Mental health sales tax proposal sees support

SAM TAYLOR

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Not a single person spoke against a proposed sales tax increase to bolster mental health and substance abuse treatment during the Whatcom County Council meeting Tuesday, July 22.

In more than 31/2 hours of public testimony more than 50 people spoke in favor of it, including both of the county's state senators - one a fiscally conservative Republican and the other a liberal Democrat, a former Whatcom County councilman, doctors, psychiatrists, mental health professionals and members of the public who had personal stories to share.

As of press deadline, and more than 31/2 hours of public testimony, the council hadn't voted on the increase. The tax would generate 10 cents for $100 spent in the county, and was estimated to generate about $3.6 million.

Members of the public packed the council's chambers to speak on the tax. They implored the council to consider paying more in the short term to save in the long term.

Theresa Hertz's son has been arrested eight times, spent 286 days in jail and his last two birthdays were in the Whatcom County Work Center, she said.

He is "co-occurring" she said, which means he has a mental health issue (he's bipolar) and has a substance abuse issue. He can't get the help he needs.

Parents spoke of young children who couldn't get the help they needed in Whatcom County but got plenty of visits from the police.

One woman's daughter killed herself at the age of 20 after battling mental health disorders.

Proponents of the tax said that the plan wouldn't have solved all the problems the county has with ever-increasing incarceration rates, but it would have reduced the impact on the system by getting more mentally ill and chemically dependent people out of jails and providing them case management and treatment they need.

"The word tax is up there with the devil," said Leigh Wirth, Whatcom County Drug Court coordinator. "And I understand, I do."

County drug court would have received about $94,000 if the new tax were implemented, allowing the system that handles 80 cases at a time to add an additional 30.

Council member Bob Kelly said before the meeting that it wasn't "the right time" to implement a new tax, and that he might be willing to consider it a year from now.

Council woman Barbara Brenner, who said she was in favor of the tax, said she still wanted it to go to an advisory vote of the public. So did the two more conservative members of the council, Councilmen Ward Nelson and Sam Crawford.

Since its inception, Wirth estimates that taxpayers have saved about $5.1 million by getting people into drug court, even with one third of participants reoffending and losing their second chance.

Wirth said those in favor of the tax are still trying to assess whether they can mount a public education campaign to take the issue to voters.

"How much steam is there?" she said. "What would the campaign look like?"