Jeff Gunn, Legislative Assistant, jgunn@spokanecity.org
Monday, August 7, 2023 at 2:57 p.m.
Spokane City Council President Kinnear and Spokane City Council Member Zack Zappone, in partnership with Local 492 Corrections Officers, are requesting a delay in the proposed jail ballot measure. They officially made this request via letter earlier today.
“While we can all agree that we need to continue to invest in public safety and that the current Spokane County Detention Services Jail and the Geiger Corrections Center are inadequate, we are respectfully requesting a deferral in order to have a better plan put into place through collaboration and discussion between the cities and the county,” said Council Member Zappone.
“We support the delay of the upcoming Jail Ballot Measure because it would give us important time to make sure we get this important measure passed. It will be better for the Officers who work in the Jail, as well as the inmates whose safety they are responsible for. It will also give the community an opportunity to weigh in on exactly how this money should be spent with interlocal agreements that need to be in place, so the community feels like all the things they need from this tax are in place. If we don’t delay it, this measure might not pass,” said Scott Davies - Council 2 Staff Representative, on behalf of Local 492 Corrections Officers.
This measure is asking voters to approve a 0.2% sales tax over thirty years.
About the Spokane City Council
The City Council is the legislative body of the City of Spokane, which is home to more than 220,000 people and is located in the heart of the Inland Northwest. The City’s 2,000 employees strive to deliver efficient and effective services that facilitate economic opportunity and enhance the quality of life for all our citizens. For more information, visit SpokaneCity.org/CityCouncil/ and follow us @SpokaneCityCouncil on Facebook.
