SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – The Spokane Valley City Council is emphasizing the need for more patrol officers as it unveils the first look at its preliminary budget for 2025.
The council has decided against pursuing a 1 percent property tax increase without voter approval, opting instead to rely on economic growth to bridge the financial gap.
Mayor Pam Haley addressed the challenges in staffing public safety positions. “But we don’t have those 10 officers, why? Because you can’t hire them,” she said.
City Manager John Hohman explained that law enforcement costs have doubled in the past 20 years, and the new budget aims to address these rising expenses.
Mayor Haley clarified her position on increasing police funding, saying, “So if you can’t hire you can’t throw more money at long hiring, it just doesn’t make any sense from a business standpoint.”
She expressed appreciation for the Spokane Valley Police Department and the importance of filling current positions.
On October 15, the city council is scheduled to hold another hearing on the preliminary budget.
