November 17, 2010 in City

Commissioner Mager concedes defeat

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Bonnie Mager
(Full-size photo)

Spokane County Commissioner Bonnie Mager conceded defeat Wednesday in her bid for a second term. The election is to be certified Friday, and the latest results show challenger Al French with 50.8 percent of the vote to Mager’s 49.2 percent.

“I am proud of the job that I’ve done and the clean campaign that I ran,” Mager said.She said she is “especially proud” of saving the county nearly $3 million by negotiating agreements for Spokane to share revenue from a West Plains annexation area and for Airway Heights to provide sewer and water service to the Spokane County Raceway in exchange for land.

Mager viewed the racetrack deal as a way to make the best of a bad situation. She opposed purchase of the bankrupt raceway, which has cost the county millions of dollars while officials are struggling to maintain basic services.

The issue figured in her race against French, who said he had “incomplete information” in September 2009 when he said the purchase was “a good overall move.”

Mager also took a cautious approach to plans to replace the Geiger Corrections Center and upgrade the Spokane County Jail. She argued unsuccessfully that, in view of a sharp drop in inmate counts this summer, county officials should slow down and re-evaluate the need.

A Democrat, Mager defeated Republican incumbent Phil Harris four years ago. French is a Republican and a former Spokane city councilman.

13 comments on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  Shylock13 on November 17 at 8:27 p.m.

  That will cost the tax payers a lot of money!!

• 

  dukkandpooh on November 17 at 8:33 p.m.

  She did a great job representing the best interests of the people in the county…sad to see her go.

• 

  richardthelionhearted on November 17 at 8:45 p.m.

  Now maybe Bonnie, you can pay my son for the painting he did at your house near Cheney over 3 years ago. Don’t you think it is time to pay him?

• 

  Dazzeetrader11 on November 17 at 9:10 p.m.

  lololllllllll……..RIchard…she didn’t pay her taxes either when she claimed ag- commercial. She will soon however.

  She did the right thing about the racetrack. Bonnie also tried to put in some social services to save the jail costs. Didn’t get her message out.
  Fundamentally a decent person. Just not cut out for the complexity of the Co Commissioner job.
  French will cut the budget…and deal with the racetrack. Jail simply won’t pass…it shouldn’t. She was right on the social services and recidivism…French will take that up.
  He has to. Ozzies building his own version of a kingdom on the taxpayers back. He lives on the West plains so it’s quick to work. He’s another one whose number is soon to be up.

  Good luck to Bonnie Mager. French has a big job in front of him.

• 

  reservedparking on November 17 at 9:17 p.m.

  Sad day for Spokane County, Stand by to be run over by developers.

• 

  reservedparking on November 17 at 9:18 p.m.

  Sad day for Spokane County, Stand by to be run over by developers. She was outnumbered to begin with, and usually a voice in the wilderness, but at least she was that voice.

• 

  liarsinnews on November 17 at 10:29 p.m.

  Electing French is what the voters deserve who put him in office. Its a sad commentary given French`s track record. It proves what I`ve always said about the political illiterates who voted for French, it was name reconnection. I have never seen so many yard signs as were used by French when he was running for commissioner. The signs prove my point. Surely not his track record when he was a city councilman. French is not a conservative, he is a politician that gives the farm away to the developers and is not above raising taxes like all the liberals do. Thanks French, for voting for the highest city utility tax in the country. If anybody doubts what I`m saying, name me one city in the USA that has a 25% effective city utility tax besides the city of Spokane. Just one!!

• 

  zelda on November 17 at 10:30 p.m.

  The West Plains is Spokane’s own version of Atlantic City. I shudder to think what their plans are when the DoD gets around to closing Fairchild. Maybe they’ll try to do what Moses Lake did with Larson — make it a haven for companies involved with corrosive gases and fun stuff on the left side of the periodic table. With three real estate developers as commissioners, the only thing saving us from total plunder is that the West Plains doesn’t have any oil shale deposits.

• 

  DavidBray on November 17 at 11:33 p.m.

  Sorry Dick, but you let your own biases get in the way on your evaluation of Mager and French. Mager just didn’t do much and didn’t understand government that well. If she did otherwise she would have won.
  You only get to put up yard signs if the owners of the property support you; you know that. Al had that much support. The “point” you’re trying to prove doesn’t exist.
  You also know that a woman running for office will automatically garner a percentage of votes simply because of her gender, so Al had to overcome that.
  Yes, we do have an extremely high utility tax….and this city still can’t meet it’s budget needs most years. I hate the high taxes,too, but you need to remember that this state doesn’t have an income tax to fall back on and it’s not likely to have one anytime soon. However, I’m more upset that it costs me more to flush my city water down the drain than it cost to buy it!
  Al French hasn’t always been my favorite elected official, but over the years Al has learned a lot about the job and people in general. I think his knowledge of government is superior to anyone in office in Spokane County, and I mean anyone. I support this man and I believe he’ll do a excellent job as a County Commissioner. You might consider using a little more sugar and a little less vinegar if you want to promote your own agenda.

• 

  DavidBray on November 17 at 11:38 p.m.

  The writer of this story, John Craig, could make Disneyland look like a dump. He’s another one who’s bias gets in the way.

• 

  Panorama on November 17 at 11:45 p.m.

  I don’t understand why people wait so long to concede. Mager would have had to get such a huge percentage of the final counts of ballots to go her way in order to win. Oh, well. It is her decision.
  I was surprised that Marr conceded so early though.
  The only race that I have not seen a concesion story on is the Ahern/Driscoll race. Has Driscoll conceded yet?

• 

  spokanecougar on November 18 at 12:01 a.m.

  Spokane apparently wants to go back to the late 1970’s and 1980’s…..does anyone remember how good of a time that was for Spokane and the county with every republicans in charge of everything?

  This just proves the point that people just vote for the R or the D next to the persons name because most people are to lazy to learn or read anything about anyone nowadays.

• 

  misjustice on November 18 at 6:44 a.m.

  Let the shady land deals and double dog dealin’ begin!