PORT ANGELES – Clallam County’s top criminal-justice officials took two hours Tuesday to agree they need more money – but only two minutes to decide they won’t seek new taxes soon.
“I would be in no hurry to put this on any ballot this year,” Sheriff Bill Benedict said, referring to a sales tax proposal he himself had floated last month.
“My recommendation would be that we go next year.”
Benedict didn’t explain his decision, but it followed his inquiry about the results of a Peninsula Daily News straw poll on its Web site April 3.
Of the 349 responses to the unscientific survey, 70.5 percent opposed the tax.
About 25 percent supported it, and about 5 percent were undecided.
Besides postponing the campaign while they study their options, council members “decoupled” any property or sales tax increase from funding a third Superior Court judge for Clallam County.
Clallam County commissioners had suggested using Benedict’s proposed sales tax to pay what they estimate would cost $160,000 a year – but that Superior Court Judge Ken Williams said would cost only about $128,870.
