U.S. senator makes a visit to Spokane Valley

For the first time since the city incorporated, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray dropped in on the Spokane Valley City Council on Thursday.

For an hour, the Democratic senator and several members of the all-Republican council – some of whom campaigned for her last opponent – set aside partisan differences and discussed the new city and its desires when it comes to federal money.

“It’s no surprise to me that you’ve accomplished a lot,” Murray said.

Mayor Diana Wilhite and several department heads outlined the city’s progress over the last three years and the areas where they said Spokane Valley could use more federal money, including roads.

The Barker Bridge is scheduled to be rebuilt next year entirely with federal funds. Resurfacing East Appleway, a project that will revamp the Pines I-90 interchange and other large projects around Spokane Valley also are approved for federal money in the coming years.

City leaders appealed to Murray to keep Spokane Valley in mind in the future as she handles bills that apportion funds to programs that could grant money to other local projects, such as an ongoing program to replace at-grade rail crossings.

Council members spent several minutes outlining a city-funded, $400,000 study, which will lay out a plan to redevelop Sprague Avenue and design a city center.

“I think if you come here in 10 years you’re not going to recognize the place,” Councilman Rich Munson told Murray.

Plans for a downtown with new streets, infrastructure and civic projects to encourage development also would look to federal grants for help with the cost.

Leaders also discussed the future of Community Development Block Grants.

Locally, the grants help pay for sewer installation in low-income neighborhoods and economic development projects. This year the Bush administration proposed reducing the federal allotment for the program by $740 million, about 20 percent less than last year. A committee on which Murray is the ranking Democrat will soon begin discussing its plans for the transportation and housing budget that contains block grants. Murray said she would try to restore part of the funding, but money is scarce. “This is probably the tightest budget year I’ve been in,” Murray said.

Nonetheless, she said, her office would be in contact with the city to hear more on Spokane Valley’s needs and wants when it comes to federal money for transportation, law enforcement and other programs.