Spokane Mayor Brown, city council delay vote on property tax

(The Center Square) – Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown announced Wednesday that a proposed property tax planned for the ballot is on now on hold.

The announcement comes just over a week after the Spokane City Council voted 5-2 to put Brown’s Community Safety Levy on the August ballot.

“The City of Spokane’s budget deficit is real and the desire to make significant investments in our community safety response remains, but I feel the responsible choice is to provide an opportunity for additional analysis,” Brown said in a statement. “My administration has had several productive meetings with the public and we find value in expanding input to ensure a responsive and comprehensive plan for our future. We will continue down this path, while also identifying how the City tightens its own belt to usher in a new era of fiscal responsibility.”

If enacted by voters, the measure would have raised $37.5 million per year over the next five years. The estimated cost for a median home in the city would be $31.42 per month. Most of the revenue would be directed toward existing services, while a smaller portion would pay for new city and neighborhood projects.