Walla Walla Eyes Tax Increase to Fight Growing Gang Problem

Amid reports from police officials that gang activity has spiked in recent months in Walla Walla, the city council is considering a bump that would raise an additional $40,000-plus to help fight crime.

The breaking point appears to be the fatal shooting in the Green Lantern Tavern parking lot a few weekends ago. Four men with gang ties basically ambushed a former gang member and shot him. Reportedly, it was revenge for breaking their code of silence when the former member testified in a murder trial of another gang member.

Walla Walla council officials say the tax could be levied an additional 1 percent on what are called banked levy taxes. State laws allow the city to exceed lower levels if they can justify a critical need.

According to the Walla Walla Union Bulletin:

 "The City Council this week will consider a proposal to use $169,542 in banked-levy-capacity taxes, as well as take an additional $40,778 in taxes beyond a state mandated cap for the city.

“This is almost solely a response to the need to fund more anti-gang activity,” Deputy City Manager Tim McCarty said.

Last week City Manager Nabiel Shawa and Police Chief Scott Bieber announced that gang violence has spiked in the city.

They called for united community effort to address the problem, as well as plans to hire more officers for gang prevention and enforcement efforts."

 The money would largely be used in 2016 and beyond for additional resources to combat gang activity.

 City officials first began to notice gang infiltration in 1989, with tagging and graffiti, then over the next few years, an increase in crime. They say it's largely been cyclical, when increased enforcement efforts dropped the crime. But since 2012-13, it's been on a bit of an upswing. This is not uncommon in cities such as Walla Walla, or Tri-Cities. Increase law enforcement efforts usually curb and reduce the activity for at least a while.