Kitsap County Commissioners Christine Rolfes, Oran Root, and Katie Walters authored this opinion/editorial. The piece, published in the Kitsap Sun on September 10, explains the County's approach to balancing the 2027 budget.
By the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners
One of the reasons Kitsap County is such a great place to live is the strength of our communities, and the quality of life we share. Sustaining the communities we value requires a regional network of essential public safety and justice services that work across jurisdictional boundaries to keep us safe.
Our four cities provide important pieces of the justice system, including local police and municipal courts. County government provides the regional services that anchor and support the broader system across the Kitsap Peninsula: the Sheriff's Office including the County Jail, Prosecuting Attorney's Office, Superior and District Courts, County Clerk, Juvenile Services, Fire Marshal, and Medical Examiner. Together, these services help prevent crime, respond to emergencies, administer justice, and protect the safety of our community.
Most of us don't think about how these pieces fit together until something goes wrong – a personal property is destroyed, a loved one goes missing, or a home is lost to fire. But every day, dedicated public servants are working behind the scenes to keep our communities safe and our justice system functioning.
We share your priorities
This summer, the Board of County Commissioners held community meetings throughout Kitsap County with the County Sheriff and Prosecutor to talk about these essential regional justice services and the growing challenge of paying for them in a period of high inflation. No one wants to talk about budget reductions, potential impacts to service, or the possibility of asking taxpayers to pay more. But responsible leadership requires confronting difficult realities before they become crises.
We heard at these meetings that you value the County's essential regional services, and you share our priority that the County's essential law and justice services remain functional, effective, and responsive. We also heard your concerns about affordability and the rising cost of living.
A growing budget challenge
To maintain these essential services, Kitsap County faces choices. Washington state law requires counties to adopt a balanced budget every year. As we prepare the 2027 budget, Kitsap County faces a projected structural gap in the General Fund of approximately $9.4 million between annual revenues and the cost of providing services. Law enforcement, the courts, prosecution, corrections, and emergency response make up approximately 75 percent of our General Fund budget.
For years, we have warned that the cost of delivering County services has been growing faster than the revenues available to pay for them. Rising costs for insurance, employee benefits, jail medical care, and other essential services continue to outpace revenue growth. These pressures affect counties across Washington and are driven in part by unfunded and underfunded mandates, the one percent cap on annual property tax growth, and flat sales tax growth.
We have been facing this problem head on. The County has maintained a hiring freeze since mid-2025, closely scrutinized spending, identified operational efficiencies, eliminated positions, and looked for every opportunity to stretch taxpayer dollars. These efforts have helped slow the problem, but they have not solved it. The underlying financial challenge remains. Throughout this spending reduction process, our focus has remained on both the residents and communities we serve, and people needed to provide those services.
Considering every option
One option under consideration is a sales and use tax increase authorized through House Bill 2015 (HB 2015), adopted by the Washington State Legislature in 2025. HB 2015 allows eligible local governments to implement a 0.1% sales and use tax to support public safety services, provided specific training and policy requirements are met by the Sheriff's Office. For most residents, this would mean approximately $20-$40 more per year in sales tax, depending on household spending.
If implemented, HB 2015 will give us additional time to plan next steps for the County budget and work with our state and federal partners to address unfunded and underfunded mandates.
This tax option does not eliminate the need to identify sustainable, long-term solutions that allow us to continue providing the services our communities rely upon.
Moving forward together
As your elected officials it is our responsibility to listen, evaluate every option, work collaboratively with our community partners, and make thoughtful decisions that protect and promote the safety, health, and well-being of all County residents while safeguarding the County's long-term financial health.
As we develop the 2027 budget, we will continue working hand in hand with our regional public safety leaders, County departments and elected officials, and community partners. We remain committed to transparency throughout this process because the decisions we make today will shape the services our community depends on for years to come.
Responsible government means making difficult decisions today that ensure Kitsap County remains financially strong and able to serve our residents—not just next year, but for generations to come.
Stay informed and engaged
You can stay involved and informed as we develop our 2027 County budget. A public hearing on the consideration of adopting a 0.1% sales and use tax is tentatively scheduled for Monday, September 28. Public hearings take place at the end of the Board of County Commissioner's Regular Meetings.
From September 21 – 23, we will hold budget hearings with each County department and office. If you cannot attend in person, the hearings will be broadcast on BKAT and available to view online.
Information about upcoming budget meetings is available at kcowa.us/budget.
