Spokane Voters Face August 4 Decision on STA Sales-Tax Renewal

Eligible Spokane-area voters will decide Tuesday, August 4, whether to renew the existing sales-and-use tax that helps fund Spokane Transit Authority bus service, Paratransit and planned transit improvements.

Public Transportation Benefit Area Proposition No. 1 would reauthorize up to 0.2% of sales and use tax funding beginning January 1, 2029, and continuing through December 31, 2048. It would not increase the current voter-approved rate. The existing authorization is scheduled to expire December 31, 2028.

Who can vote on Proposition 1

The measure appears on the ballot as Public Transportation Benefit Area Proposition No. 1: Spokane Transit Authority Maintenance and Enhancement of Public Transportation Services. Only registered voters inside the Spokane Transit Authority Public Transportation Benefit Area are eligible to vote on it. That area includes Spokane and several other cities, plus parts of unincorporated Spokane County, so not every Spokane County voter will necessarily see the proposition.

The official Spokane County sample ballot says the measure would reauthorize a voter-approved sales tax of up to two-tenths of 1% for public transportation. It says proceeds would maintain and enhance the existing transit system, improve and expand public transportation through new modes and programs, and support essential transit facilities. The tax was approved in 2016 and is set to expire December 31, 2028, unless renewed.

What STA says renewal would support

STA says most of the renewed funding would maintain current service levels, including routes, frequencies, operating hours and Paratransit. The agency says the 0.2% tax generates approximately $30 million annually.

STA also lists proposed Connect 2035 investments, including Division Street Bus Rapid Transit, bus-stop upgrades with shelters and lighting, improved ADA access, mobility-on-demand pilots and technology upgrades. Those are planned uses of the funding, not completed projects.

STA estimates that rejecting the renewal could put about $12.6 million per year in state grants at risk and jeopardize approximately $82 million in federal funding identified for Division Street BRT. Those are agency estimates and stated risks, not guaranteed outcomes. A rejection would not immediately eliminate bus service: the current authorization would remain in effect through December 31, 2028, and any later service changes would follow future budget and planning decisions.

City Council endorsed the measure

The Spokane City Council voted 6-1 on July 22 to support Proposition 1, with Councilman Michael Cathcart as the lone dissenting vote, according to The Spokesman-Review.

Cathcart said the council should let voters decide without formally taking a position. Supporters said transit is a public benefit and emphasized the effect of bus access on neighborhoods, workers and riders. The council action is advisory; the binding decision belongs to eligible voters.

Opponents question reserves and the term

Opponents have focused on STA’s finances, transparency and the proposed 20-year duration. The Spokesman-Review reported that critics cited approximately $240 million in accumulated reserves and argued the agency should provide more justification before seeking another long-term tax authorization.

STA officials said the reserve figure includes money from multiple funding sources, including pandemic-era and state investments. The agency says reserves are used in part for one-time projects and are not intended to replace ongoing revenue for daily service. Spokane City Councilman Zack Zappone, who also serves on the STA board, said about $170 million of the reserves are earmarked for Connect 2035 projects.

What the vote means for residents

A yes vote would keep the existing 0.2% authorization in place beginning January 1, 2029, through December 31, 2048. A no vote would allow that authorization to expire at the end of 2028 unless voters approve another measure later.

The decision affects more than regular bus riders. Routes and schedules matter to workers, students, older adults, people with disabilities, families without a car and businesses that depend on access to employees and customers. The vote also affects whether STA can pursue proposed projects while seeking state and federal support.

Eligible voters should check their ballot and return it through an official Spokane County drop box by 8 p.m. Tuesday, August 4, 2026. The deadline applies on Election Day; voters should not assume a postmark will substitute for depositing the ballot by the deadline.

Sources

Discover more from Interactive News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.