Council District 3

Traditionally, many of Spokane’s ambitious young people scatter to bigger cities in their 20s, and if they ever return, it happens after they have children. Spokane’s always been a great place to raise a family, but not so great for those into bigger-city “cool.”

Things are changing. As Spokane’s economy diversifies, more young people are finding jobs they had to seek elsewhere in the past, and downtown Spokane has come to life again. Vibrant cities need creative and involved young citizens. John Waite, candidate for Spokane City Council from District 3 in Northwest Spokane, is one of those citizens.

Waite is 42, but he looks so much younger that he often wears his glasses just to give his face some age. For eight years, he’s owned Merlyn’s, a books-games-comics store in downtown Spokane. He’s vice chairman of the city’s Cable Advisory Board, and he was on the board of the Business Improvement District for several years. There, he earned respect from an older generation of community movers and shakers.

Mike Edwards, former Downtown Spokane Partnership president who now holds a similar position in Pittsburgh, remembers Waite as someone willing to collaborate, but also unafraid to challenge the status quo. “He challenged the board’s way of thinking and helped keep people accountable to the greater good. Some of his ideas might seem odd, but some are right on.”

The race’s would-be incumbent, Rob Crow, filed instead in the City Council president race. (He subsequently dropped out.) In this five-way race, Waite faces two candidates with city government experience. Lewis Griffin, 66, served as city administrator in Liberty Lake and Colfax. He admits he’s job-hunting now, and if he wins the primary and then gets a job offer, it’s likely he’ll choose full-time employment over the City Council.

Steve Corker, 65, served on the council from 2000 to 2003, but voters turned down his bid for mayor in 2003 and for the other Northwest district council seat two years later.

Waite is a graduate of North Central High School and Eastern Washington University. Like many in his district, he grew up swimming in the now-closed Shadle pools. He believes the city’s pools must be updated and remain accessible to low-income residents.

His solution to the traffic jams in Indian Trail? He said, “Get people out of their cars.” Then he outlined a plan that combines mass transit, live-work-play neighborhoods and telecommuting.

Waite would bring an alternative but legitimate perspective to the City Council. As a small-business owner, he understands budgets. “I know about cutting when you have to cut and not being too fat when things are good.”

Waite doesn’t come out of central casting as City Council candidates go, but his energy and commitment reflect Spokane’s future – a city with something for everyone, including those in search of that elusive cool.