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Doug Clark: Condon, not taxpayers, should cover cost of Straub fiasco
So ousted Spokane Police Chief Frank Straub thinks the city should pay him 4 million bucks to soothe his bruised and battered ego. All right. I don’t see a problem with that.
In race for Spokane City Council, Stratton and Verduin say they’re not proxies for Stuckart and Condon
Incumbent Spokane Councilwoman Karen Stratton is backed the council president. Her opponent, Evan Verduin, is supported by the mayor.
The choice is City Hall or business experience in race for South Hill council seat
Behind every Spokane City Council member is a legislative aide. The L.A.’s, as they call themselves, answer phones, handle schedules, do research and run interference for their elected bosses. The work allows an intimate knowledge of City Hall mechanics, a perfect classroom for anyone who may want to join City Council in the future.
Election Preview: Proposed Liberty School District bond to pay for infrastructure renovations
The Liberty School District is hoping to pass a $12.9 million bond this November to replace aging equipment.
Election preview: Mead school candidates have similar concerns, different backgrounds
John Hatcher and long-time incumbent Robert Olson have similar positions on the issues in the race for a school board seat representing District 3 in the Mead School District.
In Fagan vs. Ramos race, it’s the notorious vs. the unknown
The race for Spokane City Council in District 1, representing northeast Spokane, pits a conservative, controversial incumbent against a political newcomer.
Politicking the Palouse
Though Spokane hasn’t re-elected a mayor since the early 1970s, many small town mayors serve for years and years without a challenger in sight. Palouse mayor Michael Echanove has been mayor since 2001 and he’s only facing his second challenger.
Election preview: Airway Heights mayor who resigned running for Cheney School Board
Henry Browne is an incumbent Cheney school board member and a Liberian refugee. His opponent, Patrick Rushing, is the former mayor of Airway Heights who recently resigned his position after posting racist comments on Facebook.
Election preview: Former Spokane Valley Mayor Towey challenges Woodard for council
Former Spokane Valley Mayor Tom Towey challenges Arne Woodard for position 3 on the Spokane Valley City Council
Election preview: Spokane Proposition 1, the Worker Bill of Rights
Spokane Proposition 1, the Worker Bill of Rights, is a four-pronged proposition that would amend the city charter to require large employers to pay workers a “family wage,” ensure equal pay for equal work regardless of gender or race and add protections against termination.
Condon builds fat stacks of campaign dollars
With about two months until Election Day, the elephant in the room is the mayor’s money. Mayor David Condon has outstacked the fat stacks he put together four years ago, raising $345,000 as of the most recent filings with the state Public Disclosure Commission. That’s more than he raised four years ago, when he held a 2.5-to-1 fundraising edge over incumbent Mary Verner. It’s more than any candidate for city office in the state has pulled together this year, and it’s more than anyone running to be Spokane’s strong mayor has ever raised.
Washington Supreme Court OKs anti-tax I-1366 for ballot
OLYMPIA – Washington voters will decide this fall whether they want to try to force the Legislature into passing a constitutional amendment that would require supermajorities for tax increases. The state Supreme Court agreed Friday with a lower court that Initiative 1366, the latest ballot measure from Tim Eyman and his Spokane partners Mike and Jack Fagan, can’t be kept off the ballot because some people think it’s unconstitutional.
Super-majority for taxes will be on ballot
OLYMPIA — Voters will get a chance to decide whether they want to try forcing the Legislature into passing a constitutional amendment that would require supermajorities for tax increases, the state Supreme Court ruled today.
Supreme Court will decide if Envision Spokane’s 2013 initiative will be placed on ballot
More than two years after the Community Bill of Rights was blocked from the ballot by a Superior Court judge, the Washington state Supreme Court agreed to hear the case this week, starting a 30-day countdown for both sides to prepare their arguments.
Spokane city administrator defends transfer of spokeswoman Monique Cotton
Spokane City Administrator Theresa Sanders said Wednesday she takes responsibility for the decision to transfer a police department spokeswoman to the parks department, a move that raised questions among some park board and City Council members. Monique Cotton left her position as the Spokane Police Department’s spokeswoman in May to join the parks department, but her salary is still funded through the police budget.
Paid sick leave vote put on hold
A proposal to require employers to give their workers paid sick leave won’t be considered by city leaders until after they approve city spending for next year – after the November election. City Council President Ben Stuckart said some council members had hoped to vote later this month on a plan that would require businesses to offer their workers one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. That amounts to three days a year for full-time workers.
Judge refuses to block anti-tax I-1366 from ballot
OLYMPIA – The latest initiative designed to make it harder for the Washington Legislature to raise taxes survived a court challenge Friday when a King County Superior Court judge refused to block it from the November ballot. Judge Dean Lum said he believes the measure is clearly beyond the scope of a ballot initiative set down in the state constitution, but that’s not enough to keep it off the ballot.
Judge rejects Condon’s attempt to block vote on worker rights
A Superior Court judge on Thursday denied Spokane Mayor David Condon’s request to block Envision Spokane’s Worker Bill of Rights from appearing on the Nov. 3 ballot, saying that the state Supreme Court generally rules against preventing an election from occurring. “There is a process that the court has to give some respect to,” said Judge Salvatore Cozza.
Judge rules against mayor, allows Envision to appear on November ballot
A Superior Court judge denied Spokane Mayor David Condon’s request to block Envision Spokane’s Worker Bill of Rights from appearing on the Nov. 3 ballot this afternoon, saying that the state Supreme Court generally rules that “it is not a favored act to restrain or prevent an election to occur.”
City responds to Envision claim
The city of Spokane asserted the mayor’s right to “initiate and control litigation” in a court document Wednesday, a claim aimed at Envision Spokane, which argued earlier in the week that the mayor didn’t have the authority to block its Worker Bill of Rights from November’s ballot. In a 12-page response, the city argued that “time is of the essence” for the Spokane County Superior Court to act and strip Envision’s measure from the ballot. Superior Court Judge Salvatore Cozza will hear the case today.