Spokane Transit Authority has undeniable economic importance to our region. By connecting workers to job sites, students to universities, and consumers to retail hubs, STA has earned our recognition as an important cog in the community and has historically earned our support in its funding requests.

However, we find ourselves unable to support its August ballot issue to renew early a 0.2% sales tax. Simply put, the tax proposal's 20-year sunset clause falls short of providing the accountability to voters we believe should be present, its timing could jeopardize other important initiatives, and its plea lacks enough promise for boosting ridership in a substantive way.

STA's "Moving Forward" initiative, which included the same 0.2% sales tax, was approved by voters in November 2016, and fulfilled a promise to expand transit infrastructure in Spokane County for 12 years. In the decade since, the agency has completed 26 of 27 projects, including launching the City Line $14 million under budget and developing transit centers on the West Plains, at Spokane Community College, and in Spokane Valley. But ROI for the hundreds of millions of dollars spent must be viewed through a lens not limited only to expanded infrastructure, but rather expanded ridership, which is roughly where it was when the tax was approved. 

Meanwhile, the timing of the proposed tax renewal is unfortunate. The current tax doesn't expire until the end of 2028, yet here we are faced with saying yes or no today, at a time when much work and community collaboration is on the verge of deciding whether to ask voters to help fund much-needed improvements to facilities and programs aimed at a safer and healthier populace. And there are other worthy needs competing for limited tax dollars as well.

The transit authority isn't in financial distress. Its adopted 2026 Budget shows an estimated $76 million in reserves by the end of this year. It has even mentioned the possibility of incorporating a "tax holiday" by dipping into reserves to avoid competing with other community initiatives, which is not something a strapped institution would bring up. The STA contends, and we understand, that the early timing is important to secure $82 million in federal funding it wants to expand additional rapid transit route on the North Division corridor — funds that could be awarded elsewhere if STA can't prove to the feds its long-term financial stability.

That's a risk we believe the community would be willing to take.

Ultimately, voters will have to decide for themselves whether to support this tax proposal. Right now, we can't. And if the measure is not successful next month, we hope the STA will come back later with a proposal that includes a shorter sunset clause and greater evidence that expanded bus-related infrastructure would bring with it a level of increased bus ridership that would make us feel like the money is worth it.

Bus transit in Spokane is critically important to the community and to our economy. But alas, not every proposal to expand it will be worth our support.