It’s Party-Line Lawyer Versus Mountaineer

George Marlton and John Roskelley could hardly differ more as Democrats.

Their campaign for the District 1 seat on the Spokane County Commission pits a party-line lawyer making his third run for the job against an author and mountaineer who hates the label of politician.

Marlton, the lawyer vs. Roskelley, the outdoorsman.

Marlton has the endorsement of organized labor and the Democratic Party, which he has served diligently for a dozen years. A typical Marlton fundraiser is hosted by a labor union.

Roskelley has the nod of conservationists and citizens worried about runaway development. His next fund-raiser features doctor, author and mountain climber Tom Hornbein, a Seattle climber who was part of the first American expedition to conquer Mount Everest.

“There are only three lawyers in the state that are county commissioners,” Marlton said. “The issues are so complex. We deal with legal issues daily, all the time.”

He also accents his business degree and work in the mental health and social service arenas.

Marlton sees a pressing need to improve public safety, although he offers no specifics.

“I know Spokane County’s criminal justice system, its strength and its weaknesses, from my many years as a public defender, attorney and judge pro tem. There are problems, but we can fix them without bankrupting the county,” he said.

Marlton said he remains committed to balancing “impressive growth” with maintaining the area’s desirable quality of life.

“We can do that if we listen to our citizens and act wisely,” he said.

Roskelley, a political novice, volunteers as a member of the county Planning Commission, which hears land-use disputes.

He’s also a member of the county parks and recreation advisory committee.

For several months, Roskelley has been cramming like a law student at final exams. Recently, while climbing in Ecuador late last winter, he pitched camp at the 16,000-foot level during a rainstorm and started pounding through the voluminous Spokane County Code - dry reading at best.

His hot-button issues are reducing juvenile crime costs by finding alternatives to jail and ensuring the county complies with the state Growth Management Act.

“Juvenile crime is a process,” Roskelley said. “We need to hit those kids (with education) in middle school and educate the parents and teachers.

“If they are violent offenders, we should stick them away.” But others, “let’s get them out of the jails. Sticking them in the jail is bad for their self-esteem. They continue to consider crime as an alternative source of income or fun.”

He suggests funneling more money into the DARE program and relying more on electronic monitoring to control youthful offenders.

, DataTimes