Cops Wins Budget Increase But City Council Debates Timing Of The Request For An Hour

The Spokane City Council spent more than $6 million Tuesday with hardly a comment from council members or residents.

But debate lasted an hour when the police department requested an additional $15,000 for community-oriented policing.

The money eventually was approved by all but councilman Chris Anderson, who called the request “empire-building in the typical bureaucratic form.”

Once managed primarily by volunteers with help from police, the Spokane COPS program became a non-profit organization in March. The city provided $60,000 for the first year’s budget, hoping donations eventually would reduce the amount of taxpayer money needed.

Police Chief Terry Mangan called the original budget a “guesstimate.”

The program grew so much in its first two months, the COPS board voted in May to add a second employee. That decision put the organization $15,000 over budget for the fiscal year, which ends in March.

COPS Director Cheryl Steele said volunteers worked 140 percent more hours last year than in 1994.

Seventeen volunteers showed up to support the budget increase. Three speakers opposed the increase.

Council members said repeatedly they don’t dispute the value of the program.

But Anderson said the city has many worthwhile programs, “and none of them … had to come before this council and say, ‘We overspent our budget and need $15,000 additional dollars.”’

Newly elected councilwoman Roberta Greene and Mayor Jack Geraghty questioned the timing of the request.

“If we only have two months to go, why not just slow down (spending) as a business would do?” asked Greene.

In other action Tuesday, the council:

Added the Davenport Hotel, the Symons Building and the Globe Hotel to the city’s historic building registry. Owners of registered buildings pay lower taxes in exchange for preserving them.

Built in 1917, the Symons Building, 525 W. Sprague, was home to Spokane’s first radio station.

The Globe Hotel, 204 N. Division, was constructed during a building boom in 1908.

The Davenport, the largest hotel in the Inland Northwest, already was designated a historic building by the federal government.

Voted to reduce the tax on non-profit bingo games from 10 percent of gross earnings to 7 percent. The reduction, phased in over three years, was sought by bingo operators, who say they are losing business to tribal bingo halls and casinos.

Voted to increase the cost of taking trash to the garbage incinerator or transfer stations. Starting March 1, it will cost $97, rather than $92, to dump a ton of garbage.

Heard testimony on a proposal to change the public forum portion of council meetings. The council will discuss options during a work session Jan. 11, and plans to make a decision Jan. 16.

Speakers urged the council to continue putting the forum at the top of the agenda, when it is televised, but to limit the time people can speak and the topics they can discuss.

Council members say the forum is used by some to promote ideas that have little to do with the city, and sometimes to threaten city leaders.

, DataTimes