Incorporation Would Let Valley Get Back Some Of Taxes It Gives

Some comment regarding the nearly full page in Sunday’s newspaper reporting on the upcoming election for Spokane Valley incorporation:

The April 5, 1994, election on incorporation was not defeated by a wide margin. Out of the 16,926 votes cast, a switch of 994 votes, plus one, to “yes” would have put it over.

We would pay higher taxes under incorporation. This is an assumption with no foundation. Property taxes are determined by the county assessor. Incorporation would not change that. Any other taxes, of consequence, would be left to a vote of the people, the citizens.

Parks and other urban services. A good place to start here would be with the $10 million in excess sales taxes the Valley has sent to the county general fund for which the Valley never receives any services in return. With the dramatic increase in commercial business in the past few years, that figure probably is near $14 million a year.

Terry Novak, who understands figures, regarding his retirement as Spokane city manager, laments all the things that will happen if the county loses that excess sales tax the Valley has been putting in the county general fund.

Finally somebody is publicly acknowledging that for years the Valley has been subsidizing the rest of the county (including the city of Spokane) and in the process denying many amenities to its residents.

The intent for public services always has been to contract with the county for roads and police protection. How many times does this have to be repeated?

Incorporation will not affect Fire District 1 or the county library system. In fact, failure to do so will result in a serious financial adjustment. Fire District 1 stands to lose $775,000 a year in revenue and the library system $90,000 to $100,000 by almost certain annexation of the Yardley industrial area to the city of Spokane.

The loss of Yardley can result in the closure of Fire Station 6, closure or moving of Fire Station 2, closure of two library branches and a severe financial impact on a number of water districts.

If incorporation passes, the new city would annex to Fire District 1 and the Spokane County Library District.

If Spokane and county residents had not been denied a vote on the incinerator, refuse always could have been shipped to Arlington, Ore., or Klickitat County, Wash., for about $38 a ton as compared to the nearly $100 a ton tipping fee it costs now. Seattle and Portland voted against incineration long ago and are disposing at these landfills.

Taxes: Such as gasoline, collected by the state and doled out to the cities and counties. The unincorporated areas of the county have received only what the county chose to give them.

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