4 council members back tax extension vote

The Spokane City Council could be on the verge of throwing the opposite of the Boston Tea Party – a revolt in support of taxes.

Facing what they say are increasing needs for more police officers and firefighters, at least four council members say they are willing to ask voters to reauthorize increased property taxes.

That’s contrary to the thoughts of Mayor Dennis Hession, who said in March that he wants the two-year property tax increase or “levy lid lift” approved by voters in 2005 to expire.

The Spokane City Council will decide if the tax increase will go to a November vote. The mayor has no veto power over that decision.

Spokane City Councilman Brad Stark said Thursday that he supports increasing Spokane’s levy rate from $3.28 for every $1,000 of taxable property value to $3.40. Without a vote, the rate will fall to $2.85 or below. The extra taxes would last three years, after which time voters would be asked again if they want to continue, Stark said.

Stark, who made his announcement in a press release, said his plan would wipe out a forecasted $3 million budget shortfall in 2009 and allow the city to hire 25 police officers, 12 firefighters and allow the city to spend $2 million on child-abuse prevention projects.

“We have a crisis in public safety right now that is not being addressed by the administration,” Stark said.

Hession said Stark’s proposal would cause the city to break the commitment it made to residents when they approved the tax. Leaders told voters it was a temporary fix.

“I felt we owed it to our citizens to give them a break,” Hession said.

He called Stark’s proposal “an effort to create anxiety in the public over public safety.”

Councilwoman Mary Verner, who is running for mayor, said she supports maintaining the $3.28 rate but says she wants ideas fully vetted by council. She added that she would like a citizen’s advisory committee that considered the issue two years ago to reconvene.

Maintaining the $3.28 levy rate would lead to higher property tax bills next year because of increasing property values.

The other candidate running for mayor, Councilman Al French, also supports maintaining a $3.28 rate. In March, he said he agreed with the mayor’s decision. But he said he’s changed his mind with new reports showing increased gang activity and other crime problems.

“If we don’t get a grip on it, it jeopardizes the quality of life for our community,” French said.

Spokane’s Chief Financial Officer Gavin Cooley argues that forecasted shortfalls are better solved by fiscally conservative measures that keep costs, such as employee benefits, under control.

He said the proposal would put the city back into a boom or bust cycle.

“In good times we spend everything we have and when things return to normal then we’re forced to lay people off,” Cooley said.

Not all the council is supportive of the tax increase.

Councilman Bob Apple pointed to the extra $11 million the city had left over at the end of last year.

“This is not an emergency anymore,” Apple said.

But City Councilman Rob Crow noted that it would be voters who would make the final decision.

“I would certainly be willing to look at allowing the voters to choose if they wanted to maintain their tax rate in exchange for increases in services,” Crow said.

Council President Joe Shogan said Stark’s press release “jumped the gun” and that council members already were looking at the issue.

“He does come up with some good ideas and he likes to stir the pot, and in this case it’s definitely a pot that needs to be looked at,” Crow said, adding, “I wish it hadn’t been stirred so radically.”