Spokane’s top health official is urging residents to accept higher taxpayer costs to combat the city’s worsening drug and homelessness crisis. Spokane Regional Health Officer Dr. Bob Lutz told the City Council on Tuesday that “harm reduction” strategies—such as clean needle exchanges, naloxone distribution, and supervised consumption centers—are essential to public safety, even if they come at taxpayer expense.
The comments come after Spokane County recorded its deadliest year on record for overdoses in 2024. Medical Examiner Dr. Veena Singh confirmed more than 350 overdose deaths last year, with 78 percent linked to fentanyl. According to Lutz, overdose deaths remain high in 2025, with spikes in January and February showing no sign of decline.
The county’s Point-in-Time Count found 1,806 homeless individuals this year. Of those, 43 percent reported suffering from mental illness and 52 percent from addiction. Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Kayla Cross joined Lutz in advocating for a comprehensive network of taxpayer-funded services—including treatment programs, “Housing First” initiatives, and drop-in centers—to stabilize the city’s homeless population.
Cross compared harm reduction programs to everyday safety measures. “Just as we use sunscreen or seatbelts to prevent harm, we should use clean needle exchanges and naloxone to save lives,” she said. She acknowledged, however, that many uninsured individuals rely on government-funded care. Medicaid covers some addiction treatment costs, but others depend on city and state grants—ultimately funded by taxpayers.
Councilmember Jonathan Bingle questioned the long-term fiscal burden of such programs, asking what portion of costs taxpayers should be expected to shoulder. Lutz replied that the issue has become “politicized” but maintained that collective responsibility is essential to public safety.
“At the end of the day, we all have to bear some of the cost for those who are far along this path,” Lutz said. “If we want a safer, healthier community, we must accept that taxpayers will play a part.”
Critics of harm reduction argue that the approach enables addiction and avoids accountability. Spokane conservatives have pushed for stronger enforcement measures, including reinstating a citywide camping ban, to curb homelessness and improve public safety. Lutz, however, dismissed incarceration as a long-term solution, claiming it increases overdose risks after release.
The debate reflects growing divisions over how to handle addiction and homelessness in Washington State. As overdose deaths rise and fentanyl devastates communities, the question remains whether taxpayers are willing—or able—to fund open-ended social service programs with uncertain outcomes.
