Benton County to spend $7M in sales taxes to fight crime, gangs. Here’s how
Benton County will use dollars from its public safety sales tax to pay for an additional $7.1 million in crime prevention programs, court and jail positions and for a new law enforcement shooting range.
The money is generated by 0.3% sales and use tax on purchases and was approved by Benton County voters in 2014. The tax raises more than $8 million each year.
Benton County commissioners have given the initial green light to funding these project next year, pending approval of the county’s 2023 annual budget.
County departments and external programs requested $8.67 million for the next two years. More than $7.1 million was recommended for approval by county staff.
Benton County Commissioner Shon Small, a former deputy sheriff, told the Tri-City Herald that the new spending is “paramount” to improving public safety and collaboration between law enforcement, the prosecutor’s office and other departments that work to solve or deter crime.
The tax brought in more than $16.8 million in revenue over that two-year period.
The county currently has a reserve balance of about $18.55 million, said Shyanne Palmus, a communications coordinator with the Benton County Commissioners’ office. But after the 2023-2024 budget cycle, that reserve will be closer to $6.1 million.
Voters approved the tax to improve public safety and combat criminal gang activity. It funds dozens of positions in law enforcement, Superior Court and the prosecutor’s office each year.
Here’s some highlights of how they plan to spend $7.1 million next year.
- Rattlesnake Mountain Shooting Facility: $700,000 for a new 200-foot shooting range for law enforcement and $700,000 for an attached multi-agency training center. Both will be off Route 10, near Benton City.
- Coroner’s Office: $834,000 for forensic pathologist, part-time support staff and supplies.
- Office of Public Defense: $840,400 in public defense services.
- Code Enforcement: $183,000 for a code enforcement officer.
- Prosecuting Attorney’s Office: $142,350 for a legal secretary and $40,000 for support counseling.
- Sheriff’s Office: $135,000 for mobile police radio replacements, $54,000 for LexisNexis software, $32,000 for a bomb squad X-ray system, and $325,000 for a crime scene evidence vehicle.
- Benton County Jail: $275,000 for a jail detective position.
- Superior Court: $180,750 for 3 full-time bailiff positions and $26,400 for adult drug court home monitoring devices and urinalysis testing supplies.
- Therapeutic Courts: $55,600 for misdemeanor drug court.
- Boys & Girls Club: $525,000 for the Kennewick clubhouse and $250,000 for the Prosser clubhouse.
- Kiona-Benton School District: $89,000 for a crime prevention program.
- Benton Franklin Health District: $550,000 for the nurse family partnership.
- Partners for Early Learning: $375,200 in support for Building Resilience Through Family program.
- Safe Harbor Support Center: $430,000 in support for the My Friends Place program for homeless teens.
- SARC: $173,300 for an engagement specialist for Support, Advocacy and Resource Center for victims of sexual assault.
Sheriff patrol (31.9% of all expenditures), gang and crime prevention initiatives (13.1%), and the prosecutor’s office (8.4%) benefitted the most from the sales tax, according to a 2019-2020 spending report by Benton County.
The tax brought in more than $16.8 million in revenue over that two-year period.
With a budget of $21.8 million, departments spent about $17.4 million from that public safety sales tax account.
This story was originally published October 11, 2022 at 12:56 PM.
