Spokane Council Will Vote on Sales Tax Increase
The city council will decide on a 0.1% tax increase on October 14 to fund public safety and justice services.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Philanthropy
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The Spokane City Council is scheduled to vote on a 0.1% sales tax increase on October 14. If passed, the city expects the measure to generate over $7 million annually for criminal justice, mental health dispatching, and facility debt.
Why it matters
The tax is intended to address fiscal gaps, including debt incurred from the $18.5 million purchase of the Rock Pointe East office campus. Revenue will also support the Spokane Police Department by integrating mental health clinicians into 911 operations.
The tax costs 10 cents for every $100 of taxable purchases, with the city projecting $7 million in annual revenue. This follows a $3.4 million state public safety grant awarded to Spokane out of a requested $4.5 million.
The players
Spokane City Council
The legislative body of the city of Spokane that is responsible for passing local ordinances and managing the city budget.
Spokane Police Department
The local law enforcement agency that will utilize the new funding to integrate mental health clinicians into the 911 dispatch system.
Washington state Legislature
The state-level governing body that passed the 2025 authorization allowing local jurisdictions to implement this specific sales tax.
The details
City officials may approve the tax unilaterally because voters previously authorized a different public safety tax in 2024. The initiative aligns with a 2025 Washington state Legislature authorization that allows cities and counties to implement the funding model.
Timeline
2024: Voters approved a public safety sales tax.
2025: The Washington state Legislature authorized the sales tax increase.
October 14: The City Council will vote on the proposed tax increase.
Market Landscape
The move to adopt this tax aligns with a broader trend of municipal fiscal strategy across Washington following the 2025 state Legislature authorization. Spokane joins at least 30 other local jurisdictions currently leveraging this revenue model to manage regional budget constraints.
Residents should expect to pay an additional 10 cents for every $100 spent on taxable purchases if the measure is approved. This change will directly influence daily shopping costs throughout the city.
The takeaway
The proposed tax represents a shift toward sustained, local-level funding for criminal justice infrastructure and mental health crisis response. Taxpayers in Spokane will see a direct impact on their purchasing costs should the City Council finalize the increase on October 14.
Further reading
Learn more about local funding initiatives on the Philanthropy page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Spokesman Review.
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