The Spokane County commissioners have warned that next year’s budget will be a lean one. State law allows them to go to the voters if they want to raise county property taxes by more than one percent. But they say they won’t do that because the state is going to impose its own property tax increase.
Commissioner Al French says the county will have to cut spending or find new sources of revenue to fill an estimated $9.5 million shortfall. The sheriff has been asked to trim his budget. But at a budget hearing last night (Tuesday), advocates said the commissioners have cut law enforcement enough.
In the audience at the commissioners’ budget hearing were a few dozen people wearing green shirts and jackets. They are volunteers for the Sheriff Community Oriented Policing Effort, or SCOPE. They do tasks, such as traffic control, that free officers to focus on handling calls.
“First off I’d like to say to all of you that you should be ashamed of yourself for even thinking of taking the sheriff’s budget.”
Marilyn Cline is one of the SCOPE volunteers who testified at Tuesday evening’s hearing.
Venus Delcambre Morris was another. She coordinates the county’s Neighborhood Watch program.
“You know, people all in all are happy with law enforcement when they come and answer calls. It is the time frame that the calls are being answered that is the problem," she said. "The problem is that law enforcement is too understaffed. When you have neighborhoods that are getting involved, that start to get frustrated with the process and give up, you will have neighborhoods that are overrun with crime.”
Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich estimates the cuts the commissioners are requesting could force him to eliminate another eight-to-15 deputy positions. That’s on top of the loss of 30 deputies during another budget cut several years ago, positions he says he has never gotten back.
The commissioners will hold another public budget hearing at their meeting next Tuesday evening.