Numbers, Colliton Take Right Approach
Unless you’re a cave-dweller, you know Spokane faces tremendous pressures as a result of growth.
Issues such as crime, jobs, transportation, sewer and water systems seriously test the city’s preparedness to convert growth into prosperity rather than paralysis.
City Councilwoman Bev Numbers and Jeff Colliton, candidates for Council Position 3 on Tuesday’s primary election ballot, have shown they appreciate the challenges involved. Both appear fit to help craft an appropriate role for city government.
The third candidate in this race is Ken Withey, part of a small group who use their energy to derail others’ plans and projects.
Withey is right when he says the City Council should do better at gathering citizen input. Unfortunately he seems to see citizen input mostly as a tool for obstruction. Spokane deserves better.
Numbers and Colliton both recognize how crucial a healthy downtown is to the entire community. They are willing, within the strict limitations of Washington’s constitution, to let city government create a climate in which private enterprise can provide good jobs and economic vitality.
Numbers acknowledges some mistakes were made in how she and the council handled a controversial attempt to rewrite the city zoning code. But her pledge to assure adequate neighborhood input into the growth management process is welcome.
And while her personality has sometimes been acerbic in public meetings, even Withey says she has moderated it.
Colliton, like Numbers, has been involved in community affairs. And he, too, values the vitality of the city core.
He echoes a popular sentiment when he demands safer streets, throughout the city. He goes a bit far when he advocates police harassment of undesirables downtown, but on-the-job experience and access to the city’s legal staff would refine some of those simplistic notions.
The important quality that Numbers and Colliton share is vision. They recognize a council member’s duty to help steer the city toward a brighter future.
If those two survive the primary, voters will have a chance to better examine their relative advantages before Nov. 7.
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