Momentum Takes Time To Reflect Economic Group Sees Work Ahead, Despite Past Success
After nearly a decade pumping $1 million a year into Spokane’s economy, Momentum ‘96 on Monday gave itself mixed marks for efforts to increase jobs, personal income and the quality of life.
Gathered for its ninth annual meeting, the 550-member economic development organization congratulated itself for helping create 37,800 new jobs in Spokane County and boosting personal income 70 percent since 1986.
But officials reminded the audience, which included Mayor Jack Geraghty and at least 25 other community leaders working on a possible successor to Momentum, that one-fifth of Spokane’s children still live in poverty and many will die from crime or disease before their 17th birthday.
“There are those for whom business prosperity and economic vitality are concepts that take a long, long time to trickle down,” Momentum president Gordon Budke told the 300 business leaders at the Spokane Ag Trade Center downtown. “They are part of the fabric, part of the tapestry that gives us our diversity, our soul and our own unique pattern and texture.”
“We have to remove the barriers that keep us from communicating. We have to remove the blinders that keep us from seeing.”
Lee Sherman Dreyfus, the former Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin who became governor for one term in 1979, also spoke to the group, urging them to sacrifice a few years to serve in the state legislature.
Founded to stimulate the economy at a time when more people were leaving Spokane than moving in, Momentum collects $1 million annually from area businesses to underwrite economic development, tourism, education and lobbying programs.
Budke’s speech was followed by a video that, by Momentum standards, was unusually sobering. Unlike tear-jerking tributes of past years, Momentum’s “Dreams and Realities” video laced humorous interviews with local school children about their future with stark statistics on homelessness, public assistance and teen pregnancy in Spokane.
If the video established a sense of need, Momentum officials were quick to point toward a solution. Budke introduced participants who were present from the 150-member New Century Task Force, saying the volunteer group this year will create a five-year economic plan for Spokane and Kootenai counties.
New Century is a broad-based community group, whereas Momentum draws its membership mostly from influential business leaders. Through a series of public meetings, New Century has outlined some early strategies, including consolidation of half of all city-county services and providing affordable health care and housing.
Budke stopped short of saying New Century would succeed Momentum, which expires at the end of this year.
“People ask me, “is this the new Momentum?” and I tell them “It’s all part of Momentum,” Budke said as Momentum employees prepared to hand out fliers about New Century’s April 23 town hall meeting. “Now, I think, we’re finally ready.”
, DataTimes