Less spent on Valley election

Spokane Valley’s second City Council campaign season has cost about $60,000. That’s roughly $20,000 less than in 2002, although this election features only three contested seats compared with all seven three years ago.

Data compiled from the most recent reports filed with the Public Disclosure Commission show the Position 3 race as the most costly, with Councilman Mike DeVleming and Howard Herman raising more than $15,000 each.

Roughly $12,000 of that has come out of Herman’s own pocket, he said.

Herman’s biggest contributions have been $500 from the Spokane Valley Business Association, $500 from personal friend Shirly Whitaker and the use of campaign office space managed by the Landa-Smith company, valued at $780.

“I never ask anybody for a donation, the money that came to me just came gratuitously,” the semi-retired lawyer said. Herman said he has turned away donations from companies that do business with the city.

His supporters have publicly criticized DeVleming and Position 3 incumbent Steve Taylor for $500 donations they accepted from developer Lanzce Douglass, who has proposed a controversial housing development in the Ponderosa neighborhood.

Both have defended their campaign chests, saying they received lots of contributions, and $500 is not enough to buy a vote.

“We’ve gotten contributions from many, many people all over the community,” DeVleming said.

He has received $1,000 donations from the Spokane County Deputy Sheriff’s Association; car dealer Dennis Waltermire; and Cal Clausen, who owns Sterling Hospitality.

Taylor raised the third highest sum, about $14,000.

Criticism deriding contributions from his supporters – but not those of other candidates – is hypocritical, Taylor said. He reiterated that donations do not sway a candidate’s opinion on city policies.

“Money in politics follows the candidates that already support those particular issues,” he said.

Taylor said he has spent about $8,000 of what he has raised, and will probably save some for a future campaign.

Big donations to his campaign include $1,000 each from Avista Corp., the Deputy Sheriffs Association, Global Credit Union and former U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt, for whom Taylor used to work.

Jennie Willardson, his opponent, has raised about $4,600, much of it her own.

“I think we need campaign finance reform,” she said. She has said she turned away potential donors connected to businesses that are affected by council decisions.

Although she spent only about $4,200, she said she hadn’t planned on raising much more than that anyway.

Mayor and Position 1 candidate Diana Wilhite raised more than $11,000 – even though she is running unopposed – and has spent about $8,000 on campaign materials. Her larger donations include $1,000 from the Deputy Sheriffs Association, $1,000 from Global Credit Union, and $500 donations from Waltermire, Avista Corp. and Sterling Hospitality.

Totals are fairly lopsided in the race for Position 6, as well. Bill Gothmann raised about $8,000 – over half of it his own money. Ed Mertens had raised $3,400 as of Oct. 11, the most recent date available.

Big donations to the Mertens campaign include $500 each from the developer Raymond Hanson, the Spokane Valley Business Association and the Washington Association of Realtors.

Gothmann’s biggest donation was $1,000 from the Deputy Sheriffs Association. The rest were under $500.