SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — Spokane County officials are working to develop a new jail funding proposal for 2026 that could ask you to pay more in taxes.
In 2023, over 60% of voters rejected a 0.2% sales tax hike proposed by the county to fund a new jail.
This year, the Spokane County Safety Committee is taking a more comprehensive approach to its jail funding strategy and learning from other Washington counties that succeeded after multiple attempts.
“How do we best come up with a plan that will pass the next time we put it to the voters? Because we need to,” said Spokane County Commissioner Mary Kuney. “Whatcom County had it fail twice and the third time is when they did this and had it pass.”
The committee includes business leaders like Emilie Cameron, CEO of Downtown Spokane Partnership, who emphasized the need for a broader perspective on the issue.
“We really did need to take this big and broad look to be able to understand that there are multiple facets. There is a jail, there are treatment programs and there are facilities,” Cameron said.
According to the committee, the proposal would aim to address not just jail facilities but also behavioral health services and comprehensive care.
“How are we approaching some of the challenges around behavioral health? How are we looking at how we reduce the need for individuals to access emergency services? How are we providing comprehensive care?” Cameron asked, highlighting the committee’s expanded focus.
Timing could present another challenge for the county. The Safety Committee said that putting a tax measure on the ballot the year after Spokane Public Schools and Spokane Parks ask voters to approve their $400 million levy could make the county’s campaign more difficult.
Despite these challenges, county officials said they are committed to finding an effective solution.
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