Voters Have A Say In Merger’s Costs

Second in a series

What would it cost, or how much might it save, if voters decide on Nov. 7 to merge Spokane’s city and county governments?

Nobody knows right now. Not the critics. Not the proponents. Here’s why: The same voters who will decide whether to create a unified government also will have a big say in how much that government spends, what services it provides and how much duplication it cuts from the fighting, fragmented governments we have now.

The freeholders’ proposal dramatically increases voter influence: It creates an elected executive and a council elected by district. Voters get a say over tax increases, plus the rights of referendum, initiative and recall.

That bodes well. While change means uncertainty, it also means opportunity. The business world wades regularly into corporate mergers, knowing they’re an opportunity to eliminate costly duplication and hammer out leaner, more responsive decision-making structures. The freeholders’ proposal creates an opportunity to do the same in Spokane County government.

However, there will be costs, mostly one-time, in the transition to unified government. For example, differing city and county computers should be replaced by a compatible network so employees can communicate. Also, the separate laws and regulations of the city and county will have to be reconsidered (a healthy process!), and replaced by a unified code.

Such transitional costs have been estimated at $7.9 million.

The only other certain cost increase would result from the freeholders’ proposal that 8 percent of the new government’s budget be committed to parks. The City of Spokane already does this - and fine parks are the result - but the county doesn’t. The higher commitment to county parks would cost roughly $4 million a year.

Nobody can say, yet, where the $7.9 million and $4 million would come from.

But surely, voters would demand that leaders of the new government push hard for savings, throughout its $400 million in total annual outlays. There are obvious savings, for example, in eliminating the current redundance in top administration and middle management. (No wonder many current officials oppose unification.)

Other possible cost increases depend on whether the new government decides to increase services or raise staff salaries. Voters can guide those decisions.

The existing governments have approved rapid bureaucratic growth, high salaries and steady tax increases in spite of public opinion to the contrary, because their policy makers are more insulated from voters.

Spokane County’s hard-eyed business leaders are supporting the freeholders’ plan. They do not expect higher taxes. Rather, they hope a merger will save money. So long as that’s what the voters demand as well, it’ll happen.

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