow this to occur is baffling. Taxing us won’t fix the issues. Some just want to be homeless and don’t want treatment so how do we allow non-stop, increased taxes as citizens thinking that will solve the problem. Our leniency on crime if committed by someone with alcohol or drug problems also doesn’t help. It fosters the increase in crime because in turn the criminals know the leniency. There are many facets to alcoholism, addiction, crime, and homelessness. Many are inter-related. Taxation isn’t always the answer. We have to look at other states and see how they handle it because I have traveled all over the US and Washington by far has the biggest addiction issues yet have the highest taxes and others have way less taxes and absolutely do not have this issue. Even corporations here pay a homeless tax. I agree we need some action to help the dire situation but increased tax is not it. I am also very sympathetic towards those with drug and alcohol issues because I have lost a sister to addiction so please do something but look at management of funds, other states, crime etc it’s very sad to drive down the road and see our beautiful state lined with homeless and trash. Many on drugs yelling at the sky or having mental breakdowns. If you want to allow homelessness then by all means provide trash bins and services because it’s not ok to excuse littering whether they have mental /drug/alcohol issues. Needles, feces, and the pollution homelessness causes. Something has to give though, taxes will not be the solution because I guarantee we will be right back here again soon. The request for tax increase.
Abigail Sodano 3/7/23 11:57 AM Strongly oppose! We already have the highest sales tax rate and yet the homeless situation has gotten worse. Stop punnishing the hardworking, contributing memnbers of society, while supoorting those who refuse to obtain treatment (mental health and substance abuse treatment via free medical care) and continue to choose not to work and be a burden on society. Providing housing without enforcing lawful behavior supoorted by required treatment is a waste of time and money, this has been proven repeatedly. Vote no!
Victoria 3/7/23 12:45 PM This is a complete waste of more funds! Let’s use the funds to get treatment for these addicts and mentally ill people, and get them the help that they need. Please stop wasting more funds that get no results. I oppose 22-81!
Janet Wolff 3/7/23 12:49 PM I oppose any tax increases. Families are already struggling enough with high has and grocery prices. This is burdensome on low income families.
Monica Wingfield 3/7/23 12:51 PM More money is not the answer to our homelessness issue. Creativity and smarter problem solving with the millions that already goes to this is what we need. Vote no on Proposed Ordinance No. 2022-81s.  
Linda Reeff 3/7/23 12:52 PM I strongly oppose this bill.
Stephanie Sanchez 3/7/23 12:55 PM Nothing you all seem to be doing is helping. Just in the last week my family and I came across another homeless encampment right off of the freeway near 72nd in Tacoma. It was awful, with their trash strewn everywhere, and they had even taken the liberty of parking their vehicles on the hill that staked their tents to, where everyone could see them. You are ruining our cities and our state with your policies by allowing these people to live wherever they want, however they want. Instead of taking more of our money to feed your bad policies, how about you give us our money back for having to put up with your bad policies. And money used going forward should come out of your own overpaid pockets.
Marci Nelson 3/7/23 1:01 PM I highly oppose this tax increase. Taxing good working people is not the answer to the homeless problem. We are taxed enough. What happened to not raising our taxes? Washington is beginning to look more and more like CA. May God help us all!
Joanie Ortiz 3/7/23 1:03 PM Strongly oppose! After discussing this with my 3x “drug rehabbed”. Now on the right path! Thanks be to God. He says you give a homeless, drug addict a place to live freely and money and they will hit the streets immediately and use it for drugs and purchase to resell. Throwing ANY money at this with no research to prove this will FIX the problem!!! Pure stupidity!!! The people here are all in agreement! Listen to the people here and stealing our hard earned money just because we are a home owner and stealing our property tax money because you can!0
Kim Armit 3/7/23 1:17 PM I vote no on increased taxes.
Frank Smith 3/7/23 1:21 PM We people in Washington are already struggling with a housing crisis, we don’t need more taxes to be charged on us to make these things even more expensive.
Sara Conrad 3/7/23 1:47 PM I oppose ordinance No. 2022-81s. I believe we are already seeing lower income brackets struggling and at the brink of homelessness and increasing taxes will only make it harder on them, in turn causing more of homelessness issue. AND since the programs that this would fund only will help people that are sleeping in the elements on the streets and not people about to loose their homes I see it as a disadvantage. I also would like to see us utilize existing resources more efficiently so that we may save the hard working taxpayers from anymore tax increases. I feel that some oversight needs to be done as well, I have heard of Millions of dollars being spent to address homelessness in Pierce County yet whenever I am trying to get someone experiencing homelessness or drug addiction it is near impossible to find them somewhere to get help.
Lance Montgomery 3/7/23 1:50 PM Please stop this proposed tax. We pay enough taxes and more tax dollars won't solve the problem.
Lance Montgomery 3/7/23 1:55 PM Please oppose this proposed tax. We pay more than enough taxes already. More tax dollars will not solve the homeless problem. We need less government involvement and more churches, charities, and non-governmental organizations working this issue.
Jon Castle 3/7/23 2:02 PM BUREAUCRACY WILL WASTE FUNDS! NEVER FAILS!
Carla Steckel 3/7/23 2:07 PM Enough is enough. Oppose this legislation.
Linda wojciechowski 3/7/23 2:09 PM HELL NO
David Buckler 3/7/23 2:09 PM No new taxes. We’re already over taxed. I’m 66 my wife is 62 we both want to retire but can’t. We help our kids and grandkids and pay more than our fair share of taxes. I’m self employed our family is planning on moving to another state.
Loren Wright 3/7/23 2:10 PM Politicians like to paint this as a 'homeless' problem ignoring the reality that it is an ADDICTION problem. Pierce County needs a comprehensive Mental Health facility. This bandaid is a waste of time and money.
Carol Krona 3/7/23 2:13 PM Vote NO on this tax increase!!!
Holly Bedient 3/7/23 2:17 PM Please do NOT raise our taxes anymore. What can you show for the money you have already taken from citizens? How is spending more going to help? I implore you to be wise stewards of what you already have!
Lurene Muckley 3/7/23 2:27 PM Washington taxpayers cannot sustain your tax and spend mentality. Throwing money at a problem never fixes the problem. This will only encourage more of the same. This is not helpful or compassionate. Please oppose.
Louise Gessner 3/7/23 2:32 PM No more taxes! We need accountability on all the funds already spent on homelessness.
Wally Emberson-Nash 3/7/23 2:34 PM Surely we have already given enough for you to handle these issues. Along with all of us, your county citizens, you are going to have to work with less. The practice will do you good!
Terri J Kruger 3/7/23 2:37 PM We already have one of the highest tax rates in the country. Please don’t increase our taxes again. The current funding should be better spent, and the current methods of dealing with homelessness are not working.
Keith Henderson 3/7/23 2:41 PM Enforce the laws we have. Pass a law for mandatory rehab or be thrown in jail for vagrantancy. Make it illegal to put up encampment.
Linda Legg 3/7/23 2:46 PM I do not support this tax increase that will do little to nothing to reduce or eliminate the problem. Go back to the drawing board and eliminate waste within the county. Council does not support taxpayers rather the council continuously abuse and demonstrates a complete lack of responsibility by attempting to shame taxpayers to take more money out of their individual budgets. I too am struggling with the increasing prices for food, fuel, shelter, water, and heat. For the council to bring a one sided proposal to taxpayers to give a little more to help those less fortunate without any accountability tells me nothing good will happen, again. Thanks but no thanks.
Sarah Garriott 3/7/23 2:53 PM Please oppose any tax increases in a time of such great inflation. Families are hurting just to put food on the table. Be compassionate. Be wise, and take a pause in tax increases. Thank you
Rhonda Kvamme 3/7/23 2:58 PM Stop the bleed. Who pays for the clean up after the homeless have been cleared? Who restores the small local business after they’ve been run out by the homeless? What happens to us when we can no longer afford to pay for these programs?
Matt Rusnak 3/7/23 3:42 PM No! Another tax not supported by the majority of residents.
Shelly Smith 3/7/23 3:44 PM Please oppose the proposal for this increase in sales and use tax. We are taxed too much right now as it is and throwing more money at the homelessness problem is not working.
Douglas Decker 3/7/23 4:30 PM NO.
Jessica Gessner 3/7/23 4:46 PM I strongly disagree with this proposal. Working families are already taxed and stretched to the limit with inflation and rising gas and energy fees. Throwing away more of our hard earned money is NOT the answer. There is zero accountability with these funds and we are fed up with the obscure ideas of this admin.
Tina Vidrine 3/7/23 4:59 PM Now is not the time to raise sale taxes or any tax. People are hurting financially. Food and gas are very expensive. We as tax payers shouldn’t have to pay for the homeless. If this continues more will be homeless, because we can’t afford to live.
Joe 3/7/23 5:55 PM Millions of dollars have been spent already. No more.
Sharon Eide 3/7/23 8:36 PM I oppose proposal 2022-81
Jon Higley 3/7/23 10:34 PM This is insanity!!! Apparently, I've planned my whole life only to take care of those I don’t even know. I went to college, paid off my debts, bought a house and worked for 40 years. I’ve paid my taxes, raised responsible children, and continue to follow the laws. I am now 69, yet you want to impose another tax on us to take care of someone I don’t even know. I’m realizing now that I should have done what the homeless do, quit working earlier and become homeless so I could take advantage of all the free services you offer. I’m getting the impression that you feel those who have followed the “rules” should let you signal your virtue about helping the homeless. It’s not working! Enough is enough. I am so tired of hearing about the homeless and how us good citizens need to take care of them. Why do I have to take care of my family and somebody else's I don't even know. It’s wrong that the council is even considering this. The financial impact on seniors who are trying to stay afloat, along with all the other rising costs due to inflation, is just plain nuts! Find another solution!
Melissa Morehart 3/8/23 10:06 AM Putting this burden on law abiding taxpayers will soon leave US homeless, because we won't be able to afford to live our lives in a secure and comfortable fashion. Adding money to the coffers will NOT solve the problem. It only enables the drug-addicted and homeless to continue their lifestyle. Why would they want to lift themselves out of their current state when it is paid for by the the working taxpayers who chose NOT to live that way.
Brandon Beynon 3/8/23 11:15 AM It’s high time we stop throwing money into the bottomless pit know as the homelessness crisis. What we need to be doing is increasing programs to get these people the help they need for mental health and addiction issues. You can build all the homes in the world and it won’t solve a thing until we’ve started to work on curing the issue that caused the homelessness. I do not support any new taxation on this issue as the money we’ve spent on it mostly goes to the wrong places. Spend our tax dollars in a more productive manner first. Force these people and the system to TREAT ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
Sandra Hewett 3/8/23 3:50 PM I am tired of paying for rehab and services for folks that are repeat offenders or who will not want to help themselves. I'm all for helping up but not wasting efforts. I work hard for what I have and want those receiving services to as well. We are not a nanny state
Leslie DeRoche 3/8/23 5:03 PM No. We are in a time of rising inflation that is hurting families. This is not the time to raise taxes further. The sales tax is a percentage so as prices rise with inflation the tax we are paying has already risen. If anything you should be working for the people to decrease the tax rates collected. Since you are already getting more with the rise of inflation you should use that.
Steven Cool 3/8/23 5:55 PM Taxes are getting too high for those who are on limited income. Also there have already been sufficient funds used to try to resolve this problem. However, the problem will not be resolved until mental health and drug treatments are enforced on people who do not voluntarily accept housing that is available.
Ron Harrison 3/8/23 6:16 PM If you had used our tax money wisely we might consider another tax hike But since you do not use our money we already give well then NO
Sandra Kord 3/8/23 6:53 PM PLEASE!!!!! OPPOSE THIS!
Dan Buckley 3/8/23 7:37 PM Proposed Ordinance 2022-81s Everyone has good intentions when others have to pay for it. Only one-tenth of one percent sales tax may not sound like a lot - but we have countless things like this now that have sky-rocketed our sales tax to above 10 percent now. They never have the intended benefits - just creates more bureaucracy. Tax payers are at their limit - beyond their limit actually. I am FIRMLY against this ordinance. It should have never made it this far.
James Greeves 3/8/23 7:46 PM Let me see if I understand this first you threaten to take my house for an airport that no one but the politicians and business’s want. Now you want to raise taxes again, you all need to learn to work with the funds you have, I don’t get to keep over drawing my bank account then just ask for more.
Connie stanzak 3/9/23 1:23 AM Instead of raising taxes again why not go looking for the 1billion dollars that is missing with the audit that was done. We the people should have a say. I vote NO. And in regards to the other bills your trying to pass one of which is taking the voice away from the people about voting about taxes I vote No for that too. The US Marshall should be removing you people from office for the robbery you are doing in this state. We are sovereign people and you are there to work for the people.
Ralph Bingham 3/9/23 4:09 AM Your proposing to raise taxes to help homelessness. These people don't want to be housed. They do not want to follow any rules that will be required to follow to live in the provided housing. This is another useless tax on top of the many that this county and state are burdening on the middle class taxpayers. I oppose and I'll be sure to vote you out of office come the next election.
Carol A Vargison 3/9/23 7:33 AM I agree with all of the remarks that have been said except for a choice few. Vote NO on any new taxes period. Get rid or reduce the free program's in this state, this is why we have such a problem, why go anywhere else ? if this working for the homeless then why do these people continue to leave a store with a new tv and not even be stopped ? Because they can, and no one stops them to which in turn makes the stores we shop at to increase their prices and you want to add more taxes ? This madness needs to stop and show your accountability instead of wanting more, why can't you give more back ? We raise or try to teach our kids to be held we teach our kids to do the right thing, but when our kids ask why is he leaving the store, he didn't pay for it ? We are teaching them that this behavior is ok ! You are teaching them that if you become homeless this is what we/state will give you ! The sense of entitlement has got to stop and it stops without the increase of taxes at this time of need for the citizens who continue to do the right thing !! All i have to say is Are you people high ? Stop adding insult injury and stop the new or existing programs that obviously NOT working ! And to give you alittle example; I used to feed the squirrels at the parks, my home, and I have been doung thos for awhile, when I first started a big bag of peanuts cost me only 9 dollars that same bag of peanuts went up to 19.99 a bag !! What the hell ? But at least I know that the squirrels are getting something !! Please Vote NO !!
Chris Chisholm 3/9/23 8:21 AM I'm in favor of this 1/10 of 1% tax to address homelessness caused by mental health issues. One of the reasons the problem in Pierce County is as bad as it is is that we didn't do this many years ago when almost all the other counties in the state did - even little rural ones. Now we have to play catch-up on multiple fronts, and this will help. I applaud the sponsors of the bill, and encourage you to stand strong doing the right thing.
John Graham 3/9/23 8:55 AM Hay--go ahead and raise taxes all you want ---jus=t ONE OF THE REASONS I AM RELOCATING TO A SANER STATE VERY SOON!
Ken Wade 3/9/23 8:58 AM Does no one understand that there is an endless supply of homeless people in this country, and that if you housed every one of them currently in the state of Washington, the streets would be full again within a week, as news went out that all you have to do is show up and the local taxpayers will feed, clothe, and house you? Raising sales tax has the most telling effect on the poorest among us. It cuts into their resources more than the well-off. If you believe that expanding the current strategy will work, please see the information at fixhomelessness.org. Giving away housing has NEVER worked. There need to be incentives and expectations for people to get off the street. I worked with a homelessness organization in California, and with proper incentives and expectations, lives can be turned around. But just giving away free housing and having no expectations is counterproductive.
Dean Bateman 3/9/23 9:08 AM RE: Proposed Ordinance No. 2022-81s: My God! You want to raise the sales tax again???!!! It's already higher than most states! Do you know that some states have NO SALES TAX?
Carol Stevens 3/9/23 9:23 AM NO, do not force yet another blatant "tax" for the "homeless" on their victims....Pierce County is already forcing a village less than a mile from my house and they do whatever they want now so NO
James Beals 3/9/23 9:59 AM We already pay an exorbitant amount of taxes as it is in this current economy. Throwing more money at the problem has not shown to be successful because it only addresses the effect not the cause. It will only be a burden on the tax paying middle class and create more hardships and possible homelessness.
Eldon Landry 3/9/23 10:06 AM No end to how much of "our money" politicians want while doing nothing to provide the services to support taxpayers! When will people wake up and vote these "tax and spend" politicians out.
David Kernan 3/9/23 10:37 AM Adding this tax will not solve the homeless problem. Far better to address the underlying problems, drug addiction, the societal changes we have experienced because the state has discharged many of those incapable of caring for themselves, particularly the mentally ill. Also the ease today of living on the street. Just park a car, RV, or pitch a tent somewhere.
Kern Lipscomb 3/9/23 10:42 AM Money is not the answer. All you are doing is keep lining the pockets of people who are so-called trying to help the homeless, but nothing has changed except for getting worse, the more money that is asked for the bigger the problem gets. It is time for a real solution.
Elena F Galbraith 3/9/23 11:09 AM We are being taxed to death. please no not approve Proposed Ordinance No. 2022-81s. Thank you.
Maria Conley 3/9/23 11:48 AM I fought tooth and nail to get where I am today. A lyric that describes my life. I am sorry but the homeless will have to fight to change their lives for themselves. The elderly and hardworking who have fought to be stable and have for themselves are not responsible for saving them. Raising prices on us who are actually trying everyday or have put in their hard work and retired is wrong and we have had enough.the comments saying that most homeless people dont want help and dont want to change their lifestyles is true. I've tried helping several of them myself. Not to mention that my car was broken into by some homeless young people in January. In orderto qualify for an apartment I had to prove that I made 4 times the rent in income. So why should they get free or practically free housing?
Jerry Chase 3/9/23 11:56 AM My wife and I are retired. We do not need another tax.
Stacy Penner 3/9/23 12:24 PM Just no!! Enough with more taxes that are hurting those on fixed incomes and running families out of this area. Try cutting excessive spending bandaid ideas.
Mike McCowen 3/9/23 1:22 PM We're moving. Maybe to Idaho. At least to "red" Washington. The sooner the better.
Susan Carsten 3/9/23 2:10 PM I as most of the comments ahead of oppose Ordinance No.2022-81. When does this stop. As far as I am concerned, we need a new council with some Coman sense. There are hotels set up for homeless in Seattle and only 20 percent of the bed are full. Most (no all) homeless people do not want help. They choose to stay where they are where everything is free and no rules, no repercussions for bad behavior. Get some laws in place that hold them accountable. If it takes throwing them in Jail and taking classes to get off the drugs. So Be It. I worked 50 years. I have never had anything given to me for free. I have to pay high medical premiums. These People get it for free, or I should say paid for the working man. We all make choices, and they are choosing. Heck, they have no incentive to go to work and be responsible. They can get a free place to live, food, medical etc. for free on the working man's dollar. What you have been doing has been a failure so why continue? Make these people get clean, get a job and contribute to society. I vote no. Hope the people are looking at all these comments and realize we need new people representing us, as these current members have failed and do not listen to, WE THE PEOPLE!!!!!!
Stephen Ingle 3/9/23 2:49 PM You can't make people change and keep throwing money at it if they choose not to accept help. I'm using my savings right now to survive and you want to tax me more to feel unsafe and give money to those who don't work. Does anyone remember the story of the cricket and the ant, we have a society of crickets now thanks to our government.
Calvin Meske 3/9/23 2:50 PM I strongly oppose this legislation!
Tracy and Ruthie Johnson 3/9/23 3:09 PM We vote “No” and oppose this “levy” which is really taxing us even more than you already do! NO MORE TAXES!! How about you do a better job budgeting and spending the millions of dollars you already receive from us!
Matt Yates 3/9/23 3:14 PM No new taxes
Alyssa Sullivan 3/9/23 3:17 PM It’s disgusting this is even being considered especially at a time like this. People can hardly afford groceries, gas, and heat for their own homes with the current inflation rates, let alone paying for homes for other people. WA has thrown more money towards homeless than ever before in the last 5 years, including money handed down from the federal government, and homelessness has only gotten worse. Doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results is insanity. Try criminalizing drugs again before taxing hard working people out of their homes.
Stevanie Sweet 3/9/23 3:28 PM Vote NO!
Joseph Colombo 3/9/23 3:54 PM Based upon what I paid in sales tax last year, this proposal would cost me $3.20 annually. While I believe using sales tax to fund necessary community programs is regressive, this seems like a smart return on investment if it helps people get into permanent housing.
Kelly Martinson 3/9/23 4:01 PM NO
Jim Hardtke 3/9/23 4:15 PM I strongly oppose this tax proposal, ordinance, 2022-81s. I have read all comments already thus far, and to me, we have wasted too much money on projects that have not improved, especially homelessness and it’s crime issues. Maybe if the council could allow police to do their jobs, that problem may subside. NO to 2022-81s!!
Evan Davies 3/9/23 6:37 PM The opening paragraph of RCW 82.14.530, (1)(a)(i) states "A county legislative authority may submit an authorizing proposition to the county voters at a special or general election and, if the proposition is approved by a majority of persons voting, impose a sales and use tax in accordance with the terms of this chapter. The title of each ballot measure must clearly state the purposes for which the proposed sales and use tax will be used. The rate of tax under this section may not exceed one-tenth of one percent of the selling price in the case of a sales tax, or value of the article used, in the case of a use tax." Has there been a special or general election for this proposal submitted to the voters? If not, when will the voters be able to vote on this proposal? Yes, follow on portions of the RCW code appear to allow an action like this to occur without a vote. But why do that? Why not put a proposition like this forward to vote so those that pay have a say? There are good public comments both for an against so let the decision be decided through a special or general election. Secondly, it would be appreciative, as a tax payer, to have "transparancy" on funding like this by: 1) Provide the public a breakdown of current funding available that address this issue, how much has been spent, where has it been spent and describe what it has supported . 2) Provide the projected budget plan for this new proposal based on the funds its predicted to raise. Where is the funding going to be spent and how much? On what will it be spent and how much? etc. To simplify - tell us tax payers what "bang for the buck" are we going to see from this proposal. If this information "is out there" then post a link for the public to look at. I think the council will find sharing existing programs and their costs along with details for this newest proposal (what will it do/support differently from existing program(s)?) with the public, will go a long way with tax payers' understanding and potential acceptance.
Christy S 3/9/23 7:00 PM Enough with the taxes. Pierce County takes more than enough money from the hard working people in the area, and we need more checks and balances on how those funds are being utilized. There are so many programs (including many private programs) to support homelessness, and taking more money is not going to solve the drug problem, and the fact that many people who are offered housing decline to accept. This will make prices higher on people who are already struggling in a poor economic climate. I am so tired of working hard to pay for other people who refuse to accept the help. It's time for people to accept responsibility for their own actions, instead of hard working people falling into schemes like being forced into giving more money with no real benefit to anyone.
Daniel Breshears 3/9/23 7:39 PM No! The State has and continues to fail at managing the resources it already gets in tax revenue.
Kaaren Porter 3/9/23 8:11 PM We can not afford any more taxes. Nothing. You need to adjust the money you have and cut programs. I have adjusted my budget and we are eating a lot of soup right now.
Dennis Birnel 3/9/23 8:22 PM NO MORE TAXES !!!! Enough is Enough. We seniors are being slowly taxed to death.
Ernest Quinn 3/9/23 8:25 PM I say no this!! is there no end to increasing sales tax when it is already highest in the nation. figure out something else to cut to live within your means just like we do. Like Inslee’s Salary...
Kat 3/9/23 8:57 PM Please, as a senior citizen we are being taxed into homelessness. On a fixed income with the rising costs of food and basic necessities we cannot afford more taxes. This is an oppressive tax on the lower income and fixed income class. We have to continue to buy and pay taxes on necessities at the same rate as those in higher incomes therefore the burden of more taxes is on the people you say you want to help and pushing those on the edge over the precipice towards homelessness themselves.
SueAnne Kolby 3/9/23 10:07 PM NO more taxes! Homelessness is a complex issue that requires courage to fight. More money is not what is needed here. More courage is needed to address the root causes and make tough choices. And if more money is really needed, why not consider taxing the property developers who are making money hand over fist in unincorporated Pierce county with very little oversite and little to no contribution to infrastructure? The Council is sorely out of touch with hard-working constituents who are already paying one of the highest sales tax rates in the nation on top of inflation. We need REAL solutions for homelessness.
TAKAKO RODRIGUEZ 3/9/23 10:19 PM I strongly oppose this proposal. People are already struggling in this economy. For those of you who vote to pass this tax, we will remember you when elections come up! Support your people as you are paid to do!
Mary O’Connor 3/10/23 4:20 AM Sates that don’t give handouts to homeless have way less homeless! Follow the example of those states! Quit giving our hard-earned money to those that don’t work and play the system!
Robin Munson 3/10/23 8:56 AM Thank you for supporting those in need.
Noell Pacho 3/10/23 9:49 AM I'm so tired of paying taxes upon more taxes for people who refuse to work. Keep it up and I'll be homeless too. Thank you. Noell Pacho
Arlene Murray 3/10/23 12:42 PM Raising taxes anymore will put many out of their homes. I am considered a Gold Star spouse from my late husband's military service. Enough is enough. I'd like to know when Pierce County is going to give the taxpayers reassurance that we will not be taxed out of our homes and have to leave this state. If you are expecting these extra funds to help the homeless, I say NO! These funds would be coming from homesteaders who have planned out their lives to live as comfortably as possible. This is not California and because so many came from there, Seattle is why their taxes are so high. Why should our taxes have to pay for those homeless individuals who can help themselves-if they want to have a better life. From recent history, tax paying money purchased a hotel that individuals who were not sober, used assorted drugs without the intervention of their consequences. They are destroying property, increased our crime rates and the county claims to have a NEED to help the homeless. All people have to do is drive by the encampments and see the total disregard on how they do not clean-up for themselves, then again, more county money spent on removing all their filth and debris that they chose to take from others or given to them. I believe in WORK ETHICS. So, create a program for these homeless individuals who MUST work every day, even if it means cleaning the streets, parks, or other needed areas. Those homeless people also get food stamp cards, and many opportunities to improve themselves-again, if they "choose". Instead, the people who strive to do the right things, pay their dues and taxes are penalized with outrageous taxes higher than ever.Please DO not make this proposal final. I believe that further strategic studies should be considered and as a taxpayer who has knowledge of working with the homeless, is more than willing to serve as an ADVOCATE to add ideas that this does not pass. The amount annual income chart you have listed in Pierce County for handicapped and or surviving spouses or military veterans is way too low to be approved for lower taxes. It seems that you are not considered those who have homes and may also be homeless soon if this passes due to the PC taxes being unaffordable to live in WA state.Please take that into consideration. I need to be heard as a surviving spouse at a PC Council to address my concerns to those who are in support of this.
Joe 3/10/23 3:17 PM No more taxes please... Thank you
Debbie Owens 3/10/23 7:38 PM What are you doing to Washatonians? STOP! I work for DOC On the Parole side. I see daily that what is in place now, is NOT WORKING! And you want the average hard working resident to help pay for MORE MONEY to be thrown at the problem? You are driving us to move out of state!
Jacquelyn reuter 3/11/23 8:06 AM All choices in life come with consequences. If behaviors are not changed how will a roof Over your head help? Accountability and learning how to change in A program that teaches how would be a best Plan in spending.
Rebecca Sexton 3/11/23 9:15 AM As a property owner, my taxes are already unfairly high. I do not support higher taxes for this.
Ron Pilo 3/11/23 11:55 AM Please vote no on this tax increase.
Teresa M VINEYARD 3/13/23 9:25 AM No more money to "battle" homelessness. There has been so mych money already spent and not accounted for. Why should we be penalized even more. We are already living by disability check to disability check.
Terry Kaiser 3/13/23 11:14 AM I think it is very poor timing to add another tax burden on the people of Pierce County when our economy is in such a free-fall. The appropriate action would be to use existing funds to expand the services for mentally ill and drug addiction programs. Those who are homeless that want help need resources of this kind so they can work their way out of the traps they are in weather than just providing housing that many of them will choose not to accept. Also, enforce tougher crime laws that will stop the stealing and destruction of property. These ideas will go a long way to improve the homeless crisis.
Elena Galbraith 3/14/23 12:26 PM I do not want my taxes to go up 1/10% for proposed Ordinance No. 2022-81s
Gina Ennis 3/14/23 2:31 PM I don't support additional taxes at this time.
Martha N Rudkin 3/15/23 12:54 PM The sales tax in WA state is very regressive and you are proposing increasing it yet again. The existing taxes should be restudied and reallocated to cover all funding proposals without increasing the total tax burden on the residents. The latest increases in assessed home values and related property taxes could also be put to better use to satisfy the needs that the council is considering. I am opposed to the idea of a sales tax INCREASE for this funding. I am NOT opposed to the idea of this funding in the budget.
Lauren Burrell 3/15/23 6:03 PM Please do not vote to pass this bill. This would be going against what your constituents want. We DO NOT need another tax hike. This may seem nominal however, it does male a big impact on working class families. The tax increase would discourage people from selling their homes and further create to the problem of not enough housing. This would discourage people who want to sell their home and build another furthering my point with lack of inventory of homes. Pierce county hasn't SOLVED any promises made to the people. Why should we give up more to the county of our hard-earned money when they are incapable of making a palpable change? Your woke agenda is not what Pierce county wants or needs. How long has the homeless and drug crisis been going on in Pierce county? YEARS. The country has done nothing to change the situation despite countless tax increases on multiple facets of our lives to bag taxes, auto taxes, car tab taxes, sales tax increases, disability insurance tax for business owners, property tax and capital gains tax. I'm sure I missed some. Enough is enough. Please do the right thing and vote against this proposal. Thank you for your consideration.
Richele E Pogreba 3/16/23 7:57 AM I do not support this legislation. We need solutions that are both fair and wise. I don't see that yet.
J. Nichols 3/16/23 9:10 AM Please vote NO on Proposed Ordinance 2022-81s.
jerry roxbury 3/16/23 5:49 PM listen to your Pierce County citizens and vote no on all the proposal for the homeless village. it is not right to ask people to give up part of their lives to support criminals, drug addicts and alcoholics who refuse to work. that is what you are asking the working class to do because we give up part of our lives every day, when we go to work to earn money to pay for our homes and taxes. do the right thing and stand up for the working class, VOTE NO!!!!!
fFederick Ferreira 3/16/23 8:57 PM You can't keep going to the well. It's getting to the point we are taxed to death. yYeah it is only 1/10th but that is what we are always told. it's only...it's only....it's only
Bethany Graciano 3/17/23 1:20 PM I do not support this legislation.
PennyChoward 3/18/23 7:49 AM By reading through all the comments, the PEOPLE have spoken on this issue……NO! We do not support this tax! Council members please listen to your constituents
GY 3/18/23 8:58 AM Oppose 2022-81s for now. Property taxes jumped dramatically last year. If this tax is to support the purchase of land for $4MIL for proposed shared village in Spanaway, I have no choice to say no to 2022-81s. Pierce County already owns property that was one of the picks for the shared village but is looking to buy more and raise our taxes to help support this. Why buy property for such a high price when all of the property cannot be utilized and has so many issues and current and future costs due to the wetlands, etc. Doesn't sound like I want to support this at this time. If P.C. can build this on a smaller property with a smaller footprint and a lower cost, I could change my mind. The density of the village is too much for building something like this for the first time. Maybe build a protocol that doesn't cost so much to see how it goes and gain the communities' support and go from there. Projects of this sort will become more and more, so we really need to watch the budget and not over tax our people. Thank you.
Kitti Wheeler 3/18/23 7:02 PM I’m a retired senior citizen and can hardly pay my bills already. Please don’t make the burden worse on me and others who are also struggling. The struggle is real!
Ashley 3/19/23 12:16 AM HAVENT WE (tax payers) DONE ENOUGH FOR THIS STATE? Time for you all and your valued homeless junkies to start giving back.
Lynn Laurance 3/19/23 8:11 AM We do not need more taxes for housing to address "homelessness". We need to address drug addiction and mental health problems. Many of these people will not stay in homeless housing when required to follow rules!
Debra Dearinger 3/19/23 8:18 AM Please stop throwing the taxpayers’ money at problems without addressing the root causes. Tax rates keep increasing, but improvements do not result.
James Anderson 3/19/23 11:58 AM Many of the comments here pit drug addiction and mental illness treatment against housing solutions. I beg you to not fall into that binary. People of course need those resources for drug addiction and mental health, but the simplest and most effective way to end homelessness is to give people a place to live.
rick ceccanti 3/19/23 6:59 PM No more taxes!! Our taxes are already some of the highest in the nation!! Please spend our tax dollars on enforcing our laws and fixing our traffic problems so we can get to work to pay our taxes!! Please spend our tax dollars on the people that pay the taxes not on the group that refuses to work and pay taxes!!
Taylor Underwood 3/19/23 10:56 PM Dear Pierce County Councilmembers: I am writing in opposition to Ordinance No. 2022-81s. I urge you to please consider what you are asking. Though the proposed increase may seem insignificant to you, with record inflation, people are struggling to feed their families, put a roof over their heads, and cover transportation costs to and from work. Raising taxes will undoubtedly increase the financial burden on the poorest among us and disproportionally affect minority populations such as the lgbtqia2s+ community as well as people of color. The Washington State tax rate is one of the highest in the nation. As a result, voting yes on Ordinance No. 2022-81s and others like it will inevitably force others into the demographic you seek to aid. Perhaps members of the Washington State budget committee could devote some of their reported 15 billion dollar budget surplus to help those in need rather than attempting to squeeze water from a stone. Additionally, though housing is important, it should be stressed that more funding should be given to mental health facilities. Not only would the target demographic have a place to live, but they would also have the mental health resources needed to overcome any obstacle preventing them from successfully integrating into society. In closing, Ordinance No. 2022-81s needs to be placed on hold until economic stability is restored. Otherwise, those who vote yes are unequivocally doing more harm than good.
SJ Thirtyacre 3/20/23 12:36 AM Restore tough-on-crime legislation. You can't keep taking from tax payers and not do anything about our soft-on-crime stance in WA state. Our money isn't going to solve these problems. We need a change in legislation. Do not pass Ordinance No. 2022-81s
Sherry Haviland 3/20/23 9:34 AM Why does the council feel the need to continually raise our taxes? The working people of pierce county and the retirees and veterans are so over taxed and so many on fixed incomes how are we supposed to be continually paying higher taxes? It's not fair to continually tax our working class a nd retirees and veterans, etc for a homeless problem caused mostly by themselves. So many of them already qualify for free housing, free food, free transportation, and what about the rest of us that don't get all those free services? They aren't free, we are paying for them with our taxes. Please stop taxing us to death! It's really hard to put food on the table for families when so much is going out for taxes.
Elly Claus-McGahan 3/20/23 11:02 AM I commend the council for its efforts on the affordable housing crisis and efforts provide pathways to permanent housing for the unhoused. All solutions require funding and we don't have many options to aquire funding. This tax is relatively small and shares the burden across our region. It's not ideal and should be revisited when and if the region's need for housing solutions drastically drops, or by some miracle, a ready stream of funding comes to our region by some other pathway. Perhaps it should include a sunset clause of 10 years. Thank you for your work, Elly Claus-McGahan
Nora Hacker 3/20/23 1:04 PM Housing and rent prices are outpacing salaries and support systems at an unsustainable rate. Our rate of displaced Pierce County Residents and people experiencing homelessness is increasing at speeds impossible to ignore. This tax that Tacoma and other areas have already implemented is not enough, but Pierce County needs funds that are not dependent on Tacoma or Federal funding to create housing. Please pass this tax.
Mitchell McCann 3/20/23 2:23 PM I fully support this legislation. 1. Recommended amendment: Page 1 Line 31: adjust wording so that the list of classifications of people is not a restrictive list, but a prioritized list to focus help where we want it, but without putting a block to anyone in need who might not fit one of those categories/classifications. Consider adding additional classifications to support our trans and other LGBTQ population. 2. Additionally. Adjust verbiage throughout to include the funding of long term “safe spaces” for camping or vehicle habitation. 3. Consider adjusting the 60% portion of this tax to include supporting additional hygiene and sanitation support to current and future encampments. 4. Tangentially related. Address the cities ability to PREDICT and react ahead of weather related need for “emergency” supplies and facilities. E.g. when the forecast calls for 90°+ weather / freezing weather / etc put in place the authority to release stockpiles of supplies before there is a specific need. Solving our unhorsed problem through care remains in my top two priorities.
Peter Benjamin 3/20/23 3:17 PM Please Vote a resounding, "Yes!" On the 1/10 of 1 percent tax. Our community is crumbling under the needs for affordable housing. People are dying in the streets as units are no longer affordable to the lowest 30% income threshold in the community. We need funding for new construction that does not fold to developers' aspirations for money, but instead, creates safe and affordable housing for people that are embedded and from the community. Please serve your consistuants and vote, "Yes!"
SHARON COSTELLO 3/20/23 3:41 PM I oppose this proposal.
Nancy Ahrens 3/20/23 6:32 PM Spend time visiting with people on the street as you walk by them. Read Carolyn Read's comments 12/7/22, she is spot on!
Janine Tollin 3/20/23 9:08 PM I do not support increasing my taxes to throw money at the homeless issue until better planning and ideas are shared. We have thrown so much money at this problem and nothing improves. The only people who seem to benefit are those in administrative positions at the agencies that are involved. Everyone takes their piece of the pie (our tax dollars) but nothing improves. Case in point - the ridiculously high dollar amount going to the admin staff of the proposed Spanaway micro-village. The HR person alone makes more than comparable positions in the job market. Our tax dollars are not a gift given to the county to spend on pet projects. We deserve to have our hard earned money go to real solutions.
Eli Tollin 3/20/23 9:43 PM I cannot afford anymore taxes. We have thrown enough money at this problem without any positive results.
Rashelle B 3/20/23 10:36 PM I STRONGLY OPPOSE THIS
Tracey Taunt 3/20/23 10:57 PM I strongly oppose
Megan Shriner 3/21/23 7:41 AM I do not support this
Melody Atwood 3/21/23 7:49 AM No more new taxes!! In these economically challenging times where families are already struggling just to make it, why would we be raising taxes? Find the money in your budget...like the everyone else has to.
Christina Cooper 3/21/23 9:45 AM I am asking the Pierce County Council to adopt the 1/10 of 1% sales tax for affordable housing and services. We have heard over the last few months people speak in opposition of this sales tax, making generalizations that all people that are homeless, either choose to be or have substance abuse disorders. I fully disagree with this belief as no one chooses to be wet, cold, and risking having what little they do have taken from them if they fall asleep. I want to remind this council that these are not the only community members that face housing insecurity and homelessness. I have worked in social services in the Pierce County region, specifically with families with children ages Birth-three who were born with health complications and developmental delays. While my role was to coordinate therapy services for children, I also assisted with any other support the families may need, such as food and housing. I have witnessed working families lose their homes due to medical debt they have incurred. Finding shelters for entire families is next to impossible. Sadly, what most of the families I worked with ended up having to do is have mom and the children go to a shelter while dad either sleeps in the car or in some cases, the family didn’t have a car so dad slept in a sleeping bag wherever he could find a safe place to do so. Imagine trying to keep a job while experiencing homelessness…now imagine trying to keep your family together under these circumstances…now imagine on top of all that, trying to continue to keep the therapy appointments for your child that has developmental delays. This happens more than you want to imagine. I have actually lost count of how many families that have been torn apart due to homelessness. I am seeing more and more individuals and families living in tents or if they are lucky, their cars, due to the unrealistic housing costs. I have also noticed that quite a few conservative counties in Washington have adopted the 1/10 of 1% sales tax, and yet Pierce County is stalling? Why?
Karen Marchesini 3/21/23 10:22 AM Please vote no on raising taxes.
Margaret Oman 3/21/23 10:43 AM We are already over taxed to the max in Pierce county and especially University Place where I live. Please make better use of the funds that you already have. Thank you.
Roy Marchesini 3/21/23 11:50 AM Please Vote No
Les Dreeson 3/21/23 12:09 PM Tax payers do not need another increase on sales tax. Where is the cannabis tax going? Where is tax on alcohol going? Fund homeless/drug addicted services with current revenue from these taxes! Budget accordingly and allocate properly!
Suzanne Ramsdell 3/21/23 12:09 PM We do not need yo throw more money on problems we need to wisely use what’s already there.
Elizabeth Taunt 3/21/23 12:14 PM I oppose this proposal. Our Country is in an economic decline. You must see this with the rapid increase of homelessness as you drive through Pierce County. Hard-working families are on the edge and don't have extra to support such a proposal. Please do not raise our taxes. Even small amounts matter when you live pay-check to pay-check.
BERYL A EMBERSON-NASH 3/21/23 12:22 PM This is not good! I am opposing this tax increase
Mark Harp 3/21/23 12:31 PM Raising taxes will NOT solve/alleviate this problem.
Brenda Milewski 3/21/23 12:36 PM This would not be a good idea. To increase sales tax. You are affecting every level of families, financial budget. From the wealthy to the middle class and onto low income families. This would only create a hardship Second, there’s no accountability for all of the taxations that has been burden upon the people of Washington state. There was more spending then there is a ccountability, and we don’t even see positive in any of the spendings. King County is a prime example of all the money poured into homelessness and addiction, that it failed every single time. Prime. Example is the two hotels that the Seattle Council purchased the house homeless people, neglectfully, not vetting, who can use the facilities and what they can do within the facilities. Both these hotels are now considered condemn because of the overage of fentanyl that came into those facilities. So now that’s millions of dollars that the taxpayer has the burden to try to renovate or Tear down and build up for proper use again. We are very tired of seeing money that is exported from the people of Washington state with no accountability, pouring out our tax dollars as if it’s money from a candy store with no positive results showing that the problems are being improved. In addition by creating programs to house, homeless only increases homeless, because the population of the homeless has not decrease it has increased because many of them are migrating from different states, knowing that Washington state is the easy target to obtain anything that they need without recourse. The change purse or the wallet needs to be closed. Washington state should be done trying to finance programs that has no accountability that does not show any positive results, and in addition is still servicing people that’s coming from different states and the problem just does not get resolved.
Elizabeth Taunt 3/21/23 12:40 PM Why, in these tough, declining economic times are you considering such an elaborate project to serve a few? $1 million to renovate a barn when people's houses are falling down around them? How about putting in a free amphitheater for hard-working families of the Spanaway-Midland-Parkland area who have NO MONEY LEFT OVER for ANY FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT after FEEDING and CLOTHING their own families in this decline, asking them to pay more taxes to support dog parks, a/c units and outdoor entertainment for the homeless. It's outrageous!
Chris Camire 3/21/23 1:01 PM I strongly oppose ! ! !
Sandy Rozumny 3/21/23 1:03 PM Dear Council Members, In regards to ordinance No. 2022-81s l am opposed to charging more sales tax to solve the homeless problem. My husband and I support the Tacoma Rescue Mission and they seem to do a better job addressing homelessness. Let private funded entities handle the heavy lifting. Government should get out of the way and enforce those laws concerning public property use. No more wasted tax dollars should be spent on the homeless industrial complex. Thank you, Sandy Rozumny
Lori Kuzminsky 3/21/23 1:55 PM I oppose this and request you do not let this pass by voting against it. No new tax will help without accountability. This is not a solution to a widespread problem.
Marc Christensen 3/21/23 2:13 PM Enough! Please stop this ridiculous tax and spend. Money will not fix the homeless problem. The state needs to treat their mental illness and drug addiction.
Sandi barron 3/21/23 2:45 PM We are retired and cannot afford another increase on anything. Please vote NO
Colleen Wise 3/21/23 2:46 PM With the state working on legislation to add taxes for the same subject, meaning we will be taxed on all sides by State and County for the same issue, more housing. The better way would be to streamline permitting, giving more flexibility to the firms that are willing to build this type of housing. Not more taxes that may or may not help as so often they get diverted to higher better use. Vote NO on this legislation.
Raquel Gonzalez 3/21/23 3:08 PM I do not support this. Community First Village should uphold exactly what it’s name claims to be and be a reminder for politicians who carry that mission in their line of work as well. The Spanaway community has voiced their opposition, it is up to those in power to reflect on their duties, to uphold and represent their whole community first. Please vote no and step alongside your community of tax paying, law abiding citizens and work with them not against them in finding innovative & sustainable ways, in a trauma informed location, that the whole community can come to a better agreement on.
Jeneen Breshears 3/21/23 3:16 PM Headlines: KIRO 7 News 2020 "Property taxes in Pierce County to rise in 2021"; KING 5 News 2020 "Pierce County Homeowners will see double digit increase in property taxes"; The Center Square, Washington 2023 "Pierce County property tax totals$1.9B in 2023". When is this going to result in positive change for the taxpayers? From one end of the county to the other, the streets are littered with trash, shopping carts, tents, and graffiti. Refuse from vagrants is spilling out into the streets, putting people at unnecessary risk. I have an idea. Criminalize hard drugs, because that makes sense; always has. Have the offenders come out and clean up their mess. When the activists want to protest common sense solutions in favor of their emotions, have them put a card with their name and phone number on it into a big jar. Hold a raffle, and just keep picking cards until each "homeless" person is paired up and goes home with one of these caring, accepting, helpful individuals. You must vote NO on any more taxes for the residents of Pierce County.
Janelle Montgomery 3/21/23 3:26 PM I oppose as there are multiple other agencies already funding these issues. When is enough enough? There are programs for those seeking help to participate in that are funded and available.
Jina 3/21/23 5:41 PM Wow. Watching the meeting online now. Marty Campbell says you're not paying taxes on food and groceries so ... you really can't complain about paying higher taxes on that. Robyn Denson says she agrees 100%. Both wearing pins for Ukraine support (blue & yellow ribbon). Ms Netter - testifyer- had a great question: have any of the council members lived in HUD housing? Obviously not. Can't wait to hear the rest of the council members' closing comments.
Sydney Hennessy 3/22/23 6:38 AM Without a plan to realistically and fiscally get the unhoused out of what brought them to their situation in the first place, this is throwing MORE good money after bad. OPPOSE this, Council members. Thank you.