Members of the King County Council rejected a proposal which would have included a tax increase on the August ballot. The measure fell one vote short of the super majority needed to put a proposal sales tax increase on the August ballot. The money from the increase would have saved the county’s criminal justice services from major cuts. The final vote was 5-4 against.

King County Executive Dow Constantine had proposed a 0.2 sales tax increase, which would have helped raise $47 million for various criminal justice services, such as police, courts and the jail.

Following the measure’s failure, Council chairman Bob Ferguson scheduled a special meeting for Tuesday, after Reporter deadline, to discuss a property tax measure which was created as an alternative to the sales tax proposal.

If the Council approved the measure to be added to the ballot, and if voters approve it, the property tax levy would be an additional $.085 per $1,000 of assessed value.

The deadline to add items to the August ballot was Tuesday.