SPOKANE, Wash. – The Spokane City Council recently voted on an ordinance regarding the Community Safety Sales Tax, which will be on the ballot in November. The ordinance was intended to clarify how funds from the tax will be allocated if it passes.
During the council meeting, Council Member Michael Cathcart voiced his concerns about the tax’s wording, saying, “There is no solid plan around these dollars.” Cathcart emphasized that the language on how the money will be spent is too vague, stating, “It’s couched very carefully as ‘such as these items,’ which means that there are other things that can be spent that were not defining that is up for interpretation.”
Conservatives on the council argued that restrictions on the tax revenue should have been included in the ballot initiative rather than in an ordinance that future councils could overturn. Despite these concerns, the vote resulted in a 5-2 approval of the current tax outline for the ballot.
Council Members Zack Zappone and Paul Dillon disagreed with Cathcart’s perspective. They believe the tax’s allocation plan is clear. “The ballot measure has clear items in it and dollar amounts on the website that you can go and see,” Zappone said. Dillon highlighted that the funds are designated for “the Spokane Police Department, Spokane Fire Department, Office of the Police Ombuds, and Municipal Court.”
Ballots will drop on October 18, allowing a 20-day voting period before the general election. The proposed sales tax by Lisa Brown would cost residents $1 for every $1,000 they spend on non-essential goods and services.
Residents seeking more information on the Community Safety Sales Tax can find details on the City of Spokane’s website. The decision will ultimately rest with the community in November.
