Camas voters will decide Feb. 11 whether to add four positions to the city’s police force by tripling the utilities tax.
The city’s Proposition 5 would pay for the addition of a lieutenant, two sergeants and one officer to the agency’s ranks of 30 sworn staffers. It would do so by raising the tax residents pay on their water, sewer, solid waste and stormwater bills from 2 percent to 6 percent. That would cost the average utility customer an additional $4.73 per month, according to the city.
Police Chief Tina Jones said the largely supervisory positions are needed for a growing city that faces more complex calls with a younger workforce. She gave a presentation to the city council in November in which she noted Camas’ population has grown in the past 30 years from 7,500 people in 1994 to more than 27,000 in 2024.
While some surveys rank Camas as the safest city in Washington, Jones said the funding would ensure the agency doesn’t lose that accolade, especially when 43 percent of the sworn officers are slated to retire in the next five years.
“Currently, we don’t have night shift supervisors on patrol, for example, and that tends to be when you have your newest team members working,” Jones said. “On a given day, we will have anywhere from four, sometimes up to 14 hours a day, where we don’t have a supervisor working to provide that on-hand guidance and support.”
Some residents said they oppose raising taxes and noted the rising costs of utilities, according to the county voter’s pamphlet. While the police chief is barred by state law from advocating for or against a ballot measure, she said the city is already falling behind on response times, especially to calls on the west side of the city.
“That, to me, is a real indicator that we have some challenges here and we’re already seeing stress and strain on our resources,” Jones said. “These (positions) will improve our ability to respond to calls for service, but also adequately supervise and also engage with the public.”
The Clark County Elections Office plans to mail ballots Friday, and voters should receive them no later than Jan. 30. Voters can also drop ballots in drop boxes by 8 p.m. Feb. 11 at the downtown Camas Post Office at 440 N.E. Fifth Ave. or at the Camas-Washougal Municipal Courthouse at 89 C St., Washougal.
