Sales Tax Hike Approved: $35M for New Police Radio System!

If you voted in favor of a sales tax increase in Tuesday's special election you are in the majority. Proposition 1 is passing with 71.52% support.

THE MEASURE REQUIRES ONLY A SIMPLE MAJORITY 

15,311 voters voted in favor of the measure while 6,098 voters, or 28% were against raising taxes for a new radio system for local law enforcement. Proposition 1 required a simple majority to pass. The 0.2% increase in the sales tax for the next seven years will fund a $35 million radio system. Voter turnout was a low 16.02% or about 21,000 ballots were voted.

THE COUNTING CONTINUES IN THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE

More ballots are expected to be counted today and will likely extend the success of the measure on Tuesday's ballot. Yakima County Sheriff's Deputy Travis Watkins is the spokesperson for Proposition 1. Watkins was severely injured in a domestic violence incident in Terrace Heights in 2022 and remains on medical leave.

THE SUSPECT GRABBED A DEPUTIES RADIO

He was shot by a suspect who was able to get on a sheriff's radio and not allow others to communicate with dispatchers delaying help getting to Watkins. Watkins says that won't happen under a new system where dispatchers will be able to isolate certain radio channels allowing communication to continue.

IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM FOR YEARS

The challenge of not being on the same frequency has been problem for years in Yakima because agencies all have separate radio systems.
Sheriff Bob Udell says it'll take months to implement the new system requires new infrastructure in the county and equipment upgrades to portable and mobile radio systems.  Now that voters have approved funding the county can now begin the bidding process to find a new radio system.