by David Mendez

Seeking to get ahead of King County and keep its tax dollars local, the Shoreline City Council has authorized a new sales tax in response to a 2026 bill passed by the state legislature. In passing the new tax ordinance, the city is trying to ensure that the money stays available for local programs benefitting children and family services, including free mental health services for kids.

During the most recent legislative session, the Washington State Legislature passed HB 2442, which gives local governments more avenues for raising taxes — including two sections creating a local sales tax funding support for kids and families.

The money may be used for programs like behavior health services, prevention and intervention programs, housing programs and services for at-risk kids. Both cities and counties are able to impose the new increase, adding 0.01% to the sales tax total starting January 1.

But the state legislation gives cities a chance to capture that tax for themselves.

If both a city and its county approve the tax, the sales tax won’t go up by 0.02% — instead, the city alone will capture the money collected through the 0.01% tax increase. If a city refuses the tax but the county approves it, every cent generated by the tax would go to the county’s wallet to fund countywide programming.

“In either case, the consumer would pay the same additional 0.01% sales tax,” city staff noted.

King County is expected to discuss and approve the tax within the next two weeks, meaning that if Shoreline wants to keep locally-generated tax money in the city, it had to act quickly. City staff projects that the tax would generate between $130,000 to $145,000 annually.

The vote was a no-brainer for some council members.

“Services for kids and families are very important in the city. Proposing this tax would keep the services here in Shoreline for children and families in need, so I’m in full support,” said Council member Annette Ademasu.

City staff project that, of the projected tax funds, about $100,000 would go to an onsite mental health therapist at the Shoreline Teen Center and Ballinger Homes. The city’s program was introduced in 2018, with county grant funding, and is a free resource for uninsured or underinsured kids. The Shoreline City Council approved temporary funding for the program in the 2025-’26 biennial budget to maintain services after the county’s grant ended. Currently, the city spends $177,000 to retain mental health therapist services.

The rest of the funding would go to expanding the city’s current contract with Hopelink, to help with rental assistance in Shoreline. According to the city’s 2025-’26 Human Services Plan, Shoreline provides more than $86,000 for rental assistance through Hopelink, in addition to $25,000 in utility assistance. “This type of assistance is currently funded; however demand far exceeds funding levels annually,” wrote city staff in a report. “Rental assistance can make a difference for a family at risk of losing their housing.”

Councilmember Keith Scully wasn’t sold, believing that the city already ably filling those needs.

“Without a demonstrated, real need, I’m not comfortable raising taxes that we don’t absolutely require,” Scully said. Already, he said, the city regularly asks its residents to approve tax increases — including the upcoming Proposition 1, which will ask residents to create a tax district funding a new community pool. “I’m not comfortable raising taxes under a pretense that they need to fund the services they’re already getting.”

The ordinance passed with four votes in favor and two against — Scully was joined in opposition by Councilmember Chris Roberts — with one member absent.

The sales tax increase is expected to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.