Jefferson County, WA Considers Raising Taxes to Fund Treatment Programs, Drug Courts

 Laurie Strong, executive director of Jefferson Mental Health, has proposed a 0.1 percent increase on sales and excise tax in Jefferson County, Washington to fund addiction, mental heath, and drug court programs.
The tax increase would generate approximately $200,000 of revenue each year while costing consumers only one cent for every 10 dollars spent.

"All law enforcement has clearly stated that if mental illness problems went away, that would cut their load by half," said Strong, who was joined by Ford Kessler, Jefferson County's alcoholism and drug addiction program coordinator. "Throwing [people who need treatment] in jail isn't a very good solution."

The county's three year old drug court program handles 52 participants, including five graduates.

County commissioners set a public hearing regarding the proposed tax increase, which will either be automatically approved or put to a public vote.

(9/16/2005)