Airway Heights mulls budget

Airway Heights is preparing to approve its preliminary 2009 budget, which has the city earning less than in years past.

“The national economic crisis is affecting us as well,” said City Manager Albert Tripp, who noted that many other communities, such as Spokane and Liberty Lake, are also seeing reduced revenues.

The city is projected to earn $4,378,263 compared with $4,668,820 in 2008.

Because the city will be earning less, the budget also has the city spending less – $4,319,714 for next year’s budget versus $4,349,711 spent in 2008.

The cuts will be made “all across the board,” said Richard Cook, clerk-treasurer. Cook said the budget is still being finalized, so it’s hard to say which city departments, if any, will be hit harder than others.

“We’re still looking at areas we can cut, basically,” Cook said.

The city will hold public hearings on the budget Monday and Nov. 17 in the City Council chambers.

In other City Council news:

•The council is considering a 1 percent property tax increase.

Airway Heights landowners pay an average of $224 per $100,000 a year in property taxes. If the council approves the increase, that figure will rise to about $226.

City Council members will approve a final budget in December.

•The council will vote on an ordinance on gang crime within the city on Monday.

Gang activity here has been rising in step with gang crime around Spokane County, Airway Heights Police Chief Lee Bennett said in an interview in August.

The new ordinance would make it illegal for property owners, such as landlords, to knowingly let gang crimes or gang activity continue on their premises. Bennett said the measure will give the city some leverage against private property owners as gang crimes continue to increase.