Mayor
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Clark: Spokane’s leanin’ alright, but toward the drab
In her State of the City address on Friday, Spokane Mayor Mary Verner announced that the city was “leaning forward,” which, as we all know, is the first move a drunk makes before falling flat onto his nose. As a professional community observer, I think I know what is causing Mayor Verner to be so pessimistic.
Verner urges council to reject library-only tax
A proposal to ask voters for a library tax appears unlikely to make the ballot after Mayor Mary Verner and her staff urged council members last week to consider a broader property tax that could also boost the police and fire budgets. “We don’t want to be faced with potential closures of branches again next year,” Verner told the City Council. “But we also don’t want to be faced with additional layoffs.”
Spokane officials looking ahead to bond for next round of street fixing
With only three summers worth of projects left on the city’s 10-year street bond project, Spokane officials are starting to draw up plans for another round of road reconstruction for the next potential street property tax. The 2004 street bond will have paid for $110 million worth of projects when work is completed. It’s been deemed by most political leaders as one of the city’s greatest successes of the past decade. Administrators say they expect work to be completed on time and on or under budget.
Verner gives annual State of the City address
Spokane Mayor Mary Verner today sounded a hopeful note for financial recovery in her fourth State of the City address. Her speech last year focused on “positioning” the city for recovery.
Verner: Job creation, business top priorities
Spokane Mayor Mary Verner today sounded a hopeful note for financial recovery in her fourth State of the City address.
March organizer urges dialogue
An organizer of Spokane’s annual march commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. criticized community leaders Tuesday for not opening an honest dialogue about race issues after last month’s march was targeted with a bomb. “What do we say to our kids?” said Ivan Bush, a longtime civil rights leader in Spokane. “What do we say to them about that day when a community stood up with a hump in the back and didn’t make a real statement? What do we say to them? How do we go back and face them and talk about the greatness of a community? We can’t in a legitimate way. We did not when the time was there. I’m hurt. I’m pained, and I’m full of rage.”
Garbage deal taking shape with proposal for regional board
Public officials throughout Spokane County agreed Thursday to create a new regional garbage-disposal system that might not use Spokane’s Waste-to-Energy Plant. A host of thorny details are to be worked out by a committee, but the basic framework is a regional board with authority to contract with Spokane or any other service provider.
A boost for books
Hoping to head off a new round of library closure talks or further cuts to branch hours, the Spokane Public Library is asking city leaders to sponsor a property tax boost on the April 26 ballot. The Spokane City Council will decide Feb. 14 if it will ask voters for an extra 15 cents for each $1,000 of taxable property value. If successful, the tax would generate an extra $2.3 million a year.
Property tax hike proposed to fund city libraries
Hoping to head off a new round of library closure talks or further cuts to branch hours, the Spokane Public Library is asking city leaders to sponsor a property tax boost on the April 26 ballot. The Spokane City Council will decide Feb. 14 if it will ask voters for an extra 15 cents for each $1,000 of taxable property value.
County, cities review waste system plans
More than 50 people turned out Wednesday for the first day of a conference to form a new plan for garbage disposal in Spokane County. Twenty-two officials from Spokane County and cities in the county reviewed the Spokane Regional Solid Waste System and their goals for reforming it.
Mayor now says she’ll attend waste summit
Spokane Mayor Mary Verner reversed course Monday and said she will attend this week’s Solid Waste Summit after all. Verner had said she thought the city and Spokane County were so far apart on how to restructure the regional garbage-disposal system, which processes all trash collected countywide, that attendance would have been a waste of time.
Regional waste summit on, with or without Spokane
Next week’s regional Solid Waste Summit will occur regardless of whether Spokane participates, County Commission Chairman Al French announced Friday. The two-day gathering of local government officials throughout the county is intended to outline a new framework for the Spokane Regional Solid Waste System, which is owned and controlled by the city of Spokane.
Governor, at Spokane City Hall, briefed on bomb investigation
After meeting with investigators and city leaders Friday at Spokane City Hall, Gov. Chris Gregoire commended the three contract workers who spotted the lethal backpack bomb along the Martin Luther King Jr. Day march route nearly two weeks ago. “Their actions were swift and helped prevent a tragedy,” Gregoire said in a written statement. “From the law enforcement to the firefighters to the bomb squad, everyone deserves high marks for acting with the utmost professionalism.”
Gregoire comes to Spokane for bomb briefing
After meeting with investigators and city leaders Friday at Spokane City Hall, Gov. Chris Gregoire commended the three contract workers who spotted the lethal backpack bomb along the Martin Luther King Jr. march route nearly two weeks ago. “Their actions were swift and helped prevent a tragedy,” Gregoire said in a written statement.
Verner or not, garbage summit is a go
Next week’s regional Solid Waste Summit will occur with or without Spokane participation, County Commission Chairman Al French announced Friday. The two-day gathering of local government officials throughout the county is intended to outline a new framework for the Spokane Regional Solid Waste System, which is owned and controlled by the city of Spokane.
Human rights dialogue revs up
After racist literature was distributed throughout the region in 2009, a North Idaho anti-racism group mobilized leaders in Kootenai and Spokane counties to send a message at a news conference near the state line: Hate would not be tolerated in the Inland Northwest. In the days following last week’s bombing attempt apparently targeting Martin Luther King Jr. Day marchers in Spokane, there was no such concerted effort. Some individuals spoke publicly to denounce the act, but no organizations emerged to the forefront to present a unified response.
Move on without fear, region’s leaders urge
While political and religious leaders interviewed last week denounced the bombing attempt along the route of Spokane’s annual march honoring Martin Luther King Jr., they shared a range of opinions about how the Spokane community should respond. The Rev. Flora Bowers, Manito United Methodist Church:
Leaders, residents discuss violence in the community
The Spokane-area community gathered Saturday morning to discuss the attempted bombing along the Martin Luther King Jr. Unity March on Jan. 17. Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich and state Rep. Kevin Parker co-hosted the forum, “Understanding Threats in Our Community,” on the Washington State University Spokane campus. Community leaders and residents discussed their concerns about, and possible solutions to, violence in the community.
Verner: ‘This is not who we are’
The Spokane-area community joined this morning to discuss the attempted bombing along the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Unity March on Monday.