WENATCHEE, Wash. – RiverCom 911, which serves as the dispatch center for 911 calls in Chelan and Douglas counties, added a measure to the February 2026 special election ballot asking for a 0.1% tax increase to address radio dead zones and outdated dispatch equipment.
RiverCom said it hopes to gain the funding to address areas where radio signals are unreliable or unavailable, making it difficult or impossible for first responders to reach dispatch or one another, creating safety risks.
Areas like this include parts of Blewett Pass, Highway 2 over Stevens Pass, Lake Wenatchee and central Douglas County, according to RiverCom.
Funding from the tax would be used to add radio towers to strengthen radio coverage in these areas, RiverCom said.
The tax increase would also be used to modernize outdated radio system components that do not work as well on certain radio frequencies, creating safety and awareness issues, according to RiverCom.
“Clear communication is the backbone of every emergency response,” Fire Chief Brian Brett of Wenatchee Valley Fire Department said. “Our firefighters rely on RiverCom to hear us and coordinate the resources we need. Eliminating dead zones and modernizing our radio systems is about ensuring responders can stay connected so we can protect lives and property.”
The 0.1% sales tax increase would apply to purchases made in Chelan and Douglas Counties and will appear on the special election ballot on February 10, 2025.
