Last week, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced his plans to push for three major climate policy changes during the 2024 legislative session, which will be his last in office. The three priorities include holding the oil industry accountable by collecting data to better understand what contributes to the price at the gas pump; phasing out methane gas (also known as natural gas) in new residential and commercial construction; and linking the state's cap-and-invest carbon market with California's and Québec's markets. Inslee's supplemental budget request also calls for investing more than $940 million in climate-related projects and job development, from helping low-income families install heat pumps ($100 million) to investing in salmon recovery ($25 million). (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)
REPAIRING ROADS
Starting next summer, Spokane Valley drivers can plan to pay more to license their vehicles. In a 4-3 vote last week, the Spokane Valley City Council passed an ordinance establishing an annual $20 vehicle license fee to help pay for transportation improvements in the city. Mayor Pam Haley, Deputy Mayor Rod Higgins and Council members Tim Hattenburg and Arne Woodard voted in favor of the ordinance, and Council members Laura Padden, Ben Wick and Brandi Peetz opposed it. While those in favor of the fee say it's the best way to address the city's crumbling residential streets, those in opposition say it won't fix the issue in an equitable way. During their meeting, Padden argued that the fee would disproportionately affect those who are on fixed incomes or unemployed. With more than 140,000 registered vehicles in Spokane Valley, the council estimates a net revenue of $2.79 million. Due to state law, the fees won't go into effect until July 1, 2024, meaning the city wouldn't begin utilizing the funds until late 2024 or early 2025. (COLTON RASANEN)
SHIGELLA AND TRAC
Shigella is really unpleasant. Severe diarrhea. Fever. Stomach pains. In some cases, people suffering from the bacterial infection need hospitalization. Last week, the Spokane Regional Health District confirmed that it had declared an outbreak of shigella in Spokane County shortly before Thanksgiving. Mark Springer, the health district's manager of communicable diseases and infection, said that almost every confirmed case so far has involved someone experiencing homelessness, but that larger community spread is possible. People should wash hands frequently and stay home if they have symptoms. Springer said the health district has been offering sanitation guidance to local homeless shelters — including at the city's Trent Avenue homeless shelter, where a localized Shigella outbreak was declared by the health district in early December. The future of the 350-bed warehouse shelter has been the subject of much debate and controversy in recent months. The Salvation Army's contract to operate the shelter expires at the end of the month. Last week, City Council members put aside concerns about the organization's high price tag and uncertainty over the shelter's future and voted to approve a last-minute, $3.7 million four-month contract extension. "This is still complicated, it has not been solved," Council President Betsy Wilkerson said. "This is a Band-Aid." (NATE SANFORD) ♦
