SPOKANE, Wash. — Mayor Lisa Brown delivered her inaugural State of the City address on Tuesday, addressing her plan for the city. Her primary focus was the long term economic viability of the municipal government.
After touching on the recent passage of the Family Safe Festival ordinance, Brown touched on the growing debt crisis, enhancing public safety and budget cuts.
“The number one recommendation from the transition committee is to eliminate the structural deficit and balance,” Brown said. “We are making unilateral reductions in the budget, including renegotiating technology contracts.”
Budget cuts included canceling this summer’s Spokane Fire Department training academy, which the mayor emphasized was a reluctant decision.
Brown continued by highlighting a proposed levy lid lift which will be considered by voters this August which would fund additional community safety measures.
If passed, she said the city would be able to refund the training academy and additional public safety services.
“We want to maintain the bike and foot patrol teams that Chief Lundgren is launching this summer in downtown and we want to invest in equipment such as body worn cameras and training that will improve safety for our officers and the public,” Brown said.
Brown referred to Lundgren as chief, rather than his official title of interim chief. The current search for a new leader of the Spokane Police Department is ongoing, and it is not clear whether Lundgren is being considered.
The mayor went on to assert the need of building new fire stations in Five Mile and Latah Valley to prepare for more intense fire seasons.
Pivoting back to the financial landscape of the Lilac City, Brown stated that the city has been primarily using borrowed funds for the past three years, and that additional taxpayer funding would be needed to close service gaps.
“It’s hard to ask people to pay more money for city services, especially when I know that one-third of our households are feeling economically challenged right now, but we’ve essentially been living on borrowed funds for three years,” Brown said.
The mayor concluded the event by looking forward to Expo ‘74 celebrations and highlighting reduced STA fares for this summer’s downtown programming.
Brown’s administration recently passed the 100 day mark, and has primarily focused on public safety and financial sustainability ahead of a packed schedule of downtown activities including Expo celebrations, Bloomsday and Hoopfest.
