SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane residents voiced concerns Wednesday night about Mayor Lisa Brown’s proposed two-year city budget, with speakers at the City Council meeting questioning how much the city is cutting and where those cuts fall.
Some argued that the city is not doing enough to curb spending.
“We are not facing reality, and we are putting it on our kids at this point,” one speaker told council members. “You’ve got to start cutting because we are all bleeding. We need to be financially responsible,” the speaker said. “I know we are saying that ‘people want it all,’ well everybody wants Rolls Royces, but we don’t all get them.”
Other speakers objected to where the proposal makes its cuts. Citing that the budget does not give the library system enough money to continue its current operations.
“Our libraries are one of the few remaining working class institutions in our city. They are places where the community can come together to learn together, to participate in art, writing, creativity, dance, skills training, community meetings, children’s events and much more,” the resident said. “I personally don’t want a Rolls Royce, I just want libraries and good public transportation so people can get around and have a good community.”
Mayor Brown’s budget names wildfire recovery and community safety as its top priorities. The proposal includes creating a new downtown foot and bike patrol unit.
The City Council will continue to hear public comment on the budget at its next regularly scheduled meeting on Nov. 18.
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