Spokane Valley council moves to advance 0.1% public-safety sales tax process; public hearing set

The Spokane Valley City Council on March 18 agreed to advance the process of placing a voter initiative to raise the city sales tax by 0.1 percentage point for public safety, directing staff to publish a public‑hearing notice for April 1 and to solicit members for the required pro‑and‑con committees.

City Deputy Manager Eric Lam, summarizing a winter workshop discussion, told the council “based on 2023 and 2024 sales tax collections, we estimate that a 0.1% voter‑approved public safety sales tax would generate approximately $2,600,000.” He said roughly 48% of the sales‑tax base that would pay the levy is from out‑of‑city visitors, reducing the share paid by local households.

The move begins a time‑sensitive calendar set by state law and the city’s governance manual. Bond counsel Deanna Gregory told the council the election ordinance, the voters’ explanatory statement and pro/con committee appointments must be finalized and transmitted to the county by early May to appear on the August 5 primary ballot. Gregory said the explanatory statement is limited by county guidance and must be “in clear and neutral tone,” and that the voters’ pamphlet package will include the ballot proposition, an explanatory statement and pro/con statements and rebuttals.

Why it matters: council and staff said the city is facing rising public‑safety costs and flat sales‑tax receipts. At a prior workshop staff recommended a staffing “phase 2” that would add the equivalent of roughly 6.5 positions (four patrol officers, a school resource officer and other direct public‑safety positions), which would require recurring funding on the order of about $1.0 million per year. Council members repeatedly said the measure gives voters the choice to increase recurring revenue for police and public‑safety services rather than pursuing cuts to other city programs.

Council discussion and next steps: council asked staff to publish the April 1 notice for the required public hearing and to begin soliciting candidates for the pro and con committees (statute limits each committee to no more than three city residents). Staff emphasized the tight schedule required to hit an August ballot: ordinances and explanatory text would need to be adopted and submitted to Spokane County by May 2. Deputy City Manager Lam and Finance Director Chelsea Walls will return with language and cost estimates; outside counsel will draft the election ordinance and the explanatory statement for council consideration on April 1 and a second reading later in April.

Councilmembers split on policy but agreed to let voters decide. Several members said they prefer the city to exhaust internal efficiencies and audit indirect contract costs before asking voters for new revenue; others said the city lacks the recurring funds needed to maintain service levels and that a locally controlled, voter‑approved sales tax is the appropriate tool.

The council’s procedural direction does not enact the tax; it only starts the legal and public process needed to put the measure before voters. If the council proceeds, the city will publish the required public‑hearing notice, appoint pro/con committee members, and return with an ordinance and explanatory statement for formal adoption by early May.