Spokane City Council Passes Community Safety Sales Tax

~ The Spokane City Council voted 6-1 Wednesday night to approve an ordinance establishing a local sales and use tax to fund public safety and mental health response investments.

The tax is set at one-tenth of one percent and is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2027. The city says it would add $1 for every $1,000 spent in Spokane, with food, prescriptions and rent exempt.

Revenue will support the city's planned Community Safety Campus and efforts to integrate behavioral health into public safety systems and improve emergency preparedness, according to the city. The campus is planned for the Rock Pointe East Building on Boone Avenue and would bring together court and police operations now spread across three buildings leased from Spokane County.

The city says purchasing the building is expected to improve municipal court efficiency and avoid millions of dollars in structural improvements planned for its current county facilities. The mayor and council began due diligence on the purchase in August.

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The ordinance follows a 2025 state law authorizing qualifying cities and counties to use additional funding mechanisms for community safety. The city's release cites House Bill 2015 as authorizing a local sales and use tax through a council legislative act.

"This will create a safer Spokane for all," Council Member Paul Dillon said, adding that the funding would expand capacity for mental health-related calls and help ensure the appropriate response. He acknowledged concerns about a sales tax but said it would ultimately result in cost savings for residents.

Council Member Kitty Klitzke said the funding could support court-system safety and efficiency and help ensure the right responder arrives for each call. Council Member Kate Telis said the city needs more resources to address addiction and behavioral health crises, and described the campus as a critical step toward integrating treatment into the criminal justice system.

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