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October 11, 2011 in City
Verner looking to limit burden
Spending cuts likely to characterize ’12 budget
Spokane Mayor Mary Verner warned Monday that her budget for 2012 will focus on spending cuts rather than new taxes to help cover projected shortfalls.
“We also must limit the financial burdens on citizens and businesses. They, too, are feeling the impacts of the downturn and need predictability of city services and costs so they can prepare their own budgets and be ready to address other rising costs, including higher utility bills,” Verner said.
In her fourth annual address to the City Council, Verner said she will work to reduce labor costs by working with unions, some of which have contracts that expire at the end of the year. But the budget “requires prioritizing one service over another.”
She estimated that the gap between what the city expects in revenue and how much it would take to maintain current service at about $8 million.
Verner said her priority in the budget will be to “maintain safe neighborhoods and business centers.”
After the speech, Verner said that although her budget will not contain new revenue, she may suggest revenue that the council could pursue to save some services.
In May, Verner said new revenue options could be shifting red light camera ticket revenue or increasing hotel taxes.
Most of Verner’s speech focused on the city’s economic development efforts, which she said will help lead the city out of its ongoing budget woes. Each year Verner has been office, she has been forced to close multimillion dollar deficits.
She praised the Kendall Yards development and said the city was working with entrepreneurs along North Monroe Street to examine ways to further stimulate the business district. She pointed to planning initiatives under way to bring a residential and commercial development to a piece of property along North Foothills Drive that the city water and trash departments plan to leave, as well as efforts to “identify incentives” to attract more businesses to East Hillyard.
Among other economic development work, Verner also noted advancements in the University District and potential industrial growth in the West Plains, 10 square miles of which will enter city limits on Jan. 1.
Closing Geiger: Wise or worrisome? 
jimvw2 on October 11 at 6:55 a.m.
Verner has spent her entire administration burdened with recession-driven deficits created by Cathy McMorris and her Republican K Street cabal.
In spite of that, Spokane continues to move forward with development of the infrastructure and business practices that prepare Spokane to prosper once we boot the Republicants out of the other Washington. Mayor Verner did that, while David Condon was busy running the booty from those famous Mcmorris Rodgers “coffee meetings” and from the Koche brothers and astrturf lobbies down to the bank for deposit into his boss’s campaign trough. I’ll bet he’s tapping the same veins for his campaign today.
I’m grateful every day that we have someone in leadership who can see beyond the next media event. Let’s keep it that way.
All I see from Condon for solutions is a desire to fire everyone on the city payroll who holds a family-wage job. So his idea of a coping strategy for the recession his boss helped create is to create more unemployment. Sounds just like Cathy. No thanks. Vote for Verner.
Lewis on October 11 at 9:13 a.m.
jim your shoveling pretty deep today, you on the taxpayer payroll when your blogging?
Verner needs to go.
Dazzeetrader11 on October 11 at 10:19 a.m.
Jimmy W’s been drinking. Verner was burdened by WHOM??? Try Obama Jimmy.
JImmy’s a union man and his job would be terminated by Condon and the County Comm. He does nothing…just sits.
Like the money, hates the work. Typical Union guy.
Verner’s deceit is becoming legendary. She’s lost well over $15 million on her real estate misadventures when she was warned not to spend AND in the face of a big recession.
She’s behind the water tax.
She’s most assuredly one of the driving forces in the Otto Zehm murder coverup.
There’s a list of 25 things Daisy could detail.
Verner’s a mess and is in over her head. How on earth can a Mayor work effectively when she’s cause huge debt and is spending too much time defending herself from the federal investigators. This is NOT small. This is big and it’s real.
Vote Condon. ..and Mike Allen. Stop this insanity.
DickAdams on October 11 at 1:16 p.m.
“In May, Verner said new revenue options could be shifting red light camera ticket revenue or increasing hotel taxes.”
Verner was a liar regarding new revenue options in May. How can Verner say that when her infamous city utility tax had been already raised and knowingly knew the city tax would be raised again this year. Don`t forget the city utility tax is the number one source of revenue in the Lilac City.
Ron_the_Cop on October 11 at 2:34 p.m.
Mayor Verner,
If you want to have any hope of winning this election you need to fire the following IMMEDIATELY:
Chief Kirkpatrick
Asst. Chief Nicks
City Attorney Delaney
Asst. City Attorney Treppiedi
and
Fire Chief Williams - there are plenty of reasons - AMR for one
Fire Gavin Cooley - for hiding the City’s slush funds the “Bank of Hein” and not having a CPA as he claimed “innocently” he didn’t remove on the City’s Website.
I tried to speak to these funding priorities when I testified before Council and sent you a copy of my prepared text re the Downtown Electric Trolley System where I mentioned the cut of the SPD property crimes unit. I said the City was sending mixed messages to the people with the tragic Creach OIS - We’re supposed to call 911. Yes the was a SCSO case but the message is the same. President Shogun rudely ruled me out of order before my three minutes had expired.
Spokane Trolley System is akin to Nero’s playing the violin while Rome was burning!
http://tinyurl.com/3bcaw6r
Trust me - remove the detectives that keep the mice/rats/vermin that would violate one’s home, there will be an explosion in residential burglaries. In CA a residential burglary is considered a serious felony and counts as a strike offense. This is an essential function of government. What they Hell are you doing?
REINSTATE NOW the SPD Crimes Against Property Unit - this is tantamount to malfeasance in office and you know it. This is a Three Care Monte scam. Rip the PD to scare and squeeze more money from the taxpayers to cover your fraud losses and other wasteful spending.
Be honest with the people and make other prudent cuts and You know where these cuts can be made. As you know the structural debt left over from the RPS settlement/bailout is costing the taxpayers of Spokane $2M per year. With the economy in the tank the chickens have come home to roost just as Councilwoman Cherie Rodgers predicted.
Gee I’m getting very tired as A TAXPAYER paying for Atty Bob Dunn’s judgments for his police clients from the stupidity of our elected and appointed governmental officials. Mr. Dunn only takes cases he knows he can win and get a big paycheck.
Pull the plug on the Zehm civil case NOW and settle!
The Federal CRV Otto Zehm Trial will begin tomorrow. I expect the S-R will be doing blow by blow accounts. As this case unfolds and the US Attorney’s Office presents it’s evidence I’m sure there will be those complicit in this coverup will be jumping into the Spokane River from the top floors of City Hell!
Act to stem these losses now or you will be toast in this election.
Det. Ron Wright (Retired - Riverside PD, CA)
Principal, Ron Wright Investigations LLC
PS read the comments from Brian Breen in Doug Clark’s column re cutting the burglary unit:
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/oct/09/doug-clark-who-cares-about-property-theft-when/
Lewis on October 11 at 7:05 p.m.
where are you jimmy you talk your trash and hide for rest of day what ya doing taking a nap in the chiefs office?
while on payroll?