Before the county's mental/behavorial health tax was allowed to sunset at the end of March, an additional 0.1% was added to sales tax in Cowlitz County. This added one penny to every $10 spent on taxable purchases.
That tax raised about $2.5 million annually, which funded a number of county services involving mental health treatment, including drug court, the behavioral health unit at the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office, and drug treatment for inmates. The tax is imperative to combat local drug addiction and mental health needs, and the crimes associated with them.
We endorse passing the advisory vote, and ask county commissioners to enact the tax to be collected in 2025 to ensure funds are available when needed starting in 2026. In recent years, about half of the total raised went to the County Department of Corrections to treat addiction and mental health disorders among prisoners. These programs are vital, not just for the health and safety of inmates, but also for breaking the cycle of crime and incarceration.
According to the Washington State Health Care Authority , about 60% of incarcerated people have some kind of substance use disorder. This addiction often drives them to repeat offense when they get out. If we let them go untreated, they are likely to relapse, reoffend, and wind up right back in jail.
That's not a productive use of jail space or funding. But if we can get inmates into treatment and help them fight their addiction, they'll have a much better chance of.