Spokane Reimagined

@spokanereimagined.org

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Tomorrow, the Spokane City Council will be considering a new tax on commercial parking lots. While the tax might be new for Spokane, it is not a new concept, with over a dozen jurisdictions across the state already implementing their own version of the tax. RANGE Media had an excellent writeup on the proposal and why more taxes on commercial parking lots is very much a good thing. Unfortunately, even as the city faces a $13 million dollar budget deficit, those who own the surface parking lots which comprise 30% of downtown land have been lobbying the city council HARD to not implement this sensible proposal. Please join Spokane Reimagined at Monday's 6 PM City Council meeting at 808 W. Spokane Falls Boulevard. We need the voices of those who want a vibrant, safe, and prosperous downtown to be louder than the parking lot operators who extract wealth from our community with little to show in return. You can sign up to testify at this link: https://my.spokanecity.org/citycouncil/meetings/signup/. Here are some talking points that can help you craft testimony: Even at peak utilization, Spokane's commercial parking lots barely surpass 50% full. Surface parking lots do not provide jobs, create community, or contribute to Spokane's culture. Largely owned by out of town investors, fees paid to surface lots do not contribute to the local economy. Funds collected from the parking tax would be used for local transportation projects. Surface parking lots have been assessed at values substantially lower than market value for decades, resulting in millions in lost property tax revenue. Surface parking lots attract crime, due to their uncontrolled and unmonitored nature. Surface parking lots degrade Spokane's walkability, by spreading buildings out. If you're unable to attend tomorrow's City Council meeting. Please send an email in support of the commercial parking lot tax to citycouncil2@spokanecity.org. Thank you very much and we hope to see you tomorrow!
A bench painted with the words "We <3 Spokane" sits at a bus stop in Spokane's Chief Garry Park neighborhood.
Flyer for Moving Forward, Together: A joint effort to fund public transit and safe streets infrastructure. The Proposal: Double the voter-approved PTBA sales tax from .2% to .4% (for a total of 1%), devoting an additional $24 million annually to High Performance Transit (HPT). Utilize local Transportation Benefit Districts to fund safe streets projects. A local sales tax of .2% in the City of Spokane would raise $15 million annually. This proposal would cost the typical Spokane family approximately $88 per person, per year. Return on Investment: Safer Streets Faster Commutes More Frequent Transit More Sidewalks Better Bus Stops Neighborhood Greenways Shortened Construction Timelines Citywide Bike Share Cost Effective Projects Economic Development
Flyer for Vigil Cones, white traffic cones equipped with flashing lights used to calm traffic in the wake of a fatality.
Flyer advertising Spokane Reimagined's initiative to bring a streetcar to Spokane. More information can be found at SpokaneReimagined.org.