1. Spokane’s Overdose Crisis: A Tragic Call to Action
While the nation takes small but meaningful steps forward in the fight against overdose deaths, Spokane County’s numbers tell a tragic and deeply concerning story. Nationally, overdose deaths declined by 4% from 2022 to 2023, reflecting efforts to stem this epidemic. At the same time, overdose deaths in Spokane County surged by nearly 40%, climbing from 215 in 2022, to 301 in 2023.
And the outlook for 2024 is even more alarming: Spokane County is projecting yet another increase in overdose deaths. In stark contrast, nearby jurisdictions like King County (Seattle), Multnomah County (Portland), and others are projecting declines in 2024, aligning with national trends.
This isn’t just a crisis; it’s a tragic call to action. Spokane’s overdose death rates – and other public health and safety measures – are continuing in the wrong direction, even as our neighboring cities and the nation as a whole are making progress. We must not accept the status quo when these issues tear at the deepest threads of our community. These numbers represent people’s lives, often our own children, neighbors, and community members.
As we’ve been discussing, the Spokane Business Association, in collaboration with many of our elected officials, civic organizations, businesses, and citizens, is pressing for near-term, decisive solutions to these issues, including funding solutions that avoid increasing the tax burden to our citizens and businesses. As the year progresses, we will work to rally support to adopt these collaborative, actionable solutions and to reverse these trends.
The time for bold, community-wide action is NOW. We owe it to our city and to those we’ve lost to change the trajectory of this terrible tragedy. Let’s work together to save lives and renew our community.
2. “A Powerful Testimony: Compassion and Accountability in Spokane”
This video from a recent Spokane City Council meeting is one we all need to see. Reggie courageously shares his journey from being a convicted felon to becoming a success story—a story shaped by accountability, compassion, and the enforcement of laws that helped him turn his life around.
Reggie reminds us of the tension many of us feel between compassion and accountability. His words are a stark call to action: “We’re not helping anyone if we’re contributing to what they’re doing without consequences. People won’t change until they have something to lose.”
He speaks honestly about the realities his family now faces in our city—the desensitization to the suffering he, his children, and the community regularly witness on the streets and the challenges of creating safe spaces for the next generation. Yet, his testimony is one of hope. It underscores the importance of community resources, law enforcement, and faith in rebuilding lives.
As we reflect on Reggie’s powerful message, I invite you to watch the video and share your thoughts. How do we, as a community, balance compassion and accountability as we work to address community health and safety?
Thank you to Reggie for his courageous and compelling testimony, and thanks to Sheldon Jackson for highlighting this video for the rest of us to see.
3. Keep Downtown Moving Forward – Extend and Strengthen CORE Program
“The CORE program, which launched last October and extended through January 15, has demonstrated incremental yet vital progress in addressing the critical issues impacting downtown Spokane. The program, added on-street police and fire behavioral health resources, and is laying the groundwork for sustainable improvements. Now is not the time to step backward – extending the program beyond January 15th is essential to maintain this forward momentum. More resources, not fewer, are needed to build on this foundation and drive meaningful, lasting change.
We greatly appreciate this initial step and urge decision-makers to make the program permanent while planning for future initiatives that will help restore safety, vibrancy, and economic vitality downtown.”