SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – Votes are currently being tallied on Proposition One, which would approve a sales tax increase to improve public safety.
Proposition One proposes a 0.1% sales tax increase to generate an additional $2.6 million in revenue. This would bring the sales tax from 8.9 percent to nine percent. This funding would fund positions for 10 additional police officers.
As of Wednesday evening, nearly 60% of votes counted supported the proposition. However, thousands of votes remain uncounted.
The City of Spokane Valley issued an official statement expressing gratitude, stating, “Initial election results indicate Spokane Valley residents have declared their support.”
Spokane Valley Police Department Chief Dave Ellis explained the additional revenue from the proposed tax increase would cover officer salaries, benefits, and equipment, including police cruisers.
He also said the proposition aims to address the growing needs of Spokane Valley, a city with increasing call volumes.
“This means that we will have that many more officers on the street, so when a call comes in, we can respond that much quicker,” Ellis said.
Spokane Valley’s police response times currently vary significantly.
A priority one call, the highest level of concern, has a response time of about five minutes according to the May 2025 monthly report, while a Level 4 call could result in a wait time of almost 50 minutes.
Chief Ellis acknowledged the financial implications of passing Proposition one.
“We know that no one wants to pay additional taxes,” Ellis said.
But Ellis also explained that this money will be used to improve public safety.
“We want to make sure that Spokane Valley is a great place to live to work, to raise a family,” Ellis said.
Election results are available on the Spokane County Website.
