Spokesman-Review Letters to the editor
Roads give way to raceway

It didn’t take long for the raceway park backlash to affect services of the Spokane County taxpayers. Road department supervisors were informed that there is no money for much-needed repair and maintenance of the county roads. Instead, they will be cutting brush and sealing cracks in roadways for the remainder of the year. I hope the taxpayers will keep in mind what $4 million would have done for our roadways in the upcoming commissioner elections.

Terry Weeks
Spokane County road department maintenance worker

I saw this letter in the newspaper today and thought, ‘Hmmm… could this be true?’ Seemed to me like the money to buy Raceway Park wouldn’t be coming out of the same pot of money that pays for street maintenance. So, I checked with the County and was told that the above is not the case, that the money to buy Raceway Park will be provided by general obligation bonds over the long term. These bonds are backed by the general fund. I was also told that, under no conditions, would the reserve fund be dipped into for the purchase money.

As for the lack of money for road repairs, it’s due to the harsh winter. The County says the increased cost of snow removal depleted road maintenace funds.

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