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Neither issue was supported unanimously, nor was it unconditional. But the Spokane Valley City Council gave its recommendation for approval of a pair of ballot issues that will come before voters May 20.
The council voted 5-2 Tuesday to support Spokane Transit Authority’s efforts to renew a .03 of 1 percent sales tax, which will be primarily used to continue to fund existing service levels of buses and expand programs in the future.
Mayor Richard Munson and Deputy Mayor Dick Denenny – who both sit on the STA board of directors – urged the council to pass the measure, saying that the probationary period of the 2004 vote to initiate the tax was over, and it’s time for STA to move forward with guaranteed funding. While the current tax will sunset in 2009, the May 20 vote would be for the sales tax measure to continue indefinitely.
Denenny said STA is continuing to draw down its reserve fund, which alarms him because the agency has never had to borrow money to operate.
“Most of us aren’t used to an entity that does not borrow,” he said, adding that the pay-as-you-go philosophy saves taxpayers millions each year in interest payments. He went on further to say that asking STA to continue to come to voters would be like the police department having to wonder if it would have “to reduce by 50 officers every five years.”
Munson added that if STA “crosses that line” where it becomes irresponsible with tax dollars, voters always have the option of putting an initiative on the ballot to reduce the financial burden.
“It can be done,” he said. “We’ve seen in the past that there’s a number of people in the community will put that type of initiative to voters.”
Council Member Rose Dempsey said she wasn’t convinced and that removing the sunset clause is like ignoring “a child who misbehaves” and takes away voters’ power to discipline STA.
“I can’t vote for this without a sunset,” she said.
Council Member Steve Taylor – who also voted no with Dempsey – agreed, adding that the conservative nature of the present STA board could change in time. Regional governments, not voters, appoint board members.
“The present board will not always be there,” he said. “It’s important (for the sunset clause) to be there for organizations that do not have that accountability to the public.”
Taylor was even more vocal about the emergency communications funding issue that will be on the same ballot, where he – along with Munson and Denenny – were outvoted by the rest of the council. Taylor said he is critical of the decision of the county commissioners to use the .01 percent of 1 percent sales tax to reinstate Crime Check and help fund 9-1-1 improvements instead of concentrating on upgrading communications equipment for emergency responders.
“I wish this were a vote just to address the inoperability issue,” he said. “Crime Check should be saved for a time when we have a little bit more money on hand.”
Taylor also said it was “unfortunate” that nothing had changed in how the money would be spent when commissioners brought the issue first before voters last November. At that time, the tax – which would have raised $8 million a year for 10 years – failed by a scant 280 votes. Supporters believe it would have passed if there had been a mention of bringing back the popular 456-2233 Crime Check line in the ballot language.
“Would it have passed then? I don’t know,” Taylor said, adding that the Legislature should help reconfigure collected phone taxes to help with 9-1-1 improvements. “I wish we had a better measure to vote on.”
Council Member Bill Gothmann countered that the need to funding for towers, radios and other equipment – and implement a “reverse 9-1-1” where community members are called and given instructions in the case of a natural disaster – were too great to ignore. There is a federal mandate that emergency responders must update to all digital equipment by 2012 or face still monetary penalties.
“The reality is, this is what’s before us,” he said. “If there are officers in the field getting shot at and they can’t talk to one another, that’s wrong.”
Ballots for the May 20 special election are expected to be mailed next week.
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By
Mike Huffman
