Nelson held a news conference to announce the potential $8.75 million initiative

Seattle City Council president Sara Nelson wants to use a newly authorized sales tax bump to pay for drug counseling.

Nelson says her new “progressive public safety initiative” would direct 25% of a new tenth of a cent sales tax authorized by the state legislature for cities to pay for public safety services to “shore up ‘pathways to recovery’ through investment in critical addiction treatment services.”

If implemented, the public safety sales tax increase would generate over $35 million annually, Nelson’s office says, with a quarter of that going to support counseling and treatment services.

The rest, presumably, would go to help fund policing and crisis responders but that will be part of the debate around the city’s implementation of the state-authorized increased sales tax. Under the state authorization, Seattle City Hall can add the increased sales tax without a public vote.

“While no specific proposal to raise the sales tax has been introduced, one is likely in the near future,” Nelson’s office says. Nelson is expected to formally introduce her legislation regarding the 25% proposal next week in advance of the larger sales tax debate.

The state’s sales tax currently weighs in at 6.5%. Seattle’s local additions currently round out at a total 10.35%.

Nelson’s proposal comes as the incumbent moderate city leader faces a reelection battle for her citywide seat on the council. The 43rd District Democrats have endorsed Nelson challenger Dionne Foster in the race. “I am really proud that I have spent my career fighting. I have fought for equity. I have fought for opportunity, and I have fought and delivered real outcomes,” the nonprofit executive and former city policy adviser told the 43rd District group last month.

With the opportunity to introduce new legislation and initiatives, Seattle’s City Hall incumbents have some advantages in this summer’s race for the August Primary. While Nelson has taken on a hot button public safety issue in the city, Mayor Bruce Harrell is also taking on upstart challengers including political organizer Katie Wilson. The mayor’s summer efforts include his new championing of a proposal that would eliminate the B&O tax for 90% of Seattle’s businesses while increasing the tax rate on its largest companies.

Ballots for the Primary Election will be mailed out this month. The election is August 5th. All ballots must be postmarked or dropped in a county ballot box by 8 PM. The top two candidates in each race will go through to appear on the ballot for November’s General Election.

For more, check out CHS’s Election 2025 coverage.

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