Health District Finally Gets Budget Approval

Fri., June 23, 2000

From Staff Reports

The Spokane Regional Health District finally has a budget for 2000.

The $17.3 million budget, approved Thursday by the health board, includes $1 million in state emergency funding. The Legislature approved the money for health districts after voters approved Initiative 695, which reduced the cost of vehicle license tabs to $30.

Included in the budget is a 1.5 percent cost-of-living increase for employees. District nurses get the cost-of-living increase plus .75 percent more, under the terms of a contract signed last year.

With their salary increase on the table, district employees filled many of the seats in the conference room where the board met. Other seats were taken by opponents of a proposed city of Spokane initiative to fluoridate drinking water.

The health board has no influence over the fluoride initiative, although three of its members also are City Council members. But four of the opponents spoke about fluoridation during the public comment period.

“Basically, all I want in my water is water,” one man said.

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