10/21/2009
Auditor’s Office releases second annual report on Law and Justice Sales Tax
Vancouver, WA — The Clark County Auditor’s Office has released the Law and Justice Sales Taxes Collected, Expended, and Utilized report. By county ordinance, the Auditor’s Office is reporting on the collection of the two tenth sales tax to be used in support of the county’s law and justice programs, as authorized by the Board of Clark County Commissioners in 2006. The Auditor’s Office reported on these taxes collected, expended, and utilized for the first time in 2008; this is the second report on the special taxes collected for law and justice programs. Work performed for this report was not done as an audit.
When the budget was established there were no tracking mechanisms put into place to monitor specific expenditures related to the two tenths Law and Justice sales tax. Our work includes compiling information from financial records and discussions with program staffing. Based on this, we conclude that these funds have been used for law and justice purposes.
Taxes collected in 2008 amounted to about $4.6 million, slightly less than the $5 million expected. While about $2.9 million was spent in 2007, 2008 spending reached almost $4.4 million. Of this, 10 additional staff positions were supported in 2008 for a total of 35 positions over the two year period. These staffing costs were close to 75 percent of the total expenditures.
The full report can be viewed at www.clark.wa.gov/auditor/audit/audreports.html or obtained by calling (360) 397-2310.
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