SPOKANE, Wash. — In less than two weeks Spokane voters will decide if taxes will be raised to support city fire and police departments. The city council passed the Proposition 1 property tax levy this past December. So, now it is in the hands of the voters.
It is supposed to help police fight crime and fire fighters respond to emergencies. City of Spokane's Proposition 1 is asking voters for $5.83 million to do so. If passed, it would add a 30-cent tax per $1,000 of assessed property value starting in 2020, according to the proposition. For example, it would be $60 dollars for a $200,000 home.
This proposal is supposed to fill in the gaps where other federal grants leave off. Part of the funding would go toward keeping the Fire Department’s Alternative Response Unit program going. The ARU program allows for small vehicles to respond to less severe emergencies to free up the big trucks. The ARU program was originally funded by a FEMA grant called SAFER. It is scheduled to end this year. The loss of the grant could mean losing up to 48 firefighters and cutting back on programs, according to the proposition.
When it comes to law enforcement, money generated by the levy would go to areas like the Behavioral Health Unit and property crime prevention. It would also increase Neighborhood Resource Officers, which help with community policing.
Prop 1 has received criticism. Opponents say there may be a way to continue to fund these areas of the fire and police departments without raising taxes.