Residents ask Spokane County to adopt one‑tenth‑percent sales tax and join regional homelessness talks

Becky Dickerhoof, a Spokane resident, told the Spokane County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 14 that the board should enact the one‑tenth of one percent sales-and-use tax authorized by RCW 82.14.530 to fund housing and homelessness programs.

Dickerhoof said the measure is authorized by state law and urged the county to use the option to “combat the housing and homelessness crisis in Spokane.” She cited local housing indicators presented during her remarks: a 6% rental vacancy rate in 2023; more than 52% of households spending 30% or more of income on housing in 2023; more than 28% spending more than 50%; a reported median household income of $73,538 and a household “survival budget” of $85,475. In her remarks she also gave fair‑market rent figures she had: “The average fair market rate for renting a 1 bedroom in Spokane is $11.23, not including utilities. A 2 bedroom is $14.44 without utilities,” figures she presented during public comment.

HT Higgins, another public commenter, urged broader county participation in a regional approach. Higgins asked that commissioners beyond those already representing the county attend the regional homeless collaborative meeting on Jan. 29, saying it would signal a countywide commitment. He noted Commissioners Kearns and Waldorf were expected to represent the county at that meeting and urged Commissioners French, Cooney and Jordan to also attend. “We are one community, which includes the city of Spokane, Spokane County, and the city of Spokane Valley,” Higgins said, calling for a nonpartisan regional vehicle that could coordinate local jurisdictions, service providers, philanthropy, faith communities and business leaders.

Why it matters: Commenters framed both the tax and the regional meeting as tools to marshal funding and local coordination to address homelessness and housing affordability. Dickerhoof presented state statute RCW 82.14.530 as the legal mechanism for a county sales-and-use tax; Higgins framed attendance at the Jan. 29 meeting as a practical step toward regionwide planning.

No ordinance or motion to adopt the tax or to change county representation at the Jan. 29 meeting was before the board during the Jan. 14 meeting; both items were presented as public comment and not acted on during the session.