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October 18, 2011 in City
Rush, Allen lock horns
Incumbent, rival meet in debate
As a member of the Spokane City Council, Richard Rush hasn’t been afraid of controversy.
He led the charge to create the city’s new controversial water rates, and while others are backpedaling, Rush has stood firm. He says reverting to a flatter rate structure proposed by critics likely would mean most water customers will be forced to pay more.
Like nearly anyone who runs for city office, Rush is steadfastly opposed to the creation of a local business and occupation tax, but he recently floated an idea nearly unheard of among politicians in this state: creation of a city income tax to allow the city to fully repeal utility taxes on garbage, sewer and water.
That proposal is probably a long shot since it would first need state Legislature approval, but it’s an example of Rush’s willingness to challenge the status quo.
His opponent, Mike Allen, has seized on what he sees as a troubling pattern.
Allen criticizes Rush’s support for the $20 vehicle tab tax this year for street maintenance, his advocacy for a parking lot tax earlier in his tenure to fund downtown improvements as well as his recent discussion of an income tax. He calls Rush’s idea about an income tax “ludicrous.”
“He has focused on increasing our taxes every year he’s been in office,” Allen said. At a debate that will air tonight on KSPS, Rush called Allen’s criticism a “Santa Claus platform” that ignores the city’s deteriorated budget resulting from the economic downturn at the same time the public demands quality police, fire, park and library services.
“To say that we don’t need revenue, to say that we don’t need the resources to deliver the public resources our community expects, is disingenuous and it sets us up for failure,” Rush said.
He adds that much of his focus around rates and taxes isn’t about driving more revenue, but shifting where it comes from. In the last decade, the share of the city budget funded by utility taxes has overtaken what is funded by property and sales taxes. Rush said that since city utility taxes are the same rate on all payers, they are a bigger burden on the poor and those on fixed incomes.
“Those people don’t have anything to spend,” Rush said. “Those with disposable income do, and we need to reorient the taxing structure so that we have the ability to get us sufficient revenues to have the city meet its expenses.”
But Allen says there’s much more to the city’s budget woes than the slowdown in the economy. He points to union contracts, some of which he voted against and Rush voted for when they were both on the council. He promises to push the city to publish “performance measurements” so the public can better decide how well the city is doing its job and if more revenue is needed.
“We need people in office who are going to hold the city responsible for the dollars they are getting currently,” Allen said.
Allen argues that savings some city utility customers get this year through the new water rates will quickly erode as higher users cut back and force the city to raise rates. He points to the council’s vote in September to increase consumption fees by 16 percent.
“That’s not saving people money,” he said.
Rush has the endorsement of the Spokane County Democratic Party. Allen is a precinct committee officer of the Spokane County Republican Party. But Allen has a reputation as a moderate, and he’s sometimes been at odds with conservatives in the party. Allen has supported domestic partner benefits for city workers, for instance.
Rush has a reputation among city administrators as a council member who’s among the most hardworking and among the most willing to challenge the administration – sometimes on the fine details.
Early in his term, he amended a standard update in the city’s prostitution ordinance to add protections for anyone forced into prostitution by human traffickers. Also early on, Rush successfully amended the city’s contract with its animal control provider, SpokAnimal C.A.R.E., to prevent the agency from reverting to its former practice of selling euthanized animals to a rendering plant.
He’s also willing to oppose his political allies. He endorsed Spokane Mayor Mary Verner for re-election, but they’ve often butted heads.
Verner and Rush were on different sides in the decisions to add a bike lane to Second Avenue downtown, repeal the ombudsman law, tear down the former YMCA in Riverfront Park and increase water rates for 2012 in a way that placed more of the burden on higher water users.
When federal prosecutors announced in 2009 that a Spokane police officer would face criminal charges in connection to the death of Otto Zehm, Rush was the only elected leader who chose to attend. He said afterward that he wanted to hear the charges without the “filter” of the city attorney’s office. Rush’s willingness to question city attorneys also is evident in his refusal to accept a pay raise. He is the only council member who declined a pay raise from $18,000 to $30,000, which was approved by the city’s Salary Review Commission starting for 2009. Rush said he disagreed that incumbents could accept the raise, pointing to the City Charter which said pay raises for council members “shall not be applicable to the term then being served by the incumbent.”
Closing Geiger: Wise or worrisome? 
Dazzeetrader11 on October 18 at 12:24 a.m.
If you want confusion Vote for Rush. He has to be the modern day Irwin Corey.
If you want reversal of these tax hikes on water, Vote for Mike Allen.
If you want direct honesty, vote Mike Allen.
If you want more taxes like Rush’s “city “income tax” well you know ho to vote for. Rush is soo far left, he’s unsupportable.
Car tab increase? Rush is your guy.
Car tab tax reversal? Mike Allen.
Parking lots taxes? He’ll try it again. Yep Vote for Rush.
Don’t like em, Mike Allen won’t evervote for that.
No job experience? Craziness on Council? Again it’s Rush.
Lots of community and university experience with a solid record on council?, Vote for Mike Allen.
This shouldn’t be close.
Vote Mike Allen.
Dazzeetrader11 on October 18 at 1:33 a.m.
lol…yes that giant $30 K salary. I doubt it as he would have to give up the two jobs he supports his family with. Rush? Well it doesn’t matter since his wife provides.
tobiasg on October 18 at 2:57 a.m.
Daisy has no right to give any input, she admittedly does not live in Spokane, she is just a mouthpiece for the Regressive party.
JBlim on October 18 at 5:49 a.m.
Rush is a honest and hard working guy. That’s hard to find in politics. He won’t sell us out and the Dazees of the world won’t be able to pay him off.
mdriftmeyer on October 18 at 5:55 a.m.
Rush represents a strongly blue district. Allen is going against gravity.
There is a reason the carpetbagger is running for US Senate—he wants to get the hell out of concerning himself with this area.
Cities grow or they die.
To downsize the basic services of a city is a mathematical fallacy.
Businesses want lower taxes and do so by downsizing until they get their way.
Reality check: 90% of your business comes from the working middle and lower classes who see 90% of their income spent before their paycheck arrives.
“If we don’t get lower taxes we might have to move…”
Boohoo. If you could get lower taxes that made it cost effective to relocate you would have done it already. Enough with the fear tactic ads.
Dumping taxes on the backs of the consumer is the reason we entered the Great Depression.
It becomes extremely disheartening to read comments from mathematically inept and ethically bankrupt hacks who either barely got a Business Admin degree or some other non-scientific intensive degree informing everyone that because they run some two bit five and dime store they understand economic theory from their book keeping and or hired accountant who balances their books for them, and tells them how to bypass all sorts of regulations because of Tax Code loopholes.
Any business that cannot reinvest their taxes back into a business is devoid of being taken serious, in any conversation. You have to be either a bald faced liar or too ignorant to even waste the time and money it takes to open a business.
Unfortunately, we have even more dimly lit voters who take these commentators as credible witnesses to how economics, applied mathematics, wealth creation and job growth is all balanced.
In Mechanical Engineering @ WSU we had a saying: “If you can’t do M.E./E.E/ChemE, then do Physics. If you can’t do Physics, then do C.E. If you can’t do C.E. do Mathematics. If you can’t do Math what are you doing in Engineering? Go take up Mass Comm or Business.”
You can generalize it over all applied sciences because experience bares fruit to those generalities and it is as predictable as surely the Earth rotates around the Sun.
This country has become a division of the Selfless and not the Selfish, but the Narcissistic Sadists who take and refuse to give.
I look forward to the growth of the 99ers crapping all over the 2010 election with the upcoming 2012.
Perhaps it will silence this absurd TeaParty/Neocon-libertarianism that has surfaced solely as a byproduct of corporations driving a nation into the ground, all in order to keep their asinine wealth hording.
Corporations scream about foreign competitors when they were the ones who lobbied to make exporting jobs in third world nations simultaneously giving them nearly 0% import tariff fees on their “USA goods and services,” leaving tens of thousands of manufacturing plants to shut their doors, domestically. It has been a systematic castration of the Middle Class and Corporations continue crying wolf of too much regulation and taxes.
They don’t want to return jobs unless they are forced to do so.
We are in 170+ nations, in part, to protect Corporations from those nations dictating terms as they see fit. We call them strategic alliances.
Pull out of 20 of those countries and you’ll see US corporations cutting ties faster than you can shuffle a deck of cards. First it was China/Taiwan/South Korea, then India, then Romania and other East European block nations, now onto South America with Brasil and Argentina big havens for off-shoring jobs.
Mexico is too volatile, along with most of Central America.
Without a leash on these conglomerations they’ll leave a trail of devastation behind them wherever they go.
Capitalism without a level field of regulations being heavily enforced is nothing more than Oligarchies running the Farm and the American People are it’s animals stuck in the mud.
Pigrobin on October 18 at 6:22 a.m.
Mdrift: stick to engineering, economics doesn’t seem to be your strong suit.
JBlim on October 18 at 7:03 a.m.
Pigrobin says “you are a prolific poster on this board and make a habit of flinging insults at people you don’t agree with. Go review your posts and get your act together”
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/oct/15/peacefully-occupied/#c357941
SpokyDaBear on October 18 at 7:06 a.m.
Rush smokes medical marijuana…
metaline on October 18 at 7:13 a.m.
Upper income people do pay more. I’m willing to bet the higher income people also live in larger homes and probably nice things that run depend on the utilities. I have never understood the argument that because they have more, they should pay a higher percentage of their income.
We should be taking steps to attract business. Make it easier and more attractive to put a business in Spokane. I haven’t researched it, but I bet that has something to do with Cabelas locating on the Idaho side of the line in Post Falls. It’s not because Post Falls has a concentration of outdoor enthusiasts.
Truthhurts on October 18 at 7:31 a.m.
Rush going to listen to the federal prosecutors himself, instead of letting the city attorneys “filter” reality for him shows great common sense.
We need someone who will not be involved in more cover-ups, and Rush has been the most brave in avoiding the entire cover-up and groupthink that afflicts Council and Verner.
sustainable on October 18 at 8:07 a.m.
Mdrift,
Great post, well thought out and explained from a reasonable perspective. I doubt most people on this board will end up agreeing with all of your points, but I hope they read it to see an alternative to the far right explanation that sees corporations and CEOs as our saviors who could perhaps go tax free because they are doing us all such a favor in providing minimum wage jobs to the masses while shifting manufacturing overseas while bringing in incredibly high profits on the backs of the people that they just laid off.
DDC on October 18 at 8:56 a.m.
If it weren’t for the evil corporations that ship jobs overseas, the public, private sector unions and their blue collar counterparts wouldn’t have anything to invest their 401k portfolios into.
Ironic, isn’t it?
Verbal on October 18 at 9:01 a.m.
When the economy is in the state its in, why would our current leaders decide that now is the right time to start raising our rates/taxes in order to cover budget shortfalls that they created?
The very last thing I want our city leaders to have in their arsenal is a city income tax. I cannot imagine much good coming of that. For Rush to propose such an idea does not show forethought, but, it seems, a desire to fully embody the “tax and spend liberal” straw man that the far right loves to drag out.
If these are the ideas that Rush has to solve our city’s ills, he needs to go. NOW!
The_Seer on October 18 at 9:11 a.m.
mdrift: Nice work. E.E. from Georgia Tech here!
Spokane has been in constant recession/depression since I’ve lived here mainly because the concentration of wealth now experienced globally has been the norm here since the first robber baron put his suitcase down. The difference is the first robber barons built Comstock Park, Finch Arboretum and the wonderful public golf courses like Indian Canyon at our disposal. The current robber barons simply pollute without a hoot and use low income community block grants for their own development causes while committing fraud.
I like MIke. I’ve known him for years. I’d would even say we were at one time colleagues and I’ve heard him speak about current taxation levels and what they’ve done to our culture. While we both were employed by Eastern we sat on a committee where members would sometimes socialize over beverages later. I began a harangue about the Tim Eyeman initiatives and how they were crippling Higher Ed funding (not to mention everything else) and wondered why people could be convinced to vote for measures that were clearly against the best interests of 90% of the people. Although Dazee and others won’t admit it purely because of allegiance to blind ideology, Allen is a RINO, BIG TIME! (Search the archives of this site and you’ll find numerous Dazee posts where she insults and degrades Mike Allen because he’s not conservative enough) He’s smart enough to understand that having an association with the “Rs” around this region is gonna help one stick around in politics longer. It’s a smart move but I’ve been supporting Rush in this campaign and will vote that way as well.
A city income tax to replace the regressive revenue collection system of Spokane is an excellent proposal that should get serious consideration. The revenue collection system in Spokane was set up by the very people it would benefit. One of them still owns this paper.
I still think Dazee is actually Betsy Cowles. Someone told me she’s a first and last worder too…
The_Seer on October 18 at 9:16 a.m.
verbal: The “city leaders” were the ones who caused the recession because before Boy George and his minions crashed the economy? Spokane’s budget (and Washington’s and every nearly every other state’s budget) was doing fine.
I don’t recall Rush calling for an increase in revenues for new spending. Could you please cite your source because its not in his proposal for a city income tax or any of his campaign material? The tax would replace existing sources of revenue like property taxes and utility taxes. I believe that information is even contained in the article you just supposedly read.
fairchildairman on October 18 at 9:24 a.m.
It seems Mike Allen would be calling for his own “street utility fee” if he were somehow elected:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL8MHCQx5Rs
Bruce (aka thatoneguy) on October 18 at 9:46 a.m.
Seer @ 9:11AM – nah, Betsy knows how to spell. Plus she has a job.
Verbal on October 18 at 9:47 a.m.
Seer -
I don’t recall saying that Rush was calling for higher taxes for new spending, but to cover the current budget shortfalls. I believe that statement is in my comment that you just supposedly read.
Have you forgotten the $11 million shortfall the last two years? Much of that shortfall can be traced back to the deal Verner made with the unions after her election and approved by Rush. Granted, she had to go back to the unions and ask them to forgo those raises but if she and the council had the forethought, they would not have made the deals in the first place.
Bike lanes and higher taxes - is there anything else Rush has pushed for?
WillyPeter on October 18 at 10:45 a.m.
All this demagoguery and name calling is amusing, but here’s why I won’t vote for Rush or Verner;
1) I’m a middle income, middle class, senior and my water bill is now $296 a month.
2) My Spokane car tabs now cost an additional $60.
3) It’s clear that both of these office holders will advocate more taxes, fees, and costs if re-elected….and that’s enough for me.
P.S. I could enumerate more……….
greenlibertarian on October 18 at 11:22 a.m.
The weed-out class when I went to Engineering school (Cal Poly) was Thermodynamics, and everybody knew it. Even the “lesser” Engineering Tech guys and gals had to get through those two tough quarters of thermo… or be gone.
Richard Rush is a bit of an odd duck for a Spokane local pol, but I believe he is genuine and serious in his endeavors.
Allen is more of a good-ol’ boy type tending to bend whichever way the wind blows and who’ll butter his bread at the moment.
liberal_in_right_wing_land on October 18 at 11:25 a.m.
WillyPeter your water bill is almost $300 a month? Sounds like you are wasting way to much water and these new rates sound perfect for people like you. I live in a middle class neighborhood with a nice 2 story 4 bedroom three bath house with a big yard for my dog to run around in. My water bill was $12.07 and my whole utility bill from the City of Spokane was $99.22 including garbage and sewer and all the other goodies. If your water bill alone was almost $300, you need to maybe cut back on some shower, maybe not water your lawn for 2 hours on each section because your water bill is outrageous and you should be mad at yourself for wasting so much water.
Either that or you are lying and you really aren’t middle class and you actually live in a giant house with a huge lawn……how else can one middle class household have a water bill $285 more than another typical middle class household?
greenlibertarian on October 18 at 11:26 a.m.
WillyPeter must have a couple of acres of non-native grass on poor soil that he waters only during the hottest part of the day, and throws a ton of chemicals on to make it look “perfect”.
DickAdams on October 18 at 11:28 a.m.
Watching the ship of fools every Monday night, is the city council meetings run by council President Joe Shogan, in which some of their decisions lack common sense, its no wonder the Lilac City is wallowing in red ink. Isn`t about time Verner et al, quite pandering to the unions representing city employees and start using their head for a change? Our city has over 30 departments, some of which have nothing to do with basic services and easily, should be abolished. I quit watching the council meetings, commonly referred to as the comedy hour, as I felt I wanted to regurgitate. Anybody with an ounce of brains would see through these puppet councilpersons following the agenda, and vote the way recommended by the city officials. You know, like covering up stuff like the Otto Zehm murder.
DickAdams on October 18 at 11:33 a.m.
Richard Rush is nuts. Any elected official wanting to enact a city income tax needs help, mentally. I know now why there are more horses asses than horses.
WillyPeter on October 18 at 12:48 p.m.
lib and greeny - read my first paragraph again…….
greenlibertarian on October 18 at 1:19 p.m.
WillyPeter on October 18 at 12:48 p.m.
lib and greeny - read my first paragraph again…….
Done. Do you have a point?
How is it possible your household and property uses THAT MUCH WATER, if in fact it does?
Dazzeetrader11 on October 18 at 1:21 p.m.
Isn’t Rush facing some STA issues?
Isn’t Rush the liberal who indeed raised water taxes and other fees?
Didn’t he vote to let Verner spend on buildings when the city didn’t need any?
Isn’t Rush for an additional city income tax? (unheard of)
isn’t Rush the one who foisted a tab tax of the citizens?
Isn’t Rush the one who just loved the parking stall tax so people wouldn’t go downtown or to anywhere with a parking lot? A nice hidden agenda aimed at bike use…and getting more nonsensical bike lanes but punishing the daily auto commuter?
Isn’t Rush…and so on and so on….
Vote Mike Allen. Vote common sense.
liberal_in_right_wing_land on October 18 at 1:46 p.m.
WillyPeter, for my reply see my comment again, and then greenlibs reply just above.
The_Seer on October 18 at 1:58 p.m.
http://taxes.about.com/od/statetaxes/a/City-Income-Taxes.htm
City income taxes have been used for decades to more evenly spread tax burdens. Ohio has over 200 municipalities that employ income taxes and New York City has had one for decades as well. The average household would experience lower utility rates and property taxes.
Verbal on October 18 at 2:33 p.m.
Seer - You’re overlooking the fact that most people aren’t going to want a city income tax (IMO).
However, if you do want one, I heard there is over 200 cities in Ohio you could move to. Or NYC.
CougarGold on October 18 at 3:47 p.m.
In considering a city income tax, reflect back on voter sentiment to a state income tax. And that includes King County voters who sway the results more toward the left side of the debate. A city income tax in Spokane would be DOA. There are better things to debate here than an issue that would be crushed by the voters.
CougarGold on October 18 at 3:54 p.m.
Initiative 1098 (State Income Tax) failed with Spokane County voting 69.6% against it. Rush’s opening the door of discussion was a silly thing to do without first reviewing the history behind similar concepts.
Dazzeetrader11 on October 18 at 4:14 p.m.
Seer says..” Although Dazee and others won’t admit it purely because of allegiance to blind ideology, Allen is a RINO, BIG TIME! (Search the archives of this site and you’ll find numerous Dazee posts where she insults and degrades Mike Allen because he’s not conservative enough)”
Let’s see these so-called posts. You’re called out. Produce some quotes since you allegedly looked some up. OR be known as a liar forever!
Or let me save you some time. You lie and you know there are no quotes. Save us some time would you please? I’ll be waiting.
I support Mike Allen over Rush anyday and twice on Sunday.
Vote Mike Allen. Rush has other items to face…STA charges for one. tick tock tick tock for him….
Dazzeetrader11 on October 18 at 4:17 p.m.
“City income taxes have been used for decades to more evenly spread tax burdens. Ohio has over 200 municipalities that employ income taxes and New York City has had one for decades as well. The average household would experience lower utility rates and property taxes.”
Not here Seer. Never will happen. BUT since you’re a cheerleader for it, please go and write from any one of those 200 cities (chortle). I do think you’ve lost your ever luvin mind.
Still waiting for some quotes.
Dazzeetrader11 on October 18 at 5:42 p.m.
Waiting………..
Lulubelle on October 18 at 10:07 p.m.
Any kind of a tax is DOA in this burg. Spokanites would rather live in a dusty little ….hole than pay two more cents for any city service……but they sure like to bitch about all the things they aren’t getting….go figure.
Richard Rush has honored every campaign promise despite being the lone vote much of the time during his first two years in office. He is a man of integrity, he’s honest, he’s smart, he works hard and has a vision for this city that will someday drag it into the 21st century. His big problem is he tells people truths they don’t necessarily want to hear.
He’s got my vote and I expect the votes of all the people that elected him four years ago.
Taxes??….bottom line is you get what you pay for.
CougarGold on October 18 at 11:21 p.m.
“Taxes??….bottom line is you get what you pay for.”
No, for too many in our society, the bottom line is metaphorically, you want to get all what you can make that other people pay for. That’s the theory behind any existing income tax, particularly as most want a ‘progressive’ tax that charges the most, not only in dollars but in actual rates, against those who receive the least in return. There needs to be better solutions brought to the table. The idea of a city income tax is failed in concept from the gate.