SPOKANE, Wash. – Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown and the Spokane City Council have announced their intention to extend the timeline for implementing the community safety levy.
Mayor Brown’s proposal aims to secure funding for essential resources for various city departments, including Spokane Fire, Spokane Police, the Office of the Police Ombudsman, Spokane Municipal Court, the Office of Emergency Management and Spokane Parks. These funds are crucial for maintaining current service levels while introducing new resources to benefit the community.
The proposal calls for a levy lid lift of $1.00 per thousand in assessed property value, translating to $31.42 per month for the median home in Spokane. The levy, if approved, is projected to generate $37.5 million annually over the next five years. This significant funding will not only be allocated to maintaining existing services but also to introducing new city-wide and neighborhood investments, bringing a wave of positive change to our community.
“The City of Spokane’s budget deficit is real and the desire to make significant investments in our community safety response remains, but I feel the responsible choice is to provide an opportunity for additional analysis. My administration has had several productive meetings with the public and we find value in expanding input to ensure a responsive and comprehensive plan for our future,” Mayor Brown said. “We will continue down this path, while also identifying how the City tightens its own belt to usher in a new era of fiscal responsibility.”
Mayor Brown will be available to the media on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. in the Mayor’s conference room.
