Voters should chip in for streets

Like the magma surging inexorably to the top of Mount St. Helens, the pressure to repair Spokane’s streets keeps building. Will this be the year voters burp up the requisite cash?

The city of Spokane has placed a $117 million bond issue on the Nov. 2 ballot to relieve the estimated $200 million street maintenance backlog over the next 10 years. The bonds would be paid off by a property tax increase costing $68 on a $100,000 home.

Road rage comes in many forms, but in Spokane it includes cursing the bumps, ruts and potholes. But voters last pitched in to solve the problem in 1987, when they passed a $15 million street bond. Just as a homeowner can’t expect somebody else to paint the peeling exterior and replace the roof, Spokane residents can’t expect others to pay for the upkeep of our streets.

Previously, critics have said the city should find the money from existing funds, but clearly they don’t comprehend the magnitude of the problem. The city’s general fund, which just underwent some cuts, is expected to total about $116 million for the coming year. Compare that with the cost of the estimated backlog ($200 million) and the price of the proposed bond issue ($117 million).

There is no squirreled-away stash that can address the problem. Plus, nobody else is going to come to the rescue. The city’s residential streets are not eligible for state or federal matching funds.

The 10-year plan would repair 110 miles of streets. Which streets? The Web site ( www.spokanestreets.org) has a detailed map of which streets are to be fixed and when. Included in the plan is:

“Reconstruction of 37 miles of major arterials and public safety corridors.

“Reconstruction and repair of 52 miles of residential streets.

“Paving of 14 miles of dirt and gravel streets via a subsidy for neighborhoods that form local improvement districts.

“Construction quality upgrades that would mean longer-lasting repair jobs.

Mayor Jim West is pushing for the formation of a citizens advisory board that would oversee the street projects and add accountability. And the city recently hired an independent auditor to watch the books. So, the plan has what many people want before granting approval: details on how and where the money will be spent, transparency and oversight.

The ambitious proposal would set the city on a long-range course of perpetual bonding for street repairs and reconstruction. But there is no recourse. A local option gas tax is not available to the city (the county would have to join in). A utility tax requires approval from the Legislature, which has turned down previous requests.

We don’t blame residents for blowing off steam about how the problem has been ignored for 20 years. But kicking the problem down the road solves nothing. In fact, that’s precisely how we arrived at this unpleasant junction.

The choice is simple: pay now, or pay a lot more later.