Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown announces more voluntary retirement options to combat budget deficit

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown announced more voluntary retirement incentives for City employees to help battle the city's budget deficit.

The new voluntary retirement agreement would offer a lump sum incentive for city employees to continue medical and dental coverage through COBRA, private insurance, or other expenses related to healthcare.

City employees could receive anywhere from $10 thousand to $20 thousand for these expenses, depending on how long they were with the city. The incentive starts for employees who have been with the city for at least 10 years.

If this incentive is approved by the City Council, those taking advantage of the incentive would have to apply by 5 p.m. on October 11. Approved employees would have to leave their position no later than December 3.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Spokane mayor explores additional plans to reduce city's budget deficit

Another proposed cost-saving measure would put a six-month freeze on the 2025 cost-of-living adjustments for Cabinet members.

Other cost-saving measures already adopted by the city include retirement incentives for Spokane Police officers, getting rid of vacant positions that were no longer needed, renegotiating IT contracts and updating revenue forecasts.

The City said the measures in place have already reduced the budget deficit from $25 million to $14 million as of September 1.

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