This week’s Spokane Valley City Council meeting began with the pledge of allegiance, an invocation and approval of the meeting agenda.
Special Presentation
Mayor Haley presented the September You Rock! Community Recognition award to Ms. Peggy Doering, recognizing her many years of outstanding leadership and management of the annual Valleyfest celebration. Nominate someone for the You Rock! program at SpokaneValleyWA.gov/YouRock.
General Public Comments
Each week, community members have an opportunity to address Councilmembers for up to three minutes during the General Public Comment period, either at the beginning or end of each meeting either in person or via Zoom.
PUBLIC HEARING
#1 – Public Hearing #2: 2026 Budget
This is the fifth public discussion of the draft 2026 budget and the second of three public hearings to obtain community member input. Staff provided an overview of sales tax revenue estimates, capital expenditures, recurring and non-recurring expenditures, major revenues for the general fund and other funds, and budget challenges. The Council will be asked to approve the budget on Dec. 9, 2025. Members of the public were invited to share comments about the draft budget.
ACTION ITEMS
#2 – Proposition 1 Implementation
This topic was reviewed by the Council most recently at their Oct. 14, 2025, meeting. It has also been discussed many times since 2022. On August 5, 2025, Spokane Valley voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 1, which approved implementing a one-tenth of one percent public safety sales tax. Based on discussions with city staff and Spokane Valley Police Chief Dave Ellis, the Council’s Public Safety Committee recommends that the Council authorize the following new positions:
Patrol Deputy: 3 additional deputies, for a total of 56
Traffic Detective: 1 additional detective for a total of 2
Behavioral Health Deputy: Fully funding the position currently in the contract to cover the loss in grant funding that occurred in July 2025; adding 1 new dedicated deputy, for a total of 2
School Resource Officer: 1 additional school resource officer for a total of 5 (schools pay a portion of the cost)
Spokane Valley Investigative Unit: 4 additional detectives for a total of 16
Shared Sex Crimes Detective: 1 additional detective
The public safety sales tax goes into effect Jan. 1, 2026, and sales tax projections are approximately $2.6 million annually (based on 2024 actual taxable sales in Spokane Valley), which will cover the costs for all the recommended positions. Total estimated costs for all positions are approximately $2,240,000 in annual recurring expenses. There will be other one-time costs, such as police vehicle purchases. Staff summarized other expenditures the City has made for public safety and law enforcement in the past two years.
A motion to authorize the use of funding from Proposition 1 to fund an additional 10 dedicated positions, one shared position, to fully fund the existing behavioral health deputy, and to convert a deputy in the SVIU to the regional RAVEN unit, and to pay for additional vehicles for such positions, all as described in this RCA, and to authorize the city manager to take such action as required under the Law Enforcement Agreement to implement such changes, including but not limited to providing notice to Spokane County and the Sheriff’s Office and executing any necessary amendments; or take other action deemed appropriate passed unanimously.
NON-ACTION ITEMS
#3 – Proposed 2025 Budget Amendment
Since the 2025 Budget amendment approved by Council on May 27, 2025, multiple things have occurred during normal city operations that require a second amendment to the budget. Staff provided details of the changes to the 14 funds affected. The result is a total revenue decrease of $13,328,799 and total expenditure decrease of $23,499,260. The majority of this adjustment is due to some expenses and revenues related to capital improvement projects moving from 2025 to 2026. The Council reached consensus to move forward with consideration of the budget amendments as presented at a future meeting.
#4 – Proposed Property Tax Ordinance
There have been discussions about the 2026 property tax levy throughout the 2026 Budget development process. State law requires passage of an ordinance that establishes a property tax levy; this ordinance is scheduled to be presented to Council on Nov. 18, 2025. The proposed 2026 property tax levy does not include the 1% increase allowed by State law. The levy will include property taxes on new construction only.
Staff shared an overview of Washington State property taxes and the different taxing jurisdictions that property owners see on their tax statement. The following is the distribution of property taxes in the city’s largest property tax district (TCA 144): 22% State schools, 36% Central Valley School District, 24% Spokane Valley Fire District, 8% City of Spokane Valley, 7% Spokane County, 3% Spokane County Library District.
Members reviewed the estimated rate per $1,000 of assessed value, the Senior and Disabled Property Tax Exemption Program, banked capacity, and estimated property tax revenues. This item is scheduled to return to the Council again on Nov. 5 and Nov. 18, 2025.
#6 – Spokane Safe and Healthy Spokane Regional Task Force Discussion
The Safe and Healthy Spokane Task Force is a coalition of private, nonprofit, charitable organizations and public sector stakeholders working together to assess the Spokane region’s most pressing public health and safety challenges. City Manager John Hohman provided a background and timeline of the Task Force development. Spokane Valley Mayor Pam Haley and John Hohman participated in several months of planning meetings until May 2025, when the City Council voiced concerns over the progress on several regional issues. Since then, the City has not been represented on either the Task Force or the Planning Team.
Mr. Hohman reported on the Task Force’s progress, outlined the Task Force Charter, and listed the current confirmed members. The Council reached consensus to rejoin the Safe and Healthy Spokane Planning Team and Task Force to ensure the Valley was at the table for these regional discussions.
About Spokane Valley City Council
City Council meetings occur most Tuesdays at 6 p.m. at Spokane Valley City Hall, 10210 E. Sprague Avenue, Spokane Valley, and online via Zoom. Meeting agendas and minutes are available at SpokaneValleyWA.gov/Agendas. Community members are invited to attend Council meetings to participate in action items or public comment periods in-person or online. Council meetings are broadcast on Comcast channel 14. Councilmembers are Mayor Pam Haley, Deputy Mayor Tim Hattenburg, Councilmember Rod Higgins, Councilmember Jessica Yaeger, Councilmember Al Merkel, Councilmember Ben Wick and Councilmember Laura Padden. Email the Council at CityCouncil@SpokaneValleyWA.gov or learn more at SpokaneValleyWA.gov/CityCouncil.
Stay Connected
Spokane Valley City Hall is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information is available online at SpokaneValleyWA.gov. Sign up to receive email updates about the topics that matter to you most at SpokaneValleyWA.gov/SignUp or follow the city on social media.