STA-Crime Check-Jail: Setting the Stage

The Spokane Transit Authority and Crime Check supporters are in the final stages of their---how shall I put this---really low-key sales tax campaigns. We’ll know May 20th whether STA will continue collecting a 0.6% sales tax forever or if the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office is allowed to use a tenth of a percent sales tax hike for emergency communications equipment and to reinstate Crime Check.

A May election is being held because supporters know that both measures are in trouble---a loss now means they can run them again in November. Could happen because folks don’t like permanent tax increases without guarantees that the money is really needed and will be spent wisely.

But this creates headaches for the County Commissioners who are considering whether to run what could be at least a $100 million jail bond issue in November. Here’s the problem: We won’t know where it would be built, there’s no official price tag and---probably the biggest concern---no political ground work has been laid to persuade voters that a new jail is even needed. Throw in concerns about the economy and the possibility that STA and Crime Check may resurface and you can see Commissioners’ dilemma.

And time is short: the site for a new jail won’t be known for several weeks; the issue itself may not be placed on the ballot until late summer which means only about eight weeks to mount a credible campaign. Significant tax requests can pass if energetic people are involved, the right messages are developed and voters are assured that the project is necessary. Maybe the County should take the rest of this year to develop a robust public education campaign to explain the need for a new jail and ask for voters’ approval next year. More time, a well devised and executed communications effort and full public involvement will give the idea a much better chance of approval the first time around.

County Race Track Purchase - Fair Race or Fixed?

The Spokane County Commissioners’ decision to buy Spokane Raceway Park and several surrounding parcels of land will turn out to be among the better decisions ever made by county government. It’s really a no brainer when you think about it: The county’s $4 million purchased more than 300 acres of property that will preserve auto racing in the Inland Northwest, allow the creation of publicly accessible ball fields, playgrounds, possibly another aquatic center, and give the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office a place to eventually build a brand new, state of the art training center. A million dollars will also be applied to the environmental cleanup of the track---money that won’t come from the taxpayers. All for about a half a million dollars less than the property’s appraised value.

So what’s the problem? Clearly there are still people who don’t like progress or government doing something that benefits us. But the County is losing an opportunity to effectively fully communicate how the property will be used---especially when it comes to the race track. Spokane County will own the race track but will not operate it---that will be left to the private sector.

Full disclosure: I’m helping represent Pacific Raceways, an Auburn outfit that privately owns and successfully operates a race track and is interested in operating SRP.

Every piece of criticism I’ve heard or read about the track includes the misconception that the County will run it. I’ve had conversations with a dozen people who were critical of the purchase but eventually agreed that this is a good deal when it was explained that the private sector will operate the track.

But the County itself has done little to dispel the misperceptions: nothing on its Web site, no news releases containing messages about the extremely positive aspects of the project, no demands for clarifications to media outlets that have either missed the point or neglected to include it in stories and no engagement with their critics---pretty basic PR.

Luckily the Commissioners have excellent political cover from an enthusiastic, knowledgeable and motivated racing community to help them move forward with what will be an extremely successful project. But the County won’t always be that lucky; communications efforts should start long before the event---for example, this spring’s tax increase request for communications equipment or a new jail this fall. Heard anything?