Incorporation Proposals Head For Polls Tuesday

Two days before the vote on incorporating Evergreen and Opportunity, debate over the cities’ viability swirls around the Spokane Valley.

Proponents of forming the cities point to large sales tax, property tax and shared revenues as reasons both will succeed. Arguments that the cities will start out in financial trouble are just scare tactics being used to defeat incorporation, backers said.

Skeptics - who criticize incorporation leaders for not producing detailed cost estimates - insist budget shortfalls are likely. The most recent budget estimate circulated by Citizens Against Incorporation predicts Evergreen will spend nearly $1 million more than it will make in the city’s first year, and Opportunity’s deficit will be twice that.

Evergreen backers project a $500,000 surplus in its first year, not counting revenues from the Spokane Valley Mall. Supporters of Opportunity, who have not figured expenses for the proposed city, have said it will be “awash with money.”

Residents within those proposed cities will vote Tuesday on whether to incorporate. To pass, each city must receive 50 percent approval plus one vote.

Evergreen, an 8-square-mile proposed city, would be bounded on the north by the Spokane River, on the south by 24th Avenue, on the west by Evergreen Road and on the east by Barker Road.

Opportunity would be bounded by Interstate 90 on the north, 16th Avenue on the south, Argonne Road on the west and Evergreen Road on the east. The city would be about 6 square miles.

Like the three previous incorporation efforts since 1990, increased local government representation and keeping tax revenues in the Valley have been rallying cries for proponents.

“We’re such a large urban area out here and we don’t have a vote on what goes on in our community,” said Ed Meadows, Opportunity’s chief proponent.

Evergreen backers also have cited control over land use as an important issue. Currently, the Valley doesn’t have a voting member on the regional Growth Management steering committee, which is charged with planning growth for the next 20 years. City backers hope incorporating will give Evergreen a seat.

How each city would provide services also parallels previous incorporation efforts. Backers of both cities have recommended each join Fire District No. 1 for fire suppression and the Spokane County Library District. They recommend contracting with the county for police protection, road maintenance and sewer service.

However, unlike the Valleywide incorporation efforts of 1990, 1994 and 1995 - which involved populations of 73,000 to nearly 90,000 - Evergreen and Opportunity represent only a portion of the Valley. Evergreen would have a population of about 15,000, while 19,000 residents would call Opportunity home.

Leaders of both efforts have said they would support efforts to annex surrounding neighborhoods that want to be part of the cities. Merging the two cities also could be an option, proponents said.

The current incorporation drives also don’t have as much money as previous efforts, forcing both efforts to rely on grass-roots campaigns. Thousands of campaign fliers, a widespread doorbell and telephone effort, and public meetings have replaced newspaper advertising as the information vehicle of choice.

“I think people are taking ownership in this election,” said Arne Woodard, a leader in Evergreen’s incorporation attempt. “I don’t think we had that in the past.”

Whether that ownership will translate into incorporation of the two cities remains to be seen.

Successful incorporation of the two cities would transfer revenue from a large portion of the Valley’s commercial strip from the county’s tax rolls to the new cities.

The impact that will have on the 171,000 county residents is unknown. County officials, who have spent time before previous incorporation efforts studying the repercussions, have given it little thought this time.

County commissioners said they plan to wait until voters approve or reject Evergreen and Opportunity before they react.

If the city councils within the proposed cities follow proponents’ recommendations to contract with the county for major services, that could help offset any losses.

Both proposals have drawn criticism for carving portions out of the Valley. Residents outside of the proposed cities and the Valley are among those who have contributed money to the opposition.

“I’d like to see the whole Valley incorporate, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to piecemeal the thing,” said Doug Rider, Opportunity resident and leader in Citizens Against Incorporation.

Proponents of the two cities say they just want what is rightfully theirs.

“(Residents) can take back control of their destinies,” Woodard said.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Map: Proposed cities incorporation

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: TO THE POLLS Should the proposed cities of Evergreen and Opportunity incorporate? The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Residents of precincts within the proposed boundaries may vote.