(The Center Square) - Spokane city officials are considering a proposed 0.1% sales tax increase expected to generate between $4.5 million and $6 million annually to fund a new justice center and other crisis response and emergency management services.
But Spokane City Councilmember Michael Cathcart said voters should have a say before the city raises taxes to pay for the proposal, arguing the city should seek public input on how the money is spent and whether the investments reflect community priorities.
Spokane's current combined sales tax rate is 9.1%, according to the Washington Department of Revenue. The proposed 0.1% increase would bring the rate to 9.2%, adding 10 cents to every $100 taxable purchase.
The estimated $4.5 million to $6 million in annual revenue would depend on consumer activity. The proposal includes four primary spending areas: purchasing a new justice center, adding mental health clinicians to 911 operations, expanding crisis response services and providing additional funding for emergency management.
Cathcart calls for voter input
Cathcart said the city should ask residents directly before adopting another tax increase, particularly when the money would be used to purchase a building and fund new programs.
“I think whenever we are talking about increasing taxes on people we need to directly ask for permission,” Cathcart said. “So I strongly believe we should not adopt councilmanic taxes and if state law prohibits you from placing it on a ballot for voters then I believe we should pursue an advisory measure, to get input from voters.”
Cathcart said he believes the city's charter reflects the principle that residents should have a say in major financial decisions.
“I also think it's important that in the spirit of our charter it says big tax expenditures and requiring debt service we have to ask voters, we aren't bonding, but increasing taxes,” he said.
“This should go on a ballot to ask voters if the city should purchase and pass tax to pay for it.”
Cathcart said he does not believe his constituents would support being asked to pay higher taxes to purchase the building.
“The idea that I will tell my constituents to buy this building and raise taxes I don't think they would be happy to hear that,” he said.
“I don't think they would agree with how these dollars are being allocated.”
Council members support approach
Other city officials voiced support for the proposal, pointing to the potential for a coordinated crisis response system and expanded services.
Councilmember Paul Dillon, who represents District 2, Position 1, told The Center Square via e-mail on Thursday that he supports the proposal because it would address immediate public safety concerns while improving conditions across the city.
“I am very supportive because this will help fund a safer and healthier Spokane. This is what residents have been asking for: responding to our urgent needs on the streets while doing the upstream work to improve conditions around the city,” Dillon said.
Councilmember Kate Telis, representing District 2, also voiced support during this week's council meeting.
“I just want to say thank you all for the work you are doing on this. This is clearly a priority for the community, and I appreciate the data-driven approach,” Telis said. “I am excited for this to happen and for us to join the rest of the nation on this crisis management approach.”
Spokane Police Chief Kevin Hall, also in this week's council meeting, said other cities, including Chicago, Austin, San Antonio, Phoenix and Tucson, have implemented similar approaches and are seeing what he described as significant success.
“This also sets up a true dispatch system where you have mobile crisis teams and there is an integration with services,” Hall said.
The proposal would add mental health clinicians to 911 operations and support a crisis response system that connects mobile teams with other services.
Mayor Lisa Brown raised questions about clinician scheduling and how the city could maximize coverage.
“So with the clinicians, would they stagger their hours? 9-5 Monday through Friday? What's the most coverage we can get? That's what I think is important when talking about that side of things,” Brown said.
Dillon also expressed enthusiasm about moving forward with the proposal, asking, “How soon can they start?”
Deputy City Administrator Maggie Yates said the proposed investments align with recommendations from the city's Safe and Healthy Task Force, which has been working on the issue for the past year.
“I also want to mention that we also see these investments as very consistent with the recommendations of the Safe and Healthy Task Force,” Yates said. “We have been working for the last year on this, and we are excited and ready to further that vision. It's time.”
Spending priorities, sunset clause
Cathcart told The Center Square in a phone interview that Spokane previously adopted councilmanic taxes for criminal justice and housing, each with a 20-year sunset provision. He also said the public safety tax approved two years ago included a sunset clause.
The current proposal, he said, does not contain a sunset clause.
Cathcart said he believes the city should consider whether the proposed spending reflects the community's highest priorities, including additional police officers, public defenders and behavioral health services.
“When you look at what's authorized to be spent under dollars, I think we need more officers on the streets, this could be a way to pay for that,” Cathcart said. “We need more public defenders, but have no idea how to pay for it through the general fund, it also is something that could be used for behavioral health type work which I have been pushing hard.”
He said the city should consider other needs residents may want addressed.
“There's high priorities and bigger needs that the community has interest in, and we aren't pursuing those at the moment,” Cathcart said.
Cathcart also questioned whether the city has seen enough measurable change from previous public safety investments to justify another tax increase.
“Around two years ago, a ballot measure for adopting a 1/10 of 1 percent public safety sales tax and it doubled, voters had a say on the first one, this time they aren't getting a say,” he said.
“We have seen some good results in the past but at the end of day we have not seen any transformation as a result so adding more taxes doesn't make a lot of sense.”
Cathcart said the proposal came from the mayor's office and that there had not been much discussion yet.
Brown's office did not return a request for comment from The Center Square.
Public testimony and next steps
Cathcart said council members will have opportunities to testify on the proposal during legislative meetings on Wednesday nights over the next couple of weeks.
He reiterated that he opposes adopting the tax without voter input and wants the city to evaluate its priorities and long-term plans for the revenue.
“I stand: We shouldn't do it councilmanic, we need to ask voters,” Cathcart said. “If we are going down this path, look at highest priorities and seek input as we identify what this would apply to and what our long term plan is with these dollars.”
The council is scheduled to take a final vote Oct. 16. Five votes would be required for approval.
