The Great Divide: Reaction Secure Our Share Of The Money In Olympia, Spokane Is Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind
Comparing Spokane with Seattle, I see challenges as well as accomplishments. The poverty rate in Spokane is higher than in Seattle. (The 3rd Legislative District in Spokane is the lowest-income district in the state.) Twenty-nine percent of Spokane’s population receive public assistance. Also, because Spokane is a regional medical and social service center, some low-income people from nearby towns remain in Spokane, adding to the demands on the social service agencies.
Many suggest that churches or volunteers fill the gap, but the churches are already heavily involved in the social service community and also lack sufficient resources. The volunteer pool is shrinking as more people work to support themselves. Because our median income is low compared with Seattle’s ($34,576 vs. $48,727) and because the cost of living is similar, Spokanites have less disposable income to give to charity. A report of the Regional Financial Associates states that workers in Spokane have less spending money after taking care of the essentials than almost anywhere else in America. In addition, while corporations historically fund nonprofits near their home offices, Spokane has a shrinking corporate base.
Funds from our city reflect the general economy and priorities of the public. The city of Spokane provides about 1 percent of its general tax revenue to human services, while Seattle provides 18.8 percent. Seattle citizens passed a $59 million low-income housing levy in 1995 and a families and education levy in 1990 for $69 million, while Spokane turned down a $20 million affordable housing levy in 1994.
Though Spokane’s 3rd Legislative District is the poorest in the state, we do not have the political clout to obtain the federal and state funding needed for social services, affordable housing, and economic development that Seattle aggressively goes after and receives. When state officials talk about the social service needs, they refer to the communities on the Interstate 5 corridor. Spokane is out of sight, out of mind.
It is imperative that Eastern Washington officials work together to get our share of state and federal dollars for human services.
In spite of the problems, our community is known throughout the state for its collaborative projects, such as the Spokane Homeless Coalition, Breakthrough, and Health Improvement Partnership. Collaboration enables our community to maximize the limited resources in order to better serve the population.
MEMO: June B. Shapiro is director of human services for the city of Spokane.