Washingtoner - Spokane: Mayor Brown Reflects on Progress and Outlines Next Steps in Annual Statement of Conditions and Affairs

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~ Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown delivered her second annual Statement of Conditions and Affairs on Monday evening, highlighting the city's progress in various areas while acknowledging the work that still needs to be done. The statement covered community safety, housing, fiscal responsibility, and community partnerships.

During her speech, Mayor Brown praised the city's 2,200 employees for their dedication and hard work in maintaining essential services despite a challenging budget year. She acknowledged their efforts in ensuring clean water supply and treating billions of gallons of wastewater while also protecting the river and aquifer. The employees also play a crucial role in maintaining and plowing over 2,100 miles of streets, collecting millions of pounds of recycling and refuse each year, and responding to emergency calls for help.

Despite facing a $13 million budget deficit, Mayor Brown reaffirmed her commitment to balancing the budget without compromising core services or community safety. She outlined several key achievements from the past year, including reinstating the Fire Academy and Neighborhood Resource Officer program, restoring the traffic safety unit, and reducing police vacancies to the lowest level in a decade.

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The mayor also addressed important issues such as homelessness response, opioid epidemic and addiction response, housing and economic development. She highlighted the transition from Trent Resource and Assistance Center to the new Navigation Center and scattered site model for addressing homelessness. This has resulted in over 40% of participants moving into housing. Additionally, partnerships with local organizations have been expanded to address behavioral health and opioid addiction. Co-responder teams have also been expanded while a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney has been hired to prosecute narcotics crimes within city limits.

Mayor Brown also mentioned passing bipartisan housing reform, setting permitting records, supporting small businesses with ARPA funding, and promoting the creative economy as part of their efforts towards housing and economic development.

As Spokane continues to grow by nearly 1,000 people each year, Mayor Brown emphasized the importance of collaboration across government agencies, businesses, and nonprofit sectors. She believes that with careful planning and a shared vision, Spokane can continue to build a stronger and safer community for all its residents.

The full remarks of Mayor Brown can be watched here.

Filed Under: Government, City

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