Lack of Bellingham consensus likely tipped jail vote

A variety of factors, including a lack of consensus on how to pay for and build a new Whatcom County Jail, likely played into the voters’ decision to turn down a jail sales tax measure on Nov. 3.

“You know, it wasn’t just a one-sided tether, it was a multitude of constituencies that had problems with it one way or the other,” said Charlie Crabtree, chairman of the Whatcom County Republicans, which endorsed the tax measure.