We quickly forget

Oh how quickly we forget, has cost Spokane taxpayers thousands!

We quickly forget, some 50 years ago, Spokane voted down EXPO ‘74, but it was a blessing that it happened. We quickly forget our city officials voted an increase in property and sales tax in addition to a fluoridation study in our drinking water. We quickly forget a few years ago, the city council voted themselves a 42 percent raise.

We quickly forget, not long ago we voted yes to fund 20 police officers at just over $5 million, while the city gifted the new sportsplex, “The Podium,” $5 million. We quickly forget the $103 million Avista received back from Hydro One.

We quickly forget the teachers voted themselves a 13 to 16 percent raise, many now over $100,000. We quickly forget, or did not know, Spokane School District had a chance to merge Albi with the sportsplex, but declined the offer. This could have saved $20 million, yes $20 million! Now Joe Albi will be demolished; it is a veterans monument.

By the time the three-year Spokane Public Schools levy is finished, your $300,000 home could be worth well over $400,000. That little $2.50 per $1,000 assessed property and home value is not so little anymore. SPS is famous for these 5 magical words: “Your taxes will go down.” Magical, isn’t it?

We quickly forget the lotto was to fund education. Marijuana sales in Washington are around $1.1 billion annually; use some of those taxes for teachers’ salaries?

Craig Gerlack

Spokane