Dear Consortium Members,
The Pierce County Council will be voting on a 1/10th of 1% Behavioral Health Tax. It is critical supporters tell the Council why they must pass the tax and why you support it. The only way this vote will pass is if the County Council hears from you! We need your help now! Attached is a list of resources to learn more.
For affordable housing advocates these dollars are important because they could help support the creation of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH). The services that come with PSH are very expensive and dollars to support those services are scarce, which is one of the reasons we are lacking PSH in Pierce County! Let’s use our collective voices to tell the County Council we support the Behavioral Health Tax!
What you can do now:
1. Mark your calendars for the FINAL VOTE. Many of you serve clients and families or know someone that is in some way connected to those with substance use disorders, mental illness or both. Please attend this meeting and bring a friend, client, or colleague:
Tuesday, March 10 at 3 PM at the Pierce County Council Meeting (Room 1045, 930 Tacoma Ave S, Tacoma, WA)
3. Share this information and forward this email to your networks. The more voices, the stronger the impact we will have!
It is critical that we are able to convey that an investment in behavioral health services and resources across Pierce County is sorely needed. It will cost an average of $19.35 per person per year. This would have raised $13.1 million in 2019.
With a tax, we are able to have transparency and accountability for how the dollars are spent and most importantly, increase access, coordination, collaboration, education, and so much more for all who live, work, and enjoy Pierce County.
Thank you all for your leadership and staying tuned to this discussion. The folks of Pierce County need us! I am hopeful to see you at these meetings. Please pass this on to others too!
Amanda DeShazo, MPA (she/her)
Executive Director
Tacoma-Pierce County Affordable Housing Consortium
621 Tacoma Ave. S., Ste. 313, Tacoma, WA 98402
253-627-0949 | www.affordablehousingconsortium.org