Spokane County precincts that voted against the 2024 election initiative — that would’ve killed the cap-and-trade programs in Washington and cut transit funding across the state — aligned almost exactly with the boundaries of the Spokane Transit Authority’s service area.
Employees at the local Planned Parenthood are considering unionization over what they characterize as low pay and bad working conditions. The CEO is paying a union-busting firm the equivalent of 17 medical assistants’ hourly wages to persuade them not to.
The TLDR on a night full of surprises. Spokane City Council passed a $2.5 billion budget, extended the nonprofit C.O.P.S. contract, chose their rules and committee assignments and decided what they will push Olympia for.
Second or third or tenth times the charm? A flurry of amendments submitted this morning could change the council rules again. And, keep meetings on Mondays.
A new set of council rules would move the longstanding Monday meetings to Tuesdays, require three sponsors on legislation and allow public comment at committee meetings. But some changes could come at the expense of constituents represented by the conservative council members in the 5-2 minority.
+ More public defenders, property crime punishment proposals, Spokane School performance metrics and money for fighting a homeless discrimination lawsuit
Community policing nonprofit Spokane C.O.P.S. (not the police) could lose their longstanding funding. A closer look at the organization uncovered communication breakdowns with the city, a volunteer with extremist ties and the employment of a Brady-List officer.
