Trade Agency An Easy Choice For Budget Cut

During a decade of existence, the city of Spokane’s Department of International Development has pounded out countless press releases.

And during those 10 years, as business editor of the newspaper and later as associate editor and columnist, I received the department’s news releases. By the scores. If not the hundreds. And I have used not one.

The releases were mostly about abstruse trade subjects. Typically they provide a long laundry list of classes offered under the auspices of the department on the ins and outs of trading with this or that nation.

While this may be the bread and butter of import/export bankers and others engaged in international commerce, it is utterly unpalatable to the rest of us.

So why, I have often pondered, does the city persist in wasting time and effort and taxpayer money preparing press releases that never make it into print?

Indeed, why is the city in the business of sponsoring these short courses on technical foreign trade subjects in the first place anyway? OK, somebody has to do it. But why not area universities and community colleges? The federal government? The state? Or better yet, the private sector which profits from this information?

Normally, except for classes and workshops and the like, the press releases have to do with visits by minor-league foreign dignitaries. That, or overseas junkets booked by the department for council members and other city officials, ostensibly to represent the rest of us on important trade visits to Sister Cities around the globe.

Primarily, the department seems to be a ceremonial figurehead for the conduct of international diplomacy at the city level.

The only time I can recall taking any real heed of the department, except for puzzling over its existence, was a few years ago when the city eliminated support funding for the U.S. Commerce Department’s trade office in Spokane.

That office provided basic, practical, indispensable import/export expertise, answers and assistance.

A budget advisory panel had recommended cutting back the city’s international trade office. Instead, stumblebums eliminated city matching funds for the key federal trade office.

As a result, Spokane sacrificed valuable federal help with the expansion and servicing of foreign trade activities hereabouts. Eventually, the service was restored on a part-time basis out of Tri-Cities where the Spokane office relocated.

The original target of the budget slashers never did get cut. But finally it appears this mistake is about to be corrected. Budget cutters are sharpening their pencils and axes again in the wake of a new wave of economic stagnation and reduced revenues. The do-little Department of International Development is getting the evil eye.

And the city officialdom is finally ready to do what it should have 10 years ago - farm out international development assistance to those in the private sector who use and profit from it.

To that end, city officials are seeking a partnership with business organizations willing to share the cost of privatizing the service. The city hopes to spin off its trade and economic activities to a private-sector agency which would be established. These services to businesses would be jointly funded by the public and private sectors.

The city would retain its diplomatic relations function, and continue to support the Sister Cities program.

In Spokane last week, about 100 delegates to a regional summit on international trade hammered out a profit-oriented program of work for just such a private/public agency.

“Summit participants voted on, piece by piece, a well-organized program of work and services to be rendered to businesses involved in foreign trade,” said Rich Hadley, president of the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce, which hosted the summit. “We approved a plan of action to push ahead toward a regional public/ private partnership.”

Such an arrangement would save the taxpayers worthwhile money - the international department’s annual budget is $144,000 - while maintaining invaluable diplomatic ties in the global community, says City Manager Roger Crum.

But the decision won’t be firm until the 1996 budget is finalized and adopted by the City Council. It takes effect Jan. 1.

, DataTimes MEMO: Associate Editor Frank Bartel’s column appears on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Frank Bartel The Spokesman-Review