City Must Pick Up Full Cost Of Police In 1998 Budget

The city isn’t adding any new police officers next year, but Spokane taxpayers will pay a lot more for the ones they already have.

A $2 million federal grant awarded in 1993 allowed the city to hire 26 new cops. Federal taxpayers kicked in $25,000 a year per officer for three years, while the city picked up the balance.

The dollars run out at the end of this year, leaving city taxpayers responsible for the entire $1.2 million annual cost.

City Manager Bill Pupo plans to unveil the proposed 1998 spending plan to the City Council tonight.

The proposed $101.7 million general fund budget is slightly more than a 1 percent increase over this year’s $100.1 million plan.

Next year’s proposed budget also includes:

An average 3 percent pay raise for union employees.

No pay increases for 16 non-union employees.

Paying $53,000 in interest on a $2.66 million loan to repave streets.

Increasing by 4 percent the total amount of property taxes collected in 1997. The owner of a $100,000 home likely will pay $23 less in 1998 than 1997 because voter-approved street and park bonds expire this year.

Giving $80,000 to Focus 21, an economic development effort affiliated with the Spokane Chamber of Commerce.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: MEETING A briefing for the council begins at 3:30 p.m. in the lower-level conference room of City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. The meeting begins at 6 p.m.