Mayor Brown Introduces 2027-2028 Budget Proposal

Proposed budget balances community needs with rising costs and ongoing financial pressures.

Erin Hut, Communications Director, ehut@spokanecity.org

Tuesday, November 3, 2026 at 9:10 a.m.

Mayor Lisa Brown has introduced her 2027-2028 biennial budget proposal, prioritizing community priorities. Her proposal maintains a continued focus on community safety, while navigating the same economic pressures facing households across the region.

The City of Spokane continues to face significant cost pressures, including inflation, high fuel prices, rising employee healthcare costs, and wildfire damage recovery. Regardless, the Administration’s proposal maintains essential services while investing in the priorities residents care about most.

Key aspects of Mayor Brown’s budget proposal include:

  1. Establishing a dedicated Downtown Bike and Foot Patrol Unit in the Spokane Police Department, providing additional presence in the downtown business improvement district year-round, coordinating with crisis response and code enforcement teams.
  2. Hiring a Public Records Officer in the City Clerk’s Office to improve response times to public records requests and enhance government transparency.  
  3. Creating the Office of Performance & Innovation, adding data and analytics capacity to the existing Performance Management team to develop and track performance metrics.
  4. Supporting the ongoing efforts of the Spokane Safe & Healthy Task Force by co-investing with regional partners in the Safe & Healthy Coordinating Council and providing for the creation of a justice navigation center that brings the municipal justice system, judges, public defenders, prosecutors and police administration, from four leased facilities into one city-owned facility.
  5. Investing in the City’s Emergency Management Department, adding a program professional and dedicated liaisons from the Spokane Fire Department to enhance emergency preparedness and response.  

“A budget is more than a financial plan. It reflects our priorities and values,” Mayor Lisa Brown said. “From reducing crime to establishing crisis outreach teams and bringing back the Neighborhood Resource Officer Program and the Traffic Safety Unit, we have made significant strides forward in our community safety goals. Despite our financial challenges, this proposal preserves the services our residents depend on and further invests in the safety and well-being of our community.”

A copy of the mayor’s budget proposal can be found on our website. The proposal now goes to the City Council for review. Under state law, the budget must be finalized by December 31, 2026.