The campaign to extend two taxes to pay for the expansion of the Spokane Convention Center and Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena has pulled a TV ad featuring Spokane City Councilwoman Nancy McLaughlin.

Citizens for Jobs Now has developed a series of commercials each featuring two people who often represent competing interests, including messages with a Democrat and Republican and another with a union member and a business owner. In each ad each spokesperson says that despite their usual differences they support Measure 1, the Spokane Public Facilities District tax plan that pays for the Convention Center and arena expansions.

In the ad featuring McLaughlin, she represents North Spokane. She was paired with Tony Hazel, a Spokane Valley resident.

Brian Murray, campaign manager for Citizens for Jobs Now, said some members of the group expressed concern about giving McLaughlin TV exposure now that she’s a candidate for state House. McLaughlin, a Republican, announced her bid to challenge state Sen. Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, on Tuesday.

"With this being a nonpartisan group that we’ve put together, we need to respect the opinions of our various coalition members," Murray said.

McLaughlin said she’s fine with the ad being pulled.

"I just don’t want to put (the measure) at risk,” she said.

Brown said she and her campaign did not request the ad be pulled but that she agrees with the decision.

"I don’t think that’s appropriate once she’s declared for office,” Brown said.

Murray said the ad started to run on Thursday and commercials featuring McLaughlin won’t appear after Tuesday.

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