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March 13, 2011 in News
Bob McCaslin dies
Longtime legislator also served on Valley council
Bob McCaslin, who spent 30 years in the state Senate, died today at 84.
McCaslin in a photo taken on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010, while having coffee and conversation with fellow councilman Tom Towey, and concerned Spokane Valley citizens Jake Mauch and Bill Miller.
(Full-size photo)(All photos)
Bob McCaslin, who spent 30 years in the state Senate fighting taxes and government expansion with consistent votes and ready jokes, died today at 84.
McCaslin, who was also in the middle of his first term as a Spokane Valley city councilman, had resigned his Senate seat in January because of ill health. He underwent heart surgery last year that kept him away from Olympia for much of the session and had developed circulatory problems that this year led to the amputation of a leg.
The Spokane Valley city government announced his death Sunday morning with a statement from Mayor Tom Towey.
“This is a great loss to our community. He was deeply committed to serving the people of Spokane Valley.”
McCaslin was undergoing rehabilitation and physical therapy after the amputation. In recent weeks he had described himself in an interview as much improved if somewhat tired, and couldn’t resist a joke at his own expense: “Of course, I’ve never lost a leg before.” Visited a few days earlier by Senate colleagues and Gov. Chris Gregoire, who made a special stop during a trip to Spokane to wish him well, McCaslin was somewhat surprised by the attention.
His retirement, just days before the Legislature began a difficult session to wrestle with a growing budget shortfall, sparked a race for an appointment to the empty seat and an outpouring of tributes on the Senate floor 10 days after the body convened.
“We’re going to miss Bob McCaslin’s institutional memory as we deal with this crisis,” Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, said. The Spokane Valley Republican was the last remaining member of the Senate who served in the last big economic downturn, in 1981-‘82, he said.
He was the master of a well-timed story or joke, said Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla. ” Bob was always the one who, when things were going badly in caucus, could get things calmed down. He’d tell a little story.”
Some senators joked about his reputation as the Republican caucus’s “most eligible bachelor,” who as he got older said he didn’t mind being set up on a date as long as it was with someone who could drive at night.
“We looked for interns who had really nice grandmothers with a driver’s license,” Schoesler joked.
He had a reputation for killing bills that came to the Senate from the House, and Senate bills from Democratic members.
“He always killed my bills. He said you work too hard, but we don’t need all these things,” said Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, who came close to tears during her tribute. “He hated Growth Management. And you know what, Bob, you were right about some of it.”
Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, of Spokane, said they didn’t agree on many issues but found ways to work together for things important to Spokane. She added she’ll miss their “entertaining exchanges.”
McCaslin was so skilled at debating a point that an opponent wouldn’t immediately realize he was being skewered, said Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, who serves as president of the Senate. “He is the only senator so far to tell the president he’s wrong without the president knowing it until he got back to his office.”
McCaslin was first elected to the Senate in 1980 in the Republican tidal wave created by Ronald Reagan’s presidential elected, and ousted a long-time Democratic legislative fixture, William “Big Daddy” Day. He was re-elected easily every four years, sometimes with only token Democratic opposition, in a district that has become a GOP stronghold.
Local Republicans’ efforts to find a replacement for his Senate seat touched off charges of back-room politicking, and the candidate McCaslin supported for the job, longtime friend and former state Rep. Mike Padden, being unfairly excluded from the list of nominees. GOP District Leader Jeff Baxter, a Valley business owner, was eventually appointed and McCaslin came out publicly for Padden, who announced a run for the seat this fall.
McCaslin opposed most tax increases and supported most efforts to shrink state government, but he broke sometimes with his caucus on personal issues, such as medical marijuana, which he supported after one of his wives died from cancer.
A U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, McCaslin graduated from Washington State University, worked for Kaiser Aluminum and later owned a real estate firm.
Services are pending.
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DavidBray on March 13 at 2:41 p.m.
Bob McCaslin was one of the most politically knowledgeable, and decent men I’ve ever known. I will remember him as someone who always had the good of the people front and center in his work. I’ll miss his smile and sense of humor.
This is a loss for all of us. God Bless you, Mr.McCaslin.
D Statler on March 13 at 8:09 p.m.
This is a great loss for the McCaslin family and the people of the Spokane Valley.I deeply regret not getting the chance to meet Bob in person.Sounds like a real character.Jeff Baxter has some big shoes to fill.
mmspowaus on March 14 at 6:05 a.m.
Jim Camden wrote:
“…Mike Padden, being unfairly excluded from the list of nominees”
I take issue with the ‘opinion’ by the reporter on this article. This is not news but Camden’s personal opinion. Padden had problems that might have impeded his performance as fill-in state senator.
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2007/jan/07/judges-clout-cost-citizens/
(This Could have been a bigger disaster than the Roy Murry Vegas arrest story… )
This article alone would be more than enough to keep Mike off any PCOS list for an appointment. The media would just rehash this story and take Padden’s focus off the job of senator if he would have been appointed to MCaslin seat…
The PCOS called it right in keeping Mike Padden off the list folks…
CougarGold on March 14 at 9:07 a.m.
Matt, re-read that paragraph. Camden says that the replacement process touched off charges of backroom politicking and that Padden was unfairly excluded from the process, once you clear the explanatory background. He wasn’t expressing his opinion, only stating that there were charges made by some within the party, which is a true statement.
CougarGold on March 14 at 9:07 a.m.
In re-reading what I just wrote, it came out about the same. What I mean is that there were charges that Padden was unfairly excluded, which again is true.
mmspowaus on March 14 at 11:31 a.m.
Camden is giving an OPINION in this piece. This is not the reporting of fact; it is reporting of an opinion. Where is the quote, BILL?. Jim was not at the PCO meeting; he was in OLYMPIA..
The duly elected PCOs made a LEGAL vote and Padden was not on the list. It is not Jum’s place to judge what was fair or not. It is Camden’s JOB to report the facts, not HIS opinion or unquoted speculation. Padden had a hash mark by his name the second the S-Review article came out in 2007:
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2007/jan/07/judges-clout-cost-citizens/
A replacement during a Senate session needs to be someone who will breeze through the process. The above article disqualified Mike Padden; and rightly so.
Again,
The media would just rehash this story and take Padden’s focus off the job of senator if he would have been appointed to McCaslin seat…
The PCOS called it right in keeping Mike Padden off the list folks…
The S-Review is supposed to be a Newspaper; not an Opinion paper, BILL….They are supposed to report news, not SHAPE OPINION or rewrite history…
CougarGold on March 14 at 2:03 p.m.
Matt - Again, re-read it. It’s not that Padden was unfairly left off the list that’s the point. The point is that charges were made that he was unfairly left off the list. And yes, that is a fact. Camden doesn’t say that it was unfair, only that charges were made that it was unfair. That was my only point.
mmspowaus on March 14 at 2:30 p.m.
Charges have been made that 911 was a US government plot, it does not lend itself to be reported as news. It was inappropriate for Camden to have included the statement, Bill.
There were also charges made that the County Commissioners misused the powers of their office in order to malign a sitting elected official. I didn’t read that in the S-Review…
There were also accusations the S-Review artificially hyped the Roy Murry arrest and inappropriately placed it on the lead headline of front page of the paper. A Longtime local celebrity crashed her car in the Latah Creek, had to have emergency services rescue her and was arrested; this was buried on page A6….
They are suppose to report the news not shape it BILL….
CougarGold on March 14 at 3:09 p.m.
So, you agree that you misread the statement in the story. Point made.
AnthonyWallace on March 14 at 6:22 p.m.
Folks, this is about the loss of McCaslin.
Will you at least let the man and his family mourn?
This is about a great man who died and you’re turning it political?
Have you no shame, Matt?
What was your favorite McCaslin Story? Let’s celebrate this man’s life - can’t we at least do that?
CougarGold on March 14 at 6:38 p.m.
You’re right, Anthony.
R.I.P. Senator, your great statesmanship is sorely missed.
I don’t have any stories about him as I don’t live in 4 and am not that much of a political wonk. However, I knew of his reputation as a convener and generally good guy. Lord knows we miss that kind of across the aisle work in this day and age. We could use more politicians of that nature and we are less today for it.
My condolences to the McCaslin family.
TheRain on March 14 at 9:50 p.m.
He was a good man. His politics may not have always agreed with mine, but he was a good person who was sincere in his beliefs. May he rest in peace.
mmspowaus on March 15 at 9:52 a.m.
The shaping instead of reporting of the news by the paper of record of the community Bob McCaslin served some 30 years is more of an insult to his memory than anything I could ever conceive.