City facing street maintenance crisis

Spokane Valley is starting to feel the pain of more mature cities that struggle with holes in their streets and holes in their wallets.

The 5-year-old city has gotten by so far, but a long-term street maintenance crisis is looming, Finance Director Ken Thompson told the City Council Tuesday.

“We know that by the end of next year we won’t have any money left to maintain our streets,” Thompson said.

He said Spokane Valley spends about $4 million a year on street maintenance, but studies indicate the city will need $2 million to $2.5 million more a year to keep streets from deteriorating. Current taxes can’t bridge the gap, Thompson said.

Earlier, at the council’s Jan. 12 retreat, Thompson said a decision needs to be made by June or July on finding another source of money for the city’s street master plan, which calls for up to $6.5 million a year.

“We’re borrowing against our future,” Mayor Richard Munson said. “We have to start making some very difficult choices, and those choices will include asking the public for more money.”

Tax-slashing voter initiatives created “huge holes” in city budgets, Munson said. Cities around the state have resorted to bond measures and other methods to keep providing the same service, but “the money’s not there,” he said.

“We, as a new city, managed to survive pretty well on the income we were getting and weren’t affected by the loss of income as the other cities were,” Munson said. “But we’re now looking at the same situation.”

The dilemma is that the city can’t afford to maintain its streets adequately, and can’t afford not to, Councilman Bill Gothmann agreed.

“You either pay now or you pay more later,” Gothmann said. “It’s kind of like maintaining your house.”

The financial crunch explains why council members are reluctant to support a Spokane County proposal to support the ongoing North Spokane Corridor freeway project with a new $20-a-year vehicle license fee the Legislature has authorized local governments to collect without voter approval.

Thompson said the $20 license fee would generate $1.2 million to $1.4 million a year.

“We need this money,” Councilman Dick Denenny said.

The money should be spent on local needs, not those for which other governments are responsible, Denenny said.

“That’s a federal highway, and it’s a federal responsibility,” Munson said of the freeway project, echoing comments Councilman Steve Taylor made last week.

State officials, who administer federal highway money, have told county and city officials they need to start putting up local matches if they want more state and federal money.

Tuesday’s dialogue was a continuation of the council’s retreat discussions, and no action was taken.

In other business, the council:

•Amended its dangerous-dog ordinance to make it clear, in view of a recent court case, that the burden of proof is on animal-control officers.

•Approved a one-year renewal of AAA Sweeping’s contract for cleaning city streets, at a cost of $479,717. The amount reflects 3 percent cost-of-living increase allowed by the contract.

•Approved a one-year renewal of Senske Lawn and Tree Care’s contract for park and Centennial Trail maintenance. The $633,271 maximum for 2008 includes the company’s request for a 2 percent increase.

Staff reports praised the performance of both companies.