(The Center Square) – Around 20 officers short, Spokane Valley says it must devote more resources to public safety to meet current demands. However, with the city lacking the funding to do so, local officials may ask voters to raise taxes to fund the endeavor. Residents pushed back on Tuesday.
Last month, the Spokane Valley City Council ran through estimates that show the cost of law enforcement increasing significantly over the coming years. Public safety costs in the Valley have historically increased by 5.2% annually — but since 2021, that’s jumped to 10.9%.
The council expects the Valley’s law enforcement contract with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office to add another $4.7 million in spending by 2027. That’s after the council passed a narrow budget for 2025, with recurring revenues only exceeding expenditures by $411,000 …