(The Center Square) – Spokane owes two months of unpaid jail bills totaling $1.3 million to the county after officials diverted $6 million from the state’s criminal justice sales tax to homelessness programs.
City leaders claim their jail costs are rising disproportionately compared to Spokane County, as the fund responsible for those charges sits nearly empty. However, county taxpayers are already footing the bill for nearly 2,500 felony offenders arrested within city limits, and data shows there is more to the story.
Mayor Lisa Brown, Chief Financial Officer Matt Boston and other budget officials painted the picture for the Spokane City Council earlier this month. In a joint budget meeting, staff shared data suggesting that the city’s jail costs increased by 78% from 2021 to 2024, while Spokane County’s only rose 10%…