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Spokane council approves transfer to cover criminal justice assistance fund deficit amid debate over police wages and state drug-law impacts
Summary
The Spokane City Council voted 5-2 to amend the biennial budget to cover a shortfall in the Criminal Justice Assistance Fund, moving money that will affect police base wages and fund jail costs; councilors debated causes including interfund charge increases and state-level changes to drug laws.
The Spokane City Council on Thursday approved Ordinance C 36 7 56, a special budget amendment to resolve a deficit in the Criminal Justice Assistance Fund, by a 5-2 vote.
Council member Cathcart said she would vote against the ordinance, taking “responsibility in some ways for the deficit” after voting in past years to broaden allowable uses of the fund to homelessness-related programs and noting the result was an erosion of the fund’s balance. She said, “the proposed solution essentially takes the dollars from the base wages of police.”
The ordinance transfers money to cover rising jail costs and related expenses. Council members debated the reasons behind cost increases: Council member Dylan and others pointed to a 2023 change in state policy and court decisions that reduced felony drug charges to misdemeanors, which shifted custody costs from the county to municipalities. Dylan said when those drug offenses “were no longer a felony … the cost is now borne by the city and not by the county.”
Council members also described internal budget changes that increased police interfund charges citywide. Cathcart said those interfund charges were increased substantially and that “this cuts those dollars even further.” Council member Bridal likewise said she would vote against the transfer and argued the council should seek other capital uses for the funds if police base wages are reduced.
Supporters said the transfer was a needed short-term step while the city addresses longer-term budget issues. One supporter noted the ordinance includes funding for fleet needs for the Spokane Police Department and other one-time expenses. City staff and council members pointed to rising jail bills, shortages in county jail staffing that leave beds unused at times, and external policy changes as drivers of the deficit.
The motion passed with five yes votes and two no votes. The record shows Council member Cathcart and Council member Bridal opposed the measure. The ordinance language and vote were read into the record as part of the council’s budget amendments.
The council did not adopt a long-term remedy in the same vote; several members said more review and targeted cuts or revenue adjustments will be needed in the next budget cycle.
