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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

My 2 Cents: Welcome To Fray, Steve

I've been waiting to exhale since I learned that anti-City Hall activist Mary Souza was running for mayor. I knew someone would step forward to oppose her -- and I don't mean Jim Brannon or Joe Kunka. However, I was hoping it wasn't some self-diluted individual who would pull votes from a stronger, nonpartisan candidate. Now, that Steve Widmyer has stepped forward, I can exhale. Widmyer, the owner of the historic Fort Ground Grill, has a solid business background and deep roots in the community. Also, he's his own man, without ties to the divisive Far Right politics that threatened to tear this community apart before voters erected a resounding stop sign during the recent Coeur d'Alene School Board elections. Given the alternative choices, Widmyer's bandwagon is worth jumping on. However, Widmyer's decision to step forward is only the first step in keeping our City Council out of the hands of radical ideologues. It'll also be important to keep the free seats now held by Woody McEvers, Deanna Goodlander and Mike Kennedy. Kennedy has already announced his decision not to run again. McEvers and Goodlander are testing the political waters for possible re-election bids. I like the incumbent council members. But it is possible that they acquired too much baggage in their decisions to back the McEuen Field makeover, urban renewal, and the controversial antidiscrimination ordinance. The strongest nonpartisan candidate for those seats should get support, whether it's one of the incumbents or someone else. The Far Right will certainly have its own candidates for those seats. Widmyer has a good chance to keep the mayor's seat out of radical hands. Now, it's time to focus on the best nonpartisan candidates for the three council seats/DFO.

Thoughts?



D.F. Oliveria
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.

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