Island County 911 system facing challenges to public safety

ISLAND COUNTY, WASH. Public safety starts with 911, and community residents must have reliable and effective emergency response. Island County is proposing two-tenths of one percent (.2%), or 2¢ for every $10.00 spent in applicable sales tax purchases increase to fund critical upgrades to our 911 communications infrastructure. This small increase will go a long way to improve the quality, reliability, and resilience of our emergency response system.

Why This Matters:

Our current emergency dispatch system is struggling to meet the increasing demands of our community. The 911 center is a lifeline, coordinating responses for law enforcement, fire, and EMS across Island County and surrounding counties. Unfortunately, the current system is aging and vulnerable to outages during disasters--and areas of our county cannot reliably connect to 911.

The proposed 911 sales tax measure will address these issues and lay the groundwork for an upgraded, state-of-the-art 911 emergency communication system that will ensure our emergency response system can meet current and future needs. Additionally, these upgrades will add critical infrastructure to reduce dead zones and improve coordination between agencies during emergencies and natural disasters.

Repair, Replace, Reliable, Resilient:

Repair: Our current emergency dispatch system is struggling to meet the increasing demands of our community. This measure will fund mission-critical infrastructure improvements to the land mobile radio system, ensuring clearer, more reliable communication for our first responders. This measure will also fund new communication towers to improve connectivity.

Replace: This measure will support the implementation of infrastructure that will provide a safe, resilient, and efficient environment for our emergency operators. This future-ready facility will meet growing community needs and support advanced communication technologies, providing Island County with the infrastructure to ensure responsive, coordinated emergency services for years to come.

Reliable: The proposed 911 sales tax increase will address these issues and lay the groundwork to ensure our emergency response system can meet current and future needs. Modernized systems will reduce response times, strengthen radio emergency communications, and reduce the risk of service interruptions.

Resilient: Island County is vulnerable to a range of natural and man-made threats. This measure will fund upgrades that strengthen our communications infrastructure, reducing the risk of service interruptions during disasters and ensuring we are prepared when it matters most.

What is the purpose of the proposed 0.002 tax increase?

The tax increase is specifically designed to fund critical emergency services, including upgrading equipment for our local 911 center to ensure fast, reliable response in emergencies.

How much will this cost me?

The proposed sales tax increase of 0.2% means an additional 20 cents for every $100 spent. For your $20 T-shirt, this will add four cents to your purchase.

Purchases like groceries and medical prescriptions are exempt from this increase.

Why a sales tax?

The current funding model means the burden of funding these necessary improvements will fall solely on Island County residents and our emergency service agencies. With a sales tax, everyone is contributing to the system we all use—including visitors traveling through the county. ICOM serves 88,000 residents--along with nearly 3 million visitors annually. Tourism accounts for 10% of all sales countywide.

What happens if this measure fails?

The current technology is over forty years old and in need of critical updates. We need to improve the CAD systems that help dispatchers prioritize incidents, locate responders, and dispatch police units. Without funding, there will be delayed response times to emergencies. Radio systems are in need of improvement, or we will have impaired communications between agencies and are susceptible to frequent outages. As technology and the needs of our community evolve, we need to ensure that our emergency response systems can keep up.

What will be funded?

● Radio infrastructure

● Dispatch equipment and consoles

● Ongoing maintenance contracts and tower equipment

● Hiring more Dispatchers

● Other improvements: new CAD system; new facility; radio equipment replacement program, portable radios

How much funding is needed for 911?

We estimate that more than $25 million will be needed to support the infrastructure required for a modern, reliable 911 system. This includes upgrades to technology, facilities, and ongoing operational needs. Final costs may vary based on specific project phases and evolving community needs.

Will this money sit in a fund unused?

No. The ICOM Board of Directors will best decide how to appropriate funds and ensure they are being applied to best benefit our emergency facilities, responders, and the community. The proceeds of this tax are directly remitted to ICOM and would not constitute as payment for user fees, however to the extent that the proceeds from this tax decreases unfunded annual budgets, it could lower a user agency’s fees at the discretion of the ICOM Board of Directors.

Is this tax permanent?

The funding is designed to be long-term support for emergency services, but it’s constantly reviewed to ensure it's necessary and serving its intended purpose. Transparency and accountability are top priorities.

How does this benefit the community?

Whether it's faster 911 response, better-equipped first responders, or improved emergency coverage, every dollar of this tax is returned to the community through vital public safety services.