PORT ANGELES — Sequim surveyor and Republican Party stalwart Dave Cummins wants a countywide vote on the one-10th of 1 percent sales tax to fund mental health programs that Clallam County commissioners adopted Tuesday.
He filed a registration Wednesday for an initiative on the tax.
According to county officials, however, he needs to register a referendum to put the matter on the ballot in the Sept. 19 primary election.
Cummins said Thursday he will resubmit the registration as a referendum next week.
He has until April 7, 10 days after commissioners approved the tax.
When he does so, the ordinance establishing the tax will be frozen while Cummins tries to gather sufficient signatures to put the tax to voters.
He must collect the endorsements of 10 percent of the 35,986 people who voted in the 2004 election, or 3,598 registered voters, within 60 days.
The Clallam tax increase — from 8.3 percent to 8.4 percent — is now slated to take effect July 1, unless Cummins is successful, and is expected to cost about $20 a year for an average Clallam County family.
Jefferson County commissioners implemented the same local option sales tax last fall.
The increase in Jefferson from 8.3 percent to 8.4 percent is effective Saturday.
