Don’t look for float from Spokane Valley in area parades

When it comes to Washington’s parade circuit, Spokane Valley is no Tekoa.

Unlike the small Whitman County community and municipalities elsewhere in the state, the city doesn’t have its own float to show off in this summer’s parades.

The city set aside $5,000 in hotel taxes this year to partially fund float construction, but the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce was not able to raise the rest of the funds.

“We needed at least $15,000 to do this project,” said chamber president Eldonna Gossett.

The tax money is used to promote tourism. Sending a float to other parades usually guarantees that floats from those cities, and their crews, will come here.

Gossett said she could probably find volunteers to build and operate a Spokane Valley float, but money was scarce.

For Valleyfest this year the chamber plans to rent a float and decorate it, which it has done for past parades.

“It looks very nice,” Gossett said.

An advisory committee looks at how the tax money should be spent each year, but if float funding will be proposed again is uncertain.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a high priority,” Mayor Diana Wilhite said.