Crime’s up, income’s down
Island County has seen a downturn in sales tax receipts, revenue has declined based on interest income, and the housing market, taxes from which help fund capital projects, is down.
So far, the economy’s negative swing has caused a stall in the replacement of an annex building on Camano Island and the cost of oil is reducing road overlays.
But at Wednesday’s budget meeting for the Island County commissioners, another product of economic woes was discussed: safety.
“When the economy goes bad, crime increases. People are in a depressed state and there’s more fraud, fuel theft, drinking and domestic violence,” Sheriff Mark Brown said.
His request for three new deputies was greeted as valid, but the three commissioners must decide if finances can be allocated.
At present, Island County is the fifth lowest staffed police department in the state on a per capita basis, Brown said. He would need 32 new deputies just to reach the state average.
Brown said the detective unit is overburdened because he has fewer detectives than there were 10 years ago, but more crimes to solve.
“If there’s a sex crime for example, the deputies pass that onto the detectives and move on. It builds up,” Undersheriff Kelly Mauck said.
To supplement, the department takes experienced deputies off the road to fill the detective positions.
Over the next eight years, Brown said there’s a need for 13 new deputies. He began by requesting three last year, but commissioners processed funding for only one.
“Last year we were given $1 million for supplemental requests,” Budget Director Elaine Marlow said. “In a perfect world, with unlimited funding, this would be easier.”
She added that money from the state has strings attached, and its uses are narrowly focused. “It’s really complicated,” she said.
The Sheriff’s Office will begin a formal budget proposal in October or November to present to commissioners. Like most local agencies, money requests are reviewed by this staff for the following year’s budget.
“I understand the economic situation,” Brown said. “But safety and security are a major concern.”
