(The Center Square) – Spokane County’s emergency dispatch system inched one step closer to a major financial shakeup after state lawmakers passed a bill on Wednesday that critics say could upend its funding model.
While it would apply to the entire state, House Bill 1258’s impact falls almost entirely on the Spokane region. The proposal comes after Spokane Regional Emergency Communications, or SREC, kicked the state’s second most populous city out of the 911 dispatch system in January.
Rep. Timm Ormsby and Rep. Natasha Hill, two Democrats representing the city of Spokane, proposed HB 1258 days before the decision. The House majority passed the bill last month with Rep. Mike Volz, R-Spokane, as the only Republican to cross the aisle.
Senate Democrats followed suit on Wednesday but without any bipartisan support. They also approved one amendment, sending HB 1258 back to the House for another vote before final adoption. Hill told The Center Square that “passing this bill is a priority” before the session ends.
“We knew it would need some technical fixes and appreciate the Senate for doing this work,” Hill said. “We will be reviewing amendments and making sure it gets to the governor’s desk.”
Under HB 1258, counties operating regional dispatch systems with 911 excise tax revenue must transfer a portion of the funding to cities that support their own network. Spokane negotiated with SREC for five years before the network asked the city to leave in January.
Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels, who also sits on the SREC Governing Board, told his constituents that “this is about money.”
“It is about the city of Spokane trying to grab as many tax dollars as they can out of the unincorporated area to pay for their excessive use of the emergency response systems,” Nowels said in January. “We should have a problem with that.”
Much of the issue in Spokane revolves around SREC’s funding model, which relies on the 911 tax revenue and member fees. While the Spokane Fire Department participates in the system, the Spokane Police Department never joined, despite SREC’s repeated pleas for the city to commit.
Ormsby and Hill’s proposal would send the city’s portion back to its coffers to prop up a dispatch system for both departments. SREC cited Ormsby and Hill’s proposal in the decision to remove Spokane from the network, highlighting a “growing divergence in priorities.”
SREC Board Chair Cody Rohrbach told The Center Square that the city accounts for about 55% of the network’s calls, despite only providing around 48% of the system’s 911 tax revenue. He said HB 1258 highlights a split in the regionalization model as two dispatch networks rise from the aftermath.
“Ultimately, this is a dispute between the city of Spokane and Spokane County,” Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, argued before Wednesday’s vote. “This is a statewide solution to a regional problem. We believe that the regions, cities and counties should work out their own problems.”
Some Republicans call the bill an act of government overreach, allowing state lawmakers to step in on an “untold number of issues” statewide. Sen. Leonard Christian, R-Spokane Valley, acknowledged issues with the system back home and transferring calls between jurisdictions.
The city of Spokane declined to comment on Thursday when requested by The Center Square. Mayor Lisa Brown previously criticized SREC for “unreasonable deadlines,” emphasizing a commitment to what’s best for her taxpayers.
“This is just about some money and the city of Spokane wanting more and not wanting to provide the proper services by being a part of the county system,” Christian said. “If you’re having a heart attack, we don’t have the time to figure out if you’re in the county or the city or what other town you might be in; we just want an ambulance.”
While SREC will continue to allow SFD to participate until Spokane props up its system, HB 1258 could blow a hole in the network’s budget as the city walks away with the biggest chunk of tax revenue at its side.
