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Dennis Flynn: Demand more specifics from city, and vote no on Prop 1

By Dennis Flynn
Proposition 1 increases the city sales tax to create a “Community Safety Fund” – but doesn’t explain what that means.
The city administration and council had ample time to include specifics in plans about spending this new tax, but chose to leave it vague. They could have written specifics into the legislation so it is binding, but they chose not to do that.
Vote no to send this back to the city and demand that detailed spending plans be included before you will approve new taxes.
Spokane deserves specifics. One council member proposed adding language to the resolution to define exactly how the additional tax money would be spent. Yet the liberal majority on the council, who seem to believe voters don’t deserve specifics, rejected this option. The mayor claims the money will be directed toward specific things and the City Council says it will end in 10 years, but these are nonbinding platitudes that any future council may change by a simple vote.
Their track record shows they have not earned the trust being asked of voters.
Misplaced priorities. Voters were asked where they wanted a new stadium, but the city and school district overrode voters’ wishes and put it downtown.
The city has implemented road diets and bike lanes without any valid sampling of what the citizens want, including upcoming plans to reduce Division Street from six lanes to four. They’ve changed zoning to allow multifamily housing everywhere and they’ve removed off-street parking requirements without asking you.
The city has allocated funding to put health clinics in Rogers, Shadle Park and North Central High Schools, so your “fully capable of making life-changing decisions without you” children may engage with “totally trustworthy and not activist” adults who aren’t you.
Fiscal mismanagement. The city budget is more than $1.15 billion, but our esteemed mayor and council can’t find $35 million to cut. Recently, the city has implemented salary increases, has used budget gimmicks that actually cost you more over time by refinancing existing debts for longer periods, and spent more money than is necessary by purchasing electric vehicles for the police department and city. But don’t worry – it’s just your money, not theirs. They say we’re in a budget crisis, but the mayor has managed to identify just more than one-half of 1% in “savings!”
Vague promises. The city’s promotional video describes Proposition 1 as a “Community Safety Fund” but avoids defining what “community safety” includes. While the video mentions a traffic patrol unit, a neighborhood officer program, and replacing fire rigs and equipment – all worthwhile initiatives – it also includes more nebulous goals, like “renovate and enhance our fire stations” and “being a stabilizing force for those struggling with fentanyl, homelessness and economic instability.”
These vague statements leave a lot of room for interpretation and misuse. Without specifying how the tax money will be spent in the language of the resolution, the city leaves it up to any future City Council to decide how to allocate the funds, potentially straying far from today’s promises.
Demand transparency. Given these patterns, we should not trust this liberal mayor and City Council with a tax increase that lacks any spending safeguards. Vote no on Proposition 1 and demand legislation that clearly identifies how your money will be spent on true “community safety” issues like law enforcement and fire services.
Spokane deserves better.
Dennis Flynn has lived in Spokane for more than 55 years. He is an IT professional with more than 25 years of experience in the health care industry.