Spokane Valley City Council Special Meeting with Legislators – November 17, 2025

This was a special meeting of the Spokane Valley City Council to discuss the city’s 2026 state legislative agenda with invited state legislators. The meeting focused on capital funding requests and policy priorities, with no public comments taken. The agenda was approved unanimously.

Consent Calendar

• The agenda was approved unanimously by roll call vote.

Discussion Items

Capital Funding Requests

1. Balfour Park Lighting (presented by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg): Requesting $250,000 from the state capital budget for lighting for basketball and pickleball courts. The park serves 13,000 residents within a one-mile radius, including 750 households below the poverty line and 1,414 households with disabilities. Lighting will allow extended hours and enhance large events. The park is a central gathering place and is part of a master plan expansion.

2. Barker Road / Interstate 90 Interchange (presented by Councilmember Wick): Requesting $3.6 million for design work on a $50 million interchange redesign. The project includes widening the bridge, adding lanes, and roundabouts. The city has already committed $400,000. The interchange currently operates at level of service F. The design does not include I-90 widening, but the project supports future widening.

3. Sullivan/Trent Interchange (presented by Councilmember Wick): The interchange is structurally deficient and high-risk, with the lowest functional rating in WSDOT’s system. The city has secured $17.8 million but is $6 million short. Requesting state match to help close the gap. The design is progressing; the project is on the 2029-31 funding list recommended by the PRAB.

Policy Statements

1. Public Safety and Behavioral Health (presented by Councilmember Padden): The city recently passed a one-tenth of one percent public safety sales tax (collected starting January 2026) to fund 12 new positions, including 10 police officers. The city requests state help with recruitment, training, and retention, including easier access to the $100 million public safety fund without onerous requirements. Supports regulations on police technology (e.g., license plate cameras) that balance privacy and effectiveness. Supports $10 million for regional search and rescue helicopters. Also requests more behavioral health facilities, updates to the Involuntary Treatment Act, and a change to the Keeping Families Together Act (2023) which has been linked to increased child fatalities—the state saw the highest child fatality numbers ever in 2025, with 22 in the first quarter alone.

2. Housing Affordability (presented by Councilmember Yaeger): Requests state policies to reduce the cost of constructing new housing, including relief from energy mandates and building code requirements. Notes that the state building code council does not apply to Seattle, yet imposes costs on the rest of the state. Supports preserving existing housing and preventing homelessness, and funding for workforce training programs.

3. Local Decision-Making Authority (presented by Councilmember Higgins): Asks the legislature to honor local decision-making and stop imposing new land-use mandates. The city is implementing 12 recent state mandates, which are challenging to incorporate into the comprehensive plan update. A chart in the packet shows implementation timelines. At least six more land-use mandates are expected for the 2026 session. Council expressed frustration with state overreach.

4. Fiscal Management (presented by Councilmember Merkel): Urges the state to avoid passing mandates and tax burdens to cities. Asks the state to protect shared revenue sources (liquor profits, criminal justice assistance, fuel tax, marijuana taxes). Requests that the state cut unnecessary programs rather than increase taxes or mandate city tax increases.

5. Reducing Costs Through Reform (presented by Mayor Haley): Supports use of local contractors, reducing project costs by allowing regional small business goals. Opposes joint and several liability, which forces cities to pay full damages even if minimally at fault. The city settled a case where a speeding, unbelted driver died after driving off the road, fearing liability over road curvature. Supports reforming abusive public records requests that burden local governments.

Q&A and Updates from Legislators (10 minutes):

• Legislators discussed their priorities: changing the name of the DCYF oversight board (noted as offensive), pushing back on the Keeping Families Together Act, addressing high costs of juvenile detention under SB 5252 (JR25s), and reforming DCYF’s culture. They noted a potential state income tax on income over $1 million, a wealth tax, increased gas tax, licensing fees, and a highway usage fee (based on vehicle fuel efficiency) as possible revenue measures. Legislators also discussed the state’s noncompliance with federal programs (e.g., Apple Health for undocumented immigrants, CDL issuance, aviation fund misuse) and the fiscal cliff. They expressed frustration with the state’s direction and noted that businesses are leaving for Idaho.

Key Outcomes

• Unanimous approval of the agenda.
• City Council presented formal funding requests for Balfour Park ($250,000), Barker Road/I-90 interchange ($3.6 million design), and Sullivan/Trent interchange (seeking state match for known shortfall).
• Council adopted policy positions supporting local control, public safety funding, housing affordability reforms, fiscal restraint, and liability reform.
• No formal votes were taken on the legislative agenda, but the council expressed unified support for the outlined priorities.
• Legislators committed to advocating for the city’s requests, noting a short session with limited capacity but promising to raise issues such as police recruitment, child safety, and state liability.
• The meeting served as a planning session for the 2026 legislative session, with next steps including direct advocacy by council members and coordination with the city’s lobbyist.