King County’s sales tax will rise by 0.01 percentage point on Jan. 1, 2027, after the County Council approved a temporary increase intended to expand emergency shelter options for homeless children and families. The council passed the measure 6-3. Voters will not decide on it: a state law adopted in 2025 allows local governments to approve certain small tax increases for affordable housing, behavioral health facilities and similar projects without a ballot measure. The increase amounts to 1 cent on a $100 purchase and is expected to generate about $10 million a year. Councilmember Claudia Balducci estimated the average taxpayer’s added cost at about $4 annually. In Seattle, the combined sales tax rate would reach 10.56%. County figures cited by council members show 967 young people experiencing homelessness in King County and 187 shelter beds available to them. Councilmember Jorge Barón, who sponsored the measure, said the county should act rather than wait for other levels of government. Councilmember Rod Dembowski called the situation a crisis. Councilmember Reagan Dunn opposed the increase, arguing that King County already has the nation’s highest sales tax and that voters should have a say. A ballot measure could have appeared in February, but the county estimated that holding an election if this were the only issue could cost $2.1 million to $3.9 million. The tax is scheduled to expire after three years. The council has not finalized how the revenue will be spent; those details are to be worked out through the county budget.