There are storm clouds on the horizon for Spokane County. It’s facing another big budget deficit next year and county commissioners have directed department heads to cut 7% from their budgets.
But County Commission Chair Mary Kuney says there are rays of sunshine too. She shared some of them at Thursday’s annual State of the County luncheon.
Highlights:
- Tax proceeds from new construction increased to $1.45 billion, their second-highest level ever last year.
- The county finished a variety of road and parks infrastructure projects, including the Bigelow Gulch corridor and the renovation of the Bear Lake recreation area.
- The county’s Broadlinc project has been awarded nearly $90 million dollars from the state and federal governments to expand high-speed internet in the county.
- 74% of voters authorized the collection of property taxes for the next 20 years to continue the county’s aquifer protection district.
- The county will receive $7.5 million from the state to address PFAS contamination in West Plains drinking water.
Kuney and Sheriff John Nowels also celebrated the most recent crime statistics, which show decreases in most categories, in many cases by double digits…