Spokane7
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July 24, 2011 in City
Mayor seeks rare re-election
Verner, Condon appear to be front-runners in August primary dominated by sour economy
Can Mary Verner break the curse of the one-term mayors? For a big clue, residents can look to the upcoming primary election.
No Spokane mayor has won re-election in four decades, but Verner is intent on doing so. The mayoral primary – ballots go out this week – promises few surprises. At this point, only Verner and David Condon seem to have the support and campaign funds to win, although they face three long-shot challengers. But, assuming they take the top two spots, who finishes on top and the distance between them will give voters their first clue as to what November may hold.
Condon, the former district director for Republican U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, made light of Spokane’s mayoral curse when he kicked off his campaign.
“I know Dave Rodgers. I’ve had dinner with Dave Rodgers, and our current mayor is no Dave Rodgers,” he said, referring to the city’s last two-term mayor, who was re-elected shortly before Expo ’74.
Verner’s supporters say her communication and management skills have helped her lead by example during harsh economic times and avoid the kind of layoffs or service cuts seen in other cities by successfully negotiating contract concessions from labor unions. She refuses about $70,000 of the $170,000 salary she is entitled to under the City Charter. (Condon has said he won’t decide until after the election if he’d take a similar pay cut.)
But critics say she dodges important issues by handing them over to the City Council, has been too generous to city unions and has only managed to prevent large-scale layoffs and service cuts by increasing business license fees, supporting the council’s decision to create a vehicle tab tax and. most important, taxing previously untaxed city utility fees.
Condon, 37, says he’d be a tougher negotiator with the city’s unions and would work for a pay freeze at City Hall. He says he would reverse some taxes and fees approved in the past few years and cut the budget accordingly while asking voters for a different tax for streets. He promises to focus on job creation and work more closely with businesses, many of which complain about what they call a burdensome permitting process.
“We need to learn to live within our means. The status quo cannot continue,” Condon said at his campaign kickoff breakfast in May. “We can’t continue to manage. We need to start showing some leadership.”
Verner, 54, says Condon is naive about city government. She says union concessions show she has been a tough-but-fair negotiator and that reversing decisions that bring new revenue would cause major, unpopular service cuts. She points to changes this year to streamline the permitting process and to her decision to sell city land to a steel silo manufacturer, her support of Waste Management’s new regional recycling operation, which will open next year, and her participation in other economic development efforts, including bringing a medical school to Spokane.
“I’m implementing the vision that our community has for Spokane,” Verner said. “We’re customer-oriented. We’re much more efficient. We’re still delivering great quality services even after all these budget cuts.”
Other choices
The three other mayoral hopefuls range from long-shot to fringe candidates.
They are:
• Michael Noder, who co-owns a demolition company. He garnered about 3 percent of the vote when he ran for mayor in 2007. He isn’t raising money for his campaign, though he does participate in forums and has an active website. Noder wants to cut the size of the city workforce, currently about 2,100, by 200 to 400 workers, potentially through privatization. Of the candidates who make public appearances, he is the only one opposed to collective bargaining by union workers. He believes the city should sue the state Department of Ecology to avoid costly environmental upgrades to the city’s sewer system, requirements that are driving up utility bills.
• Barbara Lampert, a perennial candidate, who depending on the circumstances has made impressive showings in past races, such as last year when she finished ahead of the Democratic Party’s endorsed candidate for Congress. But she’s never won a general election race in 15 attempts. She wants to hire an additional 100 police officers, which she claims is possible – despite the city’s $7 million shortfall – by cutting administration and city pay. One of her top issues in this campaign is creating a plan to control squirrels, crows and other varmints within city limits.
• Robert Kroboth, who finished last in two previous runs for mayor. He refuses to participate in candidate forums or to be interviewed. He declined to submit answers to a candidate questionnaire submitted by The Spokesman-Review to all candidates last month. On his website, he labels the Spokane Police Department as a “NaziFascist police force” and lists his chief concerns to be fluoridation of water, public-private partnerships and government overspending. “Elected government representatives that pass unnecessary government debt on to their children and grandchildren are child molesters,” his website says.
The Verner record
In her four years, Verner’s chief accomplishment is steering clear of major layoffs and significant service reductions. She also successfully pursued the annexation of nearly 10 square miles of the West Plains, a contentious battle the city has fought to varying degrees for decades. She followed through on her campaign pledges to restore trash pickup from alleys and to hire someone to look after bicycle and pedestrian transportation and someone else to lead urban forestry. She has accelerated street bond projects to take advantage of low construction costs. She hired the city’s first police ombudsman after backing down from her initial stance that the job should only be part time.
With revenue faltering as the nation’s economic downtown continues, and with council approval, she’s drained the rainy-day fund, raised business license fees and taxed previously untaxed utility fees. That decision moves about $4.5 million a year that would have been used for utility upgrades into the general fund to pay for things like police, fire and park services. At a time when the city is significantly boosting sewer rates to pay for $650 million of required upgrades to its sewer system, critics argue that the city can’t afford to shift utility money to pay for other services.
Sewer dilemma and water rates
Last week, administrators briefed the City Council on a proposal to increase sewer rates by 13 percent next year. That’s on top of a 17 percent increase this year and a 15 percent hike the year before. Much of that is to help pay for upgrades, including work that would halt the dumping of raw sewage into the Spokane River when it rains.
Condon said he would propose a budget that would remove the 20 percent utility tax from fees needed to pay for major sewer upgrades.
“We told the public at the time that this is our savings account to pay for long-term capital projects and then we went ahead and taxed that,” he said. “Right now you’re paying 20 percent interest on what was supposed to be a savings account.”
Verner says state law locks the city into only a few major sources of money and utility taxes are one of them. If the former utility tax structure was implemented, it would result in significantly deeper cuts that would hurt public safety and other services, she said.
“His views on the utility taxes indicate that he doesn’t yet fully understand the city’s financial dilemma,” she said. “It indicates a lack of experience at city level government to be able to come in and hit the ground running during very difficult financial times.”
Condon said he’s supportive, in general, of the costly upgrades of the city’s sewer system. But he said the city must press the state to be more flexible with its deadlines and requirements to prevent overburdening city residents.
Verner argues that the city has pushed for more flexibility. Not moving ahead with sewer upgrades that previous leaders agreed to complete by the end of 2017 would set the city up for a costly lawsuit it likely would lose.
Condon also says he would reverse a new water rate system implemented this year that decreased the costs for users of less water and increased the costs for users of more. City officials estimate that over the course of a year, 60 percent of water customers will pay less under the new structure. Officials said the goal was to help homeowners who have fixed incomes and to encourage conservation.
But Condon calls the plan “a misguided attempt to legislate behavior.” He said he favors a rate structure in which each gallon of water costs the same.
Union contracts
Verner’s difficult financial path was made more challenging by an employee contract with the city’s largest union that was negotiated by her administration in 2008. In exchange for concessions on medical benefits, workers won 5 percent annual raises – a trend that started under former Mayor Jim West. The union, however, agreed to give up some of that pay later to avoid layoffs.
Condon said Verner “has been giving away the store” in her negotiations with unions. He said in his “anecdotal” discussions with union leaders, they’re open to having a pay freeze.
“You’ve got to make the contracts reflect the economy,” he said.
Last year, Verner asked unions to give up their cost-of-living increases or face layoffs, and most – though not the largest – eventually agreed to her demand.
“It’s easy to throw away phrases in a campaign season, but it’s much more difficult to govern,” Verner said. “It’s not a unilateral dictate from the mayor’s office, and this concerns me that any one of my four opponents would think that it’s a simple matter of just freezing pay.”
Party, streets and taxes
Verner has won the endorsement of the Democratic Party for the nonpartisan position – a boost for a candidate running in a city that leans Democratic. While Condon has support from much of the Republican establishment, Condon has worked to distance himself from the GOP. His signs clearly label him “nonpartisan.”
He said he won’t make any Republican Party platform pledge to never raise taxes.
Condon criticizes the mayor for backing the City Council’s decision to create a $20-per-vehicle tab tax before having a concrete plan for how the money will be spent. He said if elected he would urge the council to rescind the tax and come up with a comprehensive street maintenance plan that would go before voters, perhaps with a tab tax higher than $20 per vehicle.
“I’m not a person that says we are not allowed to do any new taxes,” Condon said. “You should show leadership as the mayor, put the plan out there with your other elected officials. We did it with the street bond. We did it with the parks.”
After an effort to create a regional tab tax broke down when Spokane Valley officials indicated they wouldn’t support the fee, Council President Joe Shogan led the effort to institute the tax within Spokane city borders. Under state law for tab taxes, the mayor wasn’t part of the approval process, but she publicly backed the council’s decision. A citizens committee will recommend projects for the tax later this year.
“At some point you’re elected to govern, and the City Council knew that we needed more money for streets,” Verner said. “Our citizens are clamoring for better streets.”
MAC faces angry crowd 
Shadedmuse on July 24 at 3:52 p.m.
Mayor Verner is the first Spokane Mayor that needs to be re-elected, she has done more for this city in fighting the Cowles Empire. and the Cowles Empire will you use their vast media empire and supporters and serigates to do what ever it takes to put Do nothing Mcmorris lacky in the mayors office. Dont be fooled by Mcmorris Lackey Non Partisan campain, he is very partisan and very republican who works for the mst partisan republican in the house next to the Tan man. and she really stands next to the tan man, so close she can smell the Merlot on his breath.
Dazzeetrader11 on July 24 at 3:59 p.m.
She’s done nothing but increase taxes, fees and create a huge debt. COmpletely mismanaged the budget. Used fund for rate abilization for her private General fund projects. Spent of real estate in the realm of $15 million while prediciting a $12.5 million shortfall. Who does that!?!?!? And her response is “bike and trees” Please! Priorities! Intelligent management please!
Condon will be a fresh face…Verner in City Hall for the past 8 years has been a maniputive disaster. A showcase for what NOT to do.. What I suppose Jon and Verner will balme Bush for Verner’s failures. Nothing doing. She spent when she didn’t have the money…then tries to pass it along to the citizens in fees and taxes. A St Law makes a city spend on what??? Just not true but a nice cover for her.
Spokane needs new solutions and resolution of Verner created problems. She simply cannot manage. She quietly gave a long term lease to her tribe for prime property on Bridge St. Nothing of value this woman…just lies, manipuations and increased taxes while doing back room deals that will create a job for her when she leaves City Hall.
Condon is a much better pick. If he’s elected, as Jonathan notes, those raised taxes and fees go away….as should Verner.
Shadedmuse on July 24 at 4:12 p.m.
Condon will be like having Mcmorris, Scott Walker John Kasich Rick Scott type republican at City hall busting unions and slashinging peoples wages as he privatises everything and we all pay, Re-elect Verner the smart choice.
polistra on July 24 at 4:19 p.m.
(As I’ve said before) Verner was unimpressive at the start, then learned from experience. That’s rare in any politician these days.
And she started using sand on the streets again, running counter to EPA absurdity.
Even though she agrees ideologically with EPA, she was able to suppress that impulse in order to save lives.
She’s got my vote.
soccermomsusie on July 24 at 5:10 p.m.
I hate to admit it, but sometimes you need an outsider to see things in a fresh light. Condon is that man. David Condon has worked hard with Cathy McMorris to make sure President Bush’s reign continues. Bless him.
From freeing the Iranians and deregulating the investment industry to wiretapping all potential terrorists and smashing Kydas in Afghanistanistanistan, Condon was tirelessly helping Cathy do W’s work in Washington D.C. And until he declared his candidacy, Condon was still on the case.
Sure there was the little financial setback nationally which had an effect on our city somewhat and one could make an argument that W, Cathy/Condon were somehow involved, but not that much.
Mary Verner may have had some hard work to do because of the nation’s financial situation, but wouldn’t you rather want, in this case, The Washington D.C. outsider who helped make it happen?
David Condon is our Tea Party Candidate and it matters not that the only jobs he has ever held have been those of a federal employee.
I can hear you all out there calling me a hypocrite. You are wrong. It is OK for someone to have been a lifelong employee of the federal government, as long as that person hates the government and professes that government doesn’t work. Thank you Mr. Condon for assisting Cathy in proving this point!
I think I will pour myself a CC and 7 right now to salute those two!
HEAR OUR VOICE!!!!
woamike on July 24 at 5:47 p.m.
Don’t be fooled into thinking Mary is overly altruistic by not taking 70K of her 170K salary. Although I applaud her for not taking it, don’t think she’s poor or taking a vow of poverty. Just ask her how much her hubby makes. I’m pretty sure he’s a pilot with a name-brand carrier who makes SERIOUS bank.
If I’m wrong, I’ll freely admit it, but I don’t think I am.
In any case, it should NOT be a campaign issue. Neither positive in her column for not taking it nor negative in a challenger’s column for not forgoing it.
lewis8457 on July 24 at 6:08 p.m.
She is sure to get the SPD guild vote as well as the SFD.
liberal_in_right_wing_land on July 24 at 6:09 p.m.
Don’t be fooled by Condon…….he is the man who has made McMorris-Roger about the worst representative in congress. She has done NOTHING to help people in her district and her best quality is standing next to her party leaders and smiling pretty for the camera.
As others have said, he is as republican as republican gets…..if you like what they are doing in Wisconsin, Ohio, Florida, Michigan and Maine, cutting services for the people who need it most, busting unions while the same time giving HUGE tax incentives and other tax breaks to giant corporations and rich people in their state, by all means vote for the idiot. But if you believe that the poor and elderly and middle class has sacrificed enough and its time to make the rich and corporations pay up, vote for Verner.
Also, Condon wont say if he will take a cut in pay like Verner because he WONT. Please, name me one republican who thinks he or she should take less money from anything or anyone.
woamike on July 24 at 6:29 p.m.
“Also, Condon wont say if he will take a cut in pay like Verner because he WONT.”
I knew you libs would try and make this a campaign issue. Fine, so Mary’s an altruistic “woman of the people” willing to scrape by on only 100K a year while Condon is a “greedy rich country club elite”. That’s the proposed narrative, right?
Well, if you want to make that stick you’re going to have to compare the Verner’s joint income w/ the Condon’s joint income. Then, maybe, you’ll have something to crow about.
BTW, your Savior, BHO, is already a multi-millionaire and stands to make untold millions when he leaves office along w/ his Mrs. Should he be forgoing his 400K salary now to prove what a man of the people he is and show us how much he cares?
Like I said, this should NOT be a campaign issue for anyone. It’s ridiculous.
ChefGus/ John Olsen on July 24 at 6:58 p.m.
Joint Income?? I did not know that Mayor Mary was married. Help me out here… and what does “Joint Income” have to do with anything??? sounds like a reason from the 60’s for not giving a woman a raise at a job that is equal to a man who does get a raise because “He has a family to support”… good grief.. john
liberal_in_right_wing_land on July 24 at 7:08 p.m.
Hey woamike, what does Obama have anything to do with the mayors race? Leave it to the tea bagging idiots to try and bring Obama into everything.
But hey since you want to make an issue of presidents making money, how much money did your boy the oil man Bush have when he came into office? How much is he and Darth Cheney making from oil companies by the policies they enacted while in office? Try looking those numbers up before posting your typical hypocritical nonsense.
And, yes this IS a campaign issue because we pay their salary, whether you want to make it one or not because you know Condon will take as much money as humanly possible while in office. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised that if he does get elected, that he gives himself a raise within the first year he is in office being the greedy republican he is.
jddavis on July 24 at 7:49 p.m.
I have to support Lampert because she is the only candidate brave enough to stand up and take on the squirrels. If she is “tough enough” to do that, then she may just be able to clean up the SPD…
jddavis on July 24 at 7:57 p.m.
LIberal—you are correct! Bush took a pay cut to become President (and Governor for that matter).
ZagChuck on July 24 at 8:36 p.m.
J davis,
She’s going to take on the squirrels, not the super secret squirrels and the stuff they do…..
Dazzeetrader11 on July 24 at 9:34 p.m.
She’s deferred her income above $100K. Not given it up like a lil saint. Forget the pilot (true) forget her other “relationships”.
Verner’s been a terrible mayor.
zelda on July 24 at 9:42 p.m.
Oh, soccermom, you warm the cockles of my heart.
So, S-R, are you going to cover the trolley plan like you mean it? Or is it going to sink into the morass of equivocation like the RPS deal until the newspaper completely evaporates because its credibility is nil? There really isn’t a substantive argument that can be made in its favor except to say it’s “cool” and “retro.” KXLY has already dubbed the trolley buses “European” which ought to be the kiss of death in this region. It’s hard to see how any Republican candidate (Condon maybe?) can support Socialist trolley buses.
Let the games begin. City council. Monday night. Be there.
DickAdams on July 24 at 10:00 p.m.
Shadedmuse what about the agreement the city has with the Cowleses, buying back a garage the taxpayers paid for? Verner voted for it. Talk about Verner screwing the public with a debt that will take until 2030 to pay off. Verner, has absolutely none of the management skills required to run the city corporation. Heck, Mayor Verner has a ring in her nose that her financial guru, Gavin Cooley leads her around with. Verner should have fired Cooley as soon as she was sworn into office, notwithstanding, Verner should have also fired the Fire Chief Bobby Williams. Shadedmuse, you sound to me as if you don`t know much about your leader.
Ron_the_Cop on July 24 at 10:16 p.m.
I’m beginning to like Mike Noder more and more:-). I would consider Condon but with Jim Cowles’ and Jim McDevitt’s support this is a real red flag for me. I have to agree with Mr. Adams about Ms. Verner and I voted for Ms. Verner the first time around.
DDC on July 26 at 12:33 a.m.
The top 2 contenders in the Mayoral race are directly proportional to the 2 top spenders in local media.
Mike Noder, on the other hand, has already affected the biggest fiscal decision in 20 years in the favor of solid waste rate payers region wide. If he can do this as a citizen, imagine what he could do if elected.
Mike will not invest other people’s money into ad campaigns presented by a media empire that would wipe out that investment with a few well placed “op eds”. That is why he will not accept contributions…..he simply will not be bought.
It’s ironic that when the electorate has the opportunity to support a candidate with real integrity, that has shown a history of defending the public interest, they still follow the proverbial carrots the media dangles, never to be satisfied.
I challenge all of you to think beyond what is fed to you.
drywitt99 on July 26 at 5:55 a.m.
Susie….as always…..YOU ROCK!!
steadystu on August 06 at 12:02 p.m.
A very lively debate on this thread. The August primary results should be instructive.