West says city ‘in good shape’

Spokane city residents may be facing a choice between higher taxes or new cuts in city services, but Spokane Mayor Jim West on Monday used much of his annual address to the City Council to talk about the good things going on in city government.

Critics said the mayor is merely posturing as he heads into a campaign to fight off a citizen recall over a charge that he misused his office for personal benefit. A recall petition with more than 17,000 signatures was certified by the county auditor last week, and a mail-in election has been set for Dec. 6.

During his speech the mayor listed more than two dozen positive developments over the past year, including the reopening of the Monroe Street Bridge last month.

“The city of Spokane is in good shape,” the mayor told the council in his annual statement of the affairs and conditions of the city. “I know some wish it weren’t so, or don’t want to believe it, but it’s true.”

Among the accomplishments listed by the mayor were an international Sister Cities convention last summer and Spokane’s selection as one of the country’s top 100 cities for kids.

A $6 million budget deficit is forcing the city to consider two separate tax increases as well as cuts in employee benefits. This year’s budget problems are following cuts of nearly $18 million a year ago, cuts which resulted in the loss of 152 jobs. Nearly half of the jobs were lost in the police and fire departments.

“Our budget is probably our biggest challenge. But even in the budget we can find some things to celebrate,” he told the council and an audience that included cable television viewers at home. The police department is deploying technological assets to improve the efficiency of enforcement, West said.

Voters are being asked on Nov. 8 to approve a $3.3 million increase in regular property tax collections, and the City Council has been asked for a $2.85 million increase in the tax on city utilities, from 17 percent to 20 percent. At the same time, employees are being asked to relinquish nearly $2 million in health care benefits for 2006 through increases in out-of-pocket expenses.

The mayor on Monday announced he is voluntarily taking a $25,000 cut in pay “to prove to employees that I’m sincere in this effort” to gain employee concessions to balance the 2006 budget. West signed an executive order that reduces his salary from about $139,000 to $114,000. He was earning $109,000 when he took office in 2004.

However, West did not lower salaries of his 17 top executives. His predecessor, former Mayor John Powers, temporarily lowered executive salaries in a budget crisis in the latter part of Powers’ term as mayor.

On Friday, West was warned by Council President Dennis Hession not to turn his annually required speech into a forum for campaigning against recall and in favor of the property tax increase measure. Hession pointed out in a letter to the mayor that state law prohibits electioneering within city facilities.

Councilwoman Cherie Rodgers in an interview said she wondered why West didn’t announce that he was cutting his salary at the same time his budget writers unveiled the mayor’s budget and tax plan in September.

“Could you be more political about anything?” Rodgers asked in reference to West reducing his own salary in the face of recall.

Councilman Bob Apple described the mayor’s salary-cut move as “just games.”

Earlier in the day, the mayor officiated at a ceremony at Ash Street and Rowan Avenue to celebrate the completion of one of the first large street reconstruction projects finished under a $117 million bond issue approved last year by voters. The bond issue has been one of the mayor’s chief accomplishments in office.