SPOKANE, Wash. — Mayor Lisa Brown announced on Saturday her administration’s first budget proposal for the 2025-2026 period.
According to a press release from the city, the proposed budget resolves the City of Spokane’s deficit, which was projected to be $50 million over the 2025-2026 period when Mayor Brown first took office.
The budget applies what the city called “efficiencies and cost-savings” measures including, cabinet furlough days, 10% budget reduction exercises, voluntary retirement incentives for Spokane Police Guild and a delay of cost-of-living increases. It also includes a slight reduction in the city’s workforce.
In her budget message, Mayor Brown also said the budget address the city’s homelessness and opioid crisis with key actions like $500,000 of opioid settlement funds for Spokane Fire Department’s CARES (Community Assistance Response) program and the implementation of the new scattered shelter model with a centralized navigation center.