Vancouver voters could decide on $205 tax increase to add $36M to police department

(The Center Square) – The Vancouver City Council will soon vote on putting a tax lid lift on the November ballot to generate funding for police and supporting services.

If the city council approves of the proposal, Vancouver voters will be tasked to decide on the tax levy lid lift of 41 cents per $1,000 assessed value in 2025. If passed, it is anticipated to cost an owner of a median $500,000 valued house a total of $205 more per year in city taxes in 2025 and an estimated $585 per year in 2030.

Vancouver’s 2024 property tax levy rate is approximately $2.36 per $1,000 in assessed value, including a 27-cent affordable housing levy.

Vancouver City Manager Eric Holmes is proposing using the generated funds, should the tax lid lift pass, to hire 80 additional sworn staff , including 69 patrol officers, detectives and neighborhood police officers.

The city would also work to hire 36 non-sworn staff to support essential functions, such as records, evidence, analysis, community engagement and communications.

“Despite ongoing investments in police services, growth has resulted in the current Vancouver Police Department’s total sworn staffing capacity relative to our community size being among the lowest in the state of Washington, which in turn is among the lowest in the nation,” Holmes said in an update on Wednesday.

The Vancouver Police Department's budget is approximately $76 million per year. To fully implement Holmes' proposed hiring goals, the police department would need an additional $36 million per year by 2030.

According to a staff report , the city’s growth has directly correlated with a 30% increase in call volume for police services and an 87% increase in reported crimes since 2018.

Increasing demand for police services has also resulted in nearly 3,100 cases with viable leads going without investigation each year.

Approval of the proposed levy lid lift would also see an annual 1% increase to fund police and public safety needs and set forth the ballot proposition and to authorize the yearly 5% total city levy increase for years 2025-2030.

The proposal is set to be voted on by the city council on July 15.