Agencies given ‘symbolic’ funding
Meals on Wheels, the Spokane Valley Community Center and four other agencies will receive “symbolic” allocations from Spokane Valley’s 2005 budget, the City Council decided Tuesday.
The council divided $100,000 among social agencies that help people in need and economic development programs that help spur the local economy. The outside agencies asked for a total of almost $270,000, but the city is facing tough financial times. Councilman Richard Munson called the specific allocations symbolic because they’re much smaller than each group’s request.
The $100,000 allocation isn’t less than the amount given in 2004, but it’s spread among six agencies instead of five.
Meals on Wheels, which provides food for the elderly, asked for $8,200 and will receive $1,000. It didn’t apply for money from the 2004 budget.
Spokane Valley Community Center, which provides food, clothes and other services for the poor, asked for $14,283 and will receive $4,000, the same amount it was given this year.
The Chase Youth Commission, which has programs for young people, asked for $10,000 and will receive $1,000. It received $2,000 this year.
Project Access, a program in which doctors volunteer their time but need money for medical supplies, asked for and will receive $25,000, the same as this year.
The Spokane Area Economic Development Council, which spurs economic growth in the regional through marketing and by recruiting businesses, asked for $175,000 and will receive $55,000, the same as this year.
The International Trade Alliance, an agency that helps businesses export their goods, asked for $35,000 and will receive $14,000, the same as this year.
Council members have said they wish there was more money to give.
Councilman Mike Flanigan urged the council to consider “what can best benefit the people that live in Spokane Valley.”
“Meals on Wheels’ request was for half funding of a position so seniors at home who rely on these meals could get hot meals five days a week instead of three,” he said. “Don’t lose sight of the fact that we have a lot of people living at the low-income stratus of our society.”
But when business is strong, cities receive more money in tax receipts and have more funds to distribute. Councilman Dick Denenny said, “Economic development, I think, needs to be our focus.” He added that social agencies should – and do – get funding from the state.
Molly Dalpae, director of the community center, told a reporter her agency does use state funds, but puts that money back into the local economy when it buys school supplies and food for the poor.
“I’m sick,” she said after the council’s decision.
Dalpae said Spokane County also gives the center money. It received about $21,600 in 2003, the last allocation before Spokane Valley incorporated. The county gave the center $18,000 in 2004, and the center hasn’t yet requested funds from the county’s 2005 budget.