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Is Crime Check a necessary crime-reporting tool that will lift some of the load off the existing 9-1-1 system or a feel-good, nice-to-have program that not an absolute priority?
It all depends on whom you ask.
During a public hearing Tuesday, County Commissioners Mark Richard and Todd Mielke made their case for Crime Check and a new sales tax to fund it, while a former commissioner and a couple of community members said the price is just too high.
The discussion came during the hearing, presented by the Spokane Valley City Council. The council is gathering information for a possible endorsement of the .01 percent sales tax request – which would be used to bring back the Crime Check nonemergency incident reporting line -- that will go before voters on May 20. The estimated $8 million a year for 10 years would also be used to pay for emergency communications equipment for law enforcement and public safety service providers, along with money to improve the existing 9-1-1 system. A “reverse 9-1-1” program – whereby citizens would be called and given instructions during an emergency – is also part of the package.
Last November, the tax increase failed by 280 votes. Supporters believe it would have passed had there been a mention of bringing back the popular 456-2233 Crime Check line in the ballot language.
Former County Commissioner John Roskelley told the council, however, that taxpayers are simply stretched too thin.
“I’m all for upgrading our equipment and restoring Crime Check,” he said.
“But look at the accumulated impact of these taxes. People won’t be able to go and get a meal much less pay for anything else.”
Roskelley also said that the “fear factor” of proponents claims that emergency responders won’t be able to communicate after a federally mandated switch to digital equipment in 2012 simply isn’t reality.
“It’s baloney,” he said.
“Pretty soon we’ll be paying 9-percent sales tax,” said Troy Dilley, who told the council not to support the measure. “How much more do we have to pay? Ten cents on every dollar?”
John Tyson told the council that the commissioners might have better luck if they separated the funding request for the emergency communications equipment from Crime Check in to different votes.
“As a voter, I might vote for the communication equipment,” he said. “I would never vote for Crime Check – I think it’s up to the county to manage this stuff.”
Richard said the county – and other municipal governments have told him the same thing – that there simply isn’t enough money in existing budgets to pay for the towers, radios and other equipment that will be necessary to get the job done. He added that an existing .01 public safety sales tax – which Roskelley said should be used instead – is already spoken for to pay for corrections officers and other programs.
“Quite frankly, it’s irresponsible to suggest that we have this in our budget,” he said.
As for criticism that Crime Check is a separate issue from the needed technology upgrades, Mielke said people are using 9-1-1 for calls that used to go to Crime Check and it’s overloading the system. Busy signals during peak hours aren’t uncommon, he said.
“It’s not the Crime Check we had in the past,” he said. “It would be whole new system.”
Dick Behm, speaking on behalf of the Spokane Valley Business Association, said, “We encourage all citizens to vote for this very worthy effort. The need for cross communications and Crime Check are immense.”
The council will consider endorsing the issue, along with STA’s request, at its April 22 meeting.
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By
Mike Huffman
