Voters approve 9-1-1 emergency communications sales tax

The measure was overwhelmingly supported in the special election.

Voters approved a sales tax increase to improve Island County’s aging 9-1-1 emergency communication system in the April 22 special election.

As of the vote count Thursday afternoon, the single measure on the ballot in the county was easily passing. A total of 15,183 ballots, or 65%, were cast in favor of imposing a two-tenth of 1% sales tax (0.2%) to fund the Island County Emergency Communications Center, commonly known as I-COM.

Law enforcement, fire and I-COM officials expressed gratitude for the community support and commitment to safety. Sofia Kohfield, executive director of the organization, said I-COM 9-1-1 will be a good steward of the funding, with accountability and transparency being top priorities.

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“The early release of ballot counts shows an overwhelming decision that will pave the way for significantly enhancing our emergency response capabilities, resilience, operability, ensure the safety and well-being of our community,” she said.

Oak Harbor Fire Chief Travis Anderson said the passage of the sales tax marks a major step forward in the region’s emergency response capabilities.

“With this support, we’ll be able to improve our radio coverage and invest in infrastructure that will serve residents for years to come,” he said. “Thank you for your commitment to progress and public safety.”

Oak Harbor Police Chief Tony Slowik said the vital investment ensures that the emergency communications systems can be modernized.

“When you’re facing a crisis, every second counts and this measure helps guarantee that when you call for help, a first responder is there to answer,” he said. “It’s about protecting our families, our neighborhood, and ensuring that no call for help goes unheard.”

The sales tax can be used for design, acquisition, construction, equipping, operating, maintaining, remodeling, repairing, reequipping and improvement of emergency communication systems and facilities.

I-COM provides 9-1-1 services for law enforcement, fire departments and emergency medical service services in the county. It handles about 93,000 calls a year.

The tax will collect an estimated $3.5 million in its first year. It goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2026. Planning efforts will commence immediately, but funding is scheduled for receipt in March 2026, according to Kohfield.

The communication infrastructure and system is outdated and struggling to meet increasing demand in a county where nearly 30% of the population is over the age of 65 and relies on efficient medical services, according to information presented at an Island County commissioners’ meeting.

Necessary improvements include replacing the dispatch center’s “voters” and radio repeaters (devices that communicate with the radio towers scattered around the county), as well as replacing cables, antennas and radio repeaters in the radio towers, adding a tower in the Deception Pass area and two towers on North and South Camano and installing microwaves on the towers in order to provide better coverage.

I-COM is an independent agency governed by a board composed of representatives from the member agencies, which are the Island County Sheriff’s Office, the Oak Harbor Police Department, the Langley Police Department, Camano Island Fire and Rescue, Central Whidbey Island Fire and Rescue, North Whidbey Fire and Rescue, Oak Harbor Fire Department, South Whidbey Fire/EMS and Whidbey Health Emergency Medical Services.

Each member agency contributes a fee to the operation of I-COM that is proportional to the share of dispatch events from the prior three years.