DeVleming’s defensive remarks hide true costs
As business owners and taxpayers in Spokane Valley, we must respond to ex-mayor Mike DeVleming’s inflammatory statements about disincorporation proponents made in the Valley Voice (March 14, Vocal Point).
First, the Sprague/Appleway Revitalization plan is an attempt to down-zone and restrict hundreds of small businesses and property owners (from I-90 at Sprague through Sullivan Road), paralleled by the mythical “arterial” called Appleway, much of which is county-owned property. This monstrous million dollar plan destroys retail competition outside of University City, to force a city center around a grand city hall.
The city last May signed a letter of intent to purchase, and squirreled away $5.8 million of your money. Only traffic issues are mentioned to the public. Though traffic is just a small part, the city wants a 6-mile, tree-filled, choked-down roadway, with buildings to the curb, making winter driving a real adventure. Side streets watch out!
This project is not part of the 2009 budget, except for the $5.8 million listed under the Civic Building Capital Projects Fund. So anxious was the city to “get going” and spend several hundred thousand dollars on preliminary plans with no land, and then spend again later for a site-specific plan, that even the cheerleading Valley Chamber urged caution.
Next: The 2004 budget was $33 million, but Mr. DeVleming failed to mention that this budget included $17.9 million in essential services contracts with Spokane County. A partial list of those included: Sheriff’s Contract, Street Maintenance and Engineering, Court and Jail Services, Prosecutor’s Services, Communications, and Animal Control. This same list of essential services in 2009 is approximately $20 million. Thus, from 2004 to 2009, essential-services increased approximately 4 percent per year, but the city budget increased from $33 million to $110 million, over 233 percent (Sources: city budgets and Spokane County)
Mr. DeVleming also states that a fair portion of the $110 million includes carry-over funds from previous years, federal and state grants, etc., but he does not account for the growing dollars that are feeding an ever-expanding bureaucracy, which includes a city manager at over $150,000 per year plus benefits whose permanent address is in Western Washington and the almost 100 city employees in this municipal explosion. Rest assured, all monies, including the new 6 percent telephone tax, will continue to fund this rocketing trajectory!
More questions:
Why is our city not paying its bills to Spokane County under the current Sheriff’s contract? By the end of 2009, the city will owe the county over $2 million on their current obligations. The city is now paying the Sheriff’s Department at the 2007 contract rate and has yet to reconcile the funds owed to Spokane County for services provided in 2006. Breach of contract?
Can we believe that the Sprague/Appleway plan to re-allocate property values to U-City, in this time of shrinking revenues, will be funded to the tune of $42 million other than by the taxpayers? What good comes from damaging small businesses and the tax base, and then waiting years to possibly obtain some funding?
Can we believe that the new unfunded, multi-million dollar city hall will not result in higher taxes and more long-term debt?
In conclusion, the huge 2009 budget essentially funds an exponentially growing layer of government. Feeding this monster requires more revenue sources and fewer services. Snowplowing! Mr. DeVleming is not unbiased in defense of his legacy. Entrenched power and special interests, including media and business groups, will never relinquish their power easily. They defend by attacking, demeaning and posturing. But this disincorporation effort is a broad-based, grass-roots effort. Whether it succeeds or not, it should give pause to a city characterized by arrogance and heavy-handed, top-down tactics. Not what one would call good government!