Spokane Mayor
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Doug Clark: Shogan clears his throat for charity, again
Say what you will about City Council President Joe Shogan. He’s a bit too opinionated, perhaps. He doesn’t suffer fools well and can be a bit quick to pop his cork.
Condon’s criticism of public salaries could backfire
Spokane mayoral hopeful David Condon has made government salaries an early issue of his campaign, targeting specifically city employees earning more than $100,000 a year. But until taking a leave of absence to run for mayor, Condon himself earned nearly $127,000 annually as a Spokane-based federal employee serving as district director for Republican U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Additionally, he has yet to decide whether he would follow incumbent Mary Verner’s lead in capping the mayor’s annual salary to about $100,000 or take the more than $170,000 a year allocated for the job.
Clark: Condon taps sour source for campaign dough
Despite the advancement in software filters and precautions, the Internet remains a treacherous world filled with swindles and cons. Take the two scams that appeared in my work mailbox this week.
City Hall to add security guard
Spokane City Hall will be watched by at least one security guard 11 hours a day starting next month. The decision, officials say, is the result of a few incidents in recent years when employees felt threatened by visitors, including one involving a man who slammed a hatchet down on its side during an outburst in a meeting with the city’s police ombudsman.
Verner calls for hiring more police officers
Spokane Mayor Mary Verner ordered the hiring of at least six new police officers to fill vacant positions within the department and called for adding more officers next year. The move comes after Verner, facing a contested bid for re-election this year, sent two plans to City Council members last week that would balance next year’s municipal budget without raising taxes and provide enough money to reverse recent cutbacks to the police force.
Verner presents mix of budget solutions
Spokane Mayor Mary Verner gave a preview Wednesday of a 2012 budget she says would be painless for residents who obey the law. Verner proposed to close a tentative $6.6 million revenue shortfall with a combination of administrative actions and $1.4 million in new revenue that would require council approval.
Spokane group collecting signatures for city medical marijuana initiative
Spokane citizens could soon have their say on the controversy growing locally and statewide on the enforcement of marijuana laws. Citizens for a Sensible Spokane, a group that supports legalization of the drug, is collecting signatures for an initiative to make possession of marijuana by adults the city’s lowest law enforcement priority. The proposal is similar to one approved by Seattle voters in 2003.
Condon running for mayor of Spokane
Spokane Mayor Mary Verner finally has an obstacle in her re-election bid. David Condon, the deputy chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., said Monday that he will enter the race for Spokane mayor.
Verner seeks rule change to overlook lowest bidder for contracts
Spokane Mayor Mary Verner has shifted her position on new rules allowing the city to overlook the lowest bidder for city contracts when companies have poor records following the law. Verner opted not to sign the ordinance, which was approved on a 5-2 vote on April 4. The absence of her signature doesn’t constitute a veto, which could have been overridden, and the rules will become law.
Bargaining support on agenda for Spokane City Council
With the possibility of new rounds of negotiations in which city leaders could ask for more wage and benefit concessions, the Spokane City Council may give its union employees a pat on the back. The council on Monday will consider a nonbinding resolution stating that the city supports collective bargaining for its workers.
Sixth annual Komen race has Spokane awash in pink
About 9,000 people painted downtown Spokane pink Sunday in the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Now in its sixth year, the event will raise roughly $500,000. Seventy-five percent of the money will be distributed to breast cancer awareness programs or mammography testing in Eastern Washington. The other 25 percent goes to the national Susan G. Komen for The Cure Foundation, the world’s largest breast cancer organization.
City of Spokane short $6.6 million in ’12
For the fourth straight year, Spokane leaders are forecasting a multimillion-dollar shortfall in the next annual budget. The city predicts a $6.6 million gap between expected revenues and expenses in the city’s 2012 general fund budget, Budget Director Tim Dunivant said in a briefing Wednesday to the Spokane City Council. The general fund pays for fire, police, parks, library and other services funded mostly by tax collections.
Rally to feature NAACP leader
The head of the nation’s largest civil rights organization will lead a march in Spokane on Sunday to commemorate the 43rd anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who was killed April 4, 1968. Benjamin Todd Jealous, president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, will speak at the Demand Justice and Promote Peace event, which will include a march from the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena to Riverfront Park.
Lights out around the world honor Earth Hour
For an hour Saturday, millions of people and thousands of businesses around the world shut off their lights in recognition of Earth Hour. Landmarks around the world went dark for the hour: the Space Needle, Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House, Empire State Building and more. The lights at one Spokane landmark, the Riverfront Park Pavilion, were shut off for the hour, which began at 8:30 p.m.