Spokane City Council places tax levy for public safety staffing on Feb. ballot

Ariana Lake by Ariana Lake







The Spokane City Council voted 6-1 Monday night to place a levy on the February Special Election ballot that would, in part, pay for more Spokane Police Department and Spokane Fire Department staff members.

If approved, the public safety-related property tax levy measure would primarily support staffing levels at the City of Spokane’s public safety agencies.

The levy provides for an additional $0.30 tax per $1,000 of assessed property value.

In a past interview with KXLY, Spokane City Council President Ben Stuckart said that equates to $60 per year for a home worth $200,000.

City officials say it would generate about $5.8 million to be used exclusively for fire and police personnel and crime reduction programs.

“Public safety remains the most important concern to citizens,” said Stuckart. “The citizens deserve an opportunity vote to determine if they want to make additional investments in public safety staffing.”

Spokane County’s February Special Election is set for February 12, 2019.

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