(The Center Square) – After months of build-up, the Safe and Healthy Spokane Task Force released its final report on Thursday, urging the region to impose taxes to fund “modern, integrated justice facilities” and a “network of community-based facilities,” two years after residents rejected a countywide jail tax.
The 14 recommendations come as several local jurisdictions consider councilmanic tax hikes and other proposals to place on the August and November ballots. The report will likely inform another tax measure that Spokane County leaders must decide by August whether to put on the ballot this fall.
The privately led group called on elected leaders to create a coordinated public safety and behavioral health system under a cross-sector accountability and implementation body; data-reporting dashboards; crisis response, workforce, diversion, pretrial and high-utilizer programs; and to invest in “appropriately sized” justice facilities and community-based behavioral health infrastructure, among other measures.…