In 2023, Washington reported the highest rate of cryptocurrency imposter scams to the Federal Trade Commission of any state. On Dec. 2, the Spokane City Council passed a resolution supporting a change to state law that would create more protections for consumers who use virtual currency kiosks. According to the resolution, bad actors often use social media to build trust with victims and then ask them to transfer large amounts of cryptocurrency virtually. Cryptocurrency isn't insured by the United States and is nearly impossible to recover if lost to fraud. The resolution supports passing state legislation that would limit the amount of money consumers can withdraw from online kiosks and would regulate fees and disclosures more closely. (ELIZA BILLINGHAM)
DON'T DUMP
By the end of November, Spokane's code enforcement team had collected 1.8 million pounds of trash illegally dumped around the city this year. On Nov. 25, the City Council unanimously voted to replace the city's litter and rubbish code with the state's new litter law that includes criminal charges for dumping large amounts of litter. Thanks to House Bill 2207, which was passed into law earlier this year, litter that takes up less than 1 cubic foot is a Class 3 civil infraction with a potential fine of $50, litter between 1 cubic foot and 10 cubic yards can be charged as a misdemeanor, and dumping more than 10 cubic yards of litter is considered a gross misdemeanor. The law was prompted by concerns that illegal dumping is expensive for property owners and, since it often includes hazardous materials, can irrevocably damage the environment. Though the city code change passed unanimously, City Council members Jonathan Bingle and Michael Cathcart worried that the city will not have the resources to enforce the law, and that the Brown administration may not enforce it equally between businesses and homeless encampments. (ELIZA BILLINGHAM)
INFRASTRUCTURE BOOST
Over the past three years, more than 66,000 transportation projects — 1,609 in Washington — have been funded through the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by Congress. In Spokane County, about $247 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has been spent on 90 projects, most of which included updates to our roads and bridges. Notably, Spokane International Airport received nearly $50 million to build a new passenger terminal and expand Concourse C. The Safe Streets and Roads for All project, which will build bike lanes, ADA ramps, shared-use pathways and crosswalk improvements, is another project partially funded ($9.6 million) by these federal grants. "Washingtonians are seeing many benefits from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, from a new passenger terminal at Spokane International Airport to helping replace the outdated I-5 bridge, to billions in new energy grid upgrades, to restoring salmon habitat, to major new port investments that will boost exports and local jobs," says U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington. In total, Washington has received nearly $10 billion from the infrastructure law. (COLTON RASANEN) ♦
