"Mobility on Demand" is a means for local governments to subsidize their poor land use decisions with precious transit agency funds. To illustrate, operating cost per passenger @ Spokane Transit Authority in 2024 was $9.42. Fixed-route service efficiency increases as ridership does, MoD does not.

Thank you so much!

Nevada Street has seen three fatal crashes this year.

It is essential that our downtown leaders start telling a more positive, exciting, and forward-thinking vision for downtown, instead of focusing so often on what is wrong with it.

I feel like it’s getting lost that driving downtown is a *CHOICE.* If you don’t want to pay a modest parking tax, don’t drive downtown! Take the bus! Walk! Bike! Take a scooter!

A vibrant, safe, and prosperous Spokane depends on repurposing these blighted parking lots with housing and retail. Absent a Land Value Tax, a commercial parking tax is the next best thing, which is why over a dozen jurisdictions in Washington have already implemented one.

If you can make it, please come to tonight's Spokane City Council meeting at 6 PM at 808 W. Spokane Falls Boulevard.

My comments for tonight's city council meeting regarding the proposed commercial parking tax. It will be interesting to see if the council is able to pass this measure despite the overwhelming amount of pushback from Spokane's parking lot operators and reactionary business community.

Free buses in Iowa City in the NYT! I was there a couple weeks ago and was surprised at how packed and how frequent the buses were for a city that size www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/c...

My comments for today's Spokane Transit Authority Board of Directors meeting:

If you’re wondering how the debate is going on the city’s parking tax ordinance, it’s this

It sure is neat to see the impact @spokanereimagined.org has had on the public discourse over the last two years.

Despite the delayed vote, I'm glad to see Spokane's City Council isn't losing its resolve. www.spokesman.com/stories/2025...

My comments for tonight’s city council meeting regarding the proposed commercial parking tax. I sincerely hope the rumors I’ve heard of a delayed vote are incorrect.

More than 25% of downtown’s land area is parking. City Council is expected to vote TODAY on a new commercial parking tax that would help incentivize redevelopment and keep our transportation budget whole in a difficult budget year. Please send a quick note to them NOW urging a swift “yes” vote.

Use this tool to send a quick note to Spokane City Council urging them to pass a modest tax on commercial parking. Revenues will support our forward-thinking transportation program and help close our budget gap. (Yes, I know the sharing card has a typo, it’s unfixable unfortunately.)

Spokane’s City Council is debating a modest commercial parking tax to incentivize redevelopment downtown and hopefully help close a city budget deficit. Predictably, it has attracted a lot of hyperbolic opposition. Please send a quick note urging support:

Spokane is working on passing a new tax on commercial parking, which would help incentivize redevelopment and raise desperately-needed money for our forward-thinking transportation program. Please sign up to speak or send a quick note to your Councilmember!

The message we just sent our mailing list asking members to join Spokane Reimagined in encouraging the city council to approve the proposed tax on commercial parking lots.

My latest for @rangemedia.co is an analysis of the ordinance Surface parking lots - aren’t housing - don’t create jobs or culture - pay almost no property tax - ruin walkability - are ugly - attract crime - send revenue out of our economy So yes, let’s tax them out of existence.

For all the progress Spokane has made, we still have an overwhelming amount of work to do to make our streets truly safe.

We will be there on Monday to voice our support!

News: Mayor Lisa Brown's office (@mayorspokane.bsky.social) is proposing a new tax of 12% on gross receipts from commercial parking across Spokane, as a way to encourage new housing development. Right now, more than 30% of downtown's land area is parking, and it maxes out at 56% occupancy.

Spokane Transit could do *a lot* with just a bit more local investment.

Spokane!

Do you want more frequent buses and later transit service? Sign our petition! c.org/RdtkgFpNWW

It’s the best kind of day — FRESH KERMIT DAY! This is meant to help Elm St Greenway (the first leg of 27x27!) users cross Boone, where Elm does a little jog.

When was the last time you saw an apartment with windows on three sides? That’s what small buildings can get you (among lots of other benefits!)

Join us for another round of community workshops to update our Comprehensive Plan. For details, go to my.spokanecity.org/planspokane/....

A heavily understated Spokane Parks levy detail would unlock the calmest bike route up the south hill to date. The levy would build a shared use path through Edwidge Woldson Park. If you’re like me, you’ve never heard of this park. Understandable!

New AAA study finds that pedestrian detection systems are only 60% effective at night (which is when most pedestrians are struck). Lesson: Car tech will not "solve" the crisis in US pedestrian safety. Addressing car bloat, deadly street design, etc is also necessary.

Hostile architecture, like leaning benches and armrests designed to stop houseless people from occupying public spaces, makes things terrible for everyone.

Spokane has an incredibly generous and artistic activist community. I'm so proud to be from Spokane.

Here are all the benches that Spokane Reimagined distributed during the Week Without Driving! Find your nearest bench, have a seat, and take the bus on your next adventure!

It's a GREAT bikes day in Spokane. - Belt cycle track is hardened! - Elm Street Greenway has its bikeway sign and 27x2027 goat sharrow!

Oh hey I sanded these benches! Full map here: felt.com/map/Communit...

Thank you for the shout out, @strongtowns.org! www.strongtowns.org/journal/2025...

KXLY did a follow-up story on @spokanereimagined.org’s bus bench project and our ask of Spokane Transit Authority: www.kxly.com/news/spokane...

Thank you to @sightline.org for highlighting our efforts!

29 hand-painted guerrilla benches in Spokane, organized by @spokanereimagined.org #WeekWithoutDriving

“I have lost count of meetings with government leaders, elected officials, and advisory councils where I share these experiences, and I hear the right noises in response for indicating sympathy and concern. But…nothing actually changes.” Kelly Mack @ggwash.org #weekwithoutdriving

Happy Week Without Driving! Who is joining the challenge? 🙋‍♀️

Spokane Reimagined had the opportunity to interview @mayorspokane.bsky.social for Week Without Driving. Hear her thoughts on why the challenge is important, how she prefers to travel when outside of a personal vehicle, and her ideal car-free afternoon in Spokane! youtu.be/DDNJMyLJrLQ

Partnering with local artists (and with a few benches painted by children at Unity in the Community), we took this as an opportunity to write a love letter to our city while also highlighting the challenges faced by those who travel outside of personal automobiles.

If you live in Spokane, you might have seen some new artwork around your neighborhood recently. To celebrate Week Without Driving (September 29-October 5), Spokane Reimagined constructed and distributed a bus bench to each of Spokane's 29 neighborhoods.

Fascinating study. Note that this is 1 in 10 adults. Factor in children and the percentage of non-driving Americans is much higher. Cities and towns need to account for their mobility needs too.

I ❤️ Spokane