YAKIMA, Wash. -- Little heat or light is being generated over renewal of a Yakima County sales tax increase to fight crime, even though its backers say a defeat would cripple public safety.

The tax, approved by 56 percent of voters in 2004, will expire next year unless voters on Nov. 3 agree to continue paying the three-tenths of cent more for another six years. The tax amounts to 3 cents on a $10 purchase.

A simple majority is necessary to renew the tax.

About 100 people in county agencies and city police departments are paid by the tax revenues, which have totaled about $36 million since 2004.

The campaign in favor of renewal, led by Yakima County Sheriff Ken Irwin and Prosecutor Jim Hagarty, has raised more than $5,800 and so far spent only about $1,500.

County commissioners agreed on their own time to be the primary fundraisers. They sent out personal letters to 600 people in June asking for donations, said Commissioner Mike Leita.

With mail ballots scheduled to go out Tuesday, the campaign to date has been a low-key affair with brochures, some yard signs and presentations to the faithful -- mayors and city councils -- and to community service organizations up and down the Valley.

One of the struggles the campaign must overcome is the feeling that a recent uptick in gang violence and shootings, coupled with public concern about safety, make renewal of the tax all but a certainty.

Irwin said he has heard that refrain.

"We have heard two things, that we are in tough economic times and that it is a no-brainer, that people will vote for it," he said. "We are not trying to be overconfident. We are going to work at it and make sure we have a good margin."

Support for the measure is coming from community groups. One is the Committee for Safe Yakima Valley Communities, a grassroots nonprofit group -- commonly referred to as CSC -- formed in 2006. The group is working to build coalitions among community groups to combat crime and drugs.

One factor working in favor of renewal is the lack of organized opposition to the measure. But that is no guarantee of success. School bonds and levies around the Yakima Valley have failed even without vocal opposition.

Previous county measures to hike the sales tax in the mid-1990s failed miserably.

Those measures, seeking to raise the sales tax by one-tenth of a cent for criminal justice in the 1996 version and to hire staff to operate all 96 beds in the county's Juvenile Justice Center a year later, attracted 44 percent and 38 percent, respectively, approval by voters.

Since the three-tenths sales tax increase went into effect in 2005, two other tax measures for public safety within the city of Yakima failed.

Most recently, the emergency medical services property-tax levy for the Yakima Fire Department was voted down last year.

And in 2006, city voters rejected a request to ramp up utility taxes on telephone service, electricity and natural gas to hire 22 police officers in a measure known as Proposition 1.

Bruce Smith, editor and publisher of the Yakima Valley Business Times, said he believes the city measures failed, in part, because of a lack of credibility.

The county's sales tax measure, by contrast, clearly outlined where the money would go, he said. In addition, the measure contained an expiration date.

"I think that was the deciding factor in why it passed. It was a matter of accountability that was not there" with the city measures, he said.

The EMS measure had no sunset clause and sought funding for other city services. Proposition 1 proposed adding more new police officers than Smith thought were needed.

Smith, who often advises Republican county officials on political matters, is backing renewal of the tax.

Irwin said he doesn't see a connection between the countywide sales tax measure that has been in effect for five years and the two city measures.

"I think the voters have a heightened awareness of the need for more law enforcement than we now have. What they can do within reason I think they are willing to do," he said.

If the tax isn't renewed, Irwin said he would lose a quarter of his commissioned officers and the sheriff's department would have to focus solely on serious crimes like murder, rape and robbery.

"If we had a large motor vehicle theft ring, we would not have the manpower to investigate it," he said.

A District Court office in Grandview, opened with the sales tax money, would be closed. That would force Lower Valley residents to drive to Yakima for hearings, said Harold Delia, administrative consultant for District and Superior courts.

He pointed to a reduced criminal case backlog as one benefit from the sales tax funding. Should the funding end, the backlog would begin to rise.

"Would the system run? Yes," Delia said. "But there would not be the same level of service."

If the measure fails, the three-tenths tax would still be collected next year, and supporters would have enough time in 2010 to make another run at the ballot.

Supporters are sensitive to not being seen as threatening the voters over the tax issue.

And while confident public safety is a winning issue in Yakima County, the campaign is purchasing airtime on radio stations and newspaper ads -- timed with the mailing of the ballots next week and again, just before ballots must be turned in on Nov. 3.

Voters are being asked to retain the sales tax at its current level -- 8.2 cents in the city of Yakima and 7.9 cents elsewhere in the county.

The tax will bring in more than $8 million this year. The money is being used to pay for sheriff's deputies and city police officers and employees, prosecutors, public defenders, locking up more juveniles, and reducing a backlog of Superior Court cases.

Over its five-year life, the tax has brought in more than $36 million, with 60 percent allocated to the county and 40 percent to the cities on a per-capita basis.

The allocation formula is contained in a law the Legislature approved that allows counties to tap the sales tax for local services.

Major supporters of the campaign include those with a vested interest in retaining the three-tenths tax: Sheriff's deputies and city police officers, judges, the prosecutor and his staff, and county commissioners.

Yakima City Manager Dick Zais also gave $100.

Together, government officials and law enforcement employees have given more than half of the money raised to date.

The largest single contribution has come from the Yakima County Law Enforcement Officers Guild with $1,000. The Yakima Police Patrolman's Association kicked in another $500.

Each of the three county commissioners contributed $100.

"We have been very conscious about being sensitive to the fact we are keeping our office separate from the fundraising activities," Leita said.

Private donors include Horizon Distribution, which gave $250. The firm's chief executive officer is Ken Marble. He will chair CSC next year.

Leona Bouchey of Toppenish, whose son is Commissioner Kevin Bouchey, also donated $250. Other major donors include Yakima physician Kerry Harthcock and his wife, Gayle, an attorney, who each gave $125. Lower Valley farmers Steve and Judy Perrault also each gave $125.

Other $100 donors include Carey Motors, insurance agent David Hargreaves, Magic Metals, Stan Martinkus of Western Materials, Zirkle Fruit Co. of Selah, the Yakima County Republican Central Committee, Mark Peterson of H&H Furniture, the political group Forward Yakima Initiative, and John and Mary Place of Yakima. Mary Place is running for a seat on the Yakima City Council.

* David Lester can be reached at 509-577-7674 or dlester@yakimaherald.com.