SPOKANE– Spokane Valley officials are considering raising business license fees this year for the first time since 2020 as public safety costs increase, citing a need to fund a new oversight position.
The Spokane Valley City Council held a more than five-hour-long budget workshop on Tuesday to dive into rising public safety costs ahead of its policing contract with the county expiring in 2027. The city’s nine public safety contracts run about $44 million, with the policing contract accounting for $38 million.
Policing services from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office currently account for about 56% of the general fund budget, as the Valley runs on thin margins. City officials say the annual “settle-and-ajust” process is falling behind, with the county currently working on 2024, making it hard for the Valley to plan ahead.…