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October 20, 2011 in City
District 1 race draws outspoken council critics
After a packed, six-way primary, voters in northeast Spokane have two unconventional choices to fill the Spokane City Council seat that will be vacated at the end of the year by Bob Apple.
Both candidates have clashed with City Hall and were probably the biggest critics of existing city leadership among those who ran in the primary. Both have a bankruptcy in their pasts. Both have longtime ties to Northeast Spokane and have led neighborhood councils. Both have the backing of one council member who serves the district.
They are Mike Fagan, co-director of a group that works to lower taxes, and Donna McKereghan, former member of the state’s legislative ethics board. Making it to the general election as a candidate to represent the district isn’t new to either of them. McKereghan lost to Apple in 2007. Fagan lost to Councilwoman Amber Waldref in 2009.
Fagan is an experienced campaigner who has raised more than twice as much money as McKereghan. In 2000, he showed up at campaign events for U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt in a weasel costume to protest the congressman’s decision to break his term-limits pledge. Only last year, Fagan stood on a United Nations flag leading a group of protesters outside Spokane City Hall with a chant of “Hey, hey, ho, ho, United Nations gotta go!” Fagan was protesting Spokane Mayor Mary Verner’s sustainability plan.
But these days Fagan is distancing himself from some of his conservative positions and working hard to promote his image as an affable, hard-working Hillyard community leader.
Railing against the U.N. and the influence of other nongovernmental groups, as well as “the global warming lie,” as Fagan puts it, will take a back seat if he’s elected, he said.
“That is not on the radar. That is not on the priority list,” Fagan said. “The first priority for any elected official in today’s times should be trying to enhance the environment that businesses currently operate in so they can flourish.”
Fagan promises to work toward balancing the city’s budget without raising taxes and helping to foster job creation. He promises to use his “bulldog determination” to accomplish goals.
McKereghan, a Logan Neighborhood leader, also has clashed with City Hall from time to time, most recently over the summer when she accused the City Council of violating notice requirements for a public meeting. Her biggest confrontation with city officials came in the form of a federal lawsuit accusing the city of discriminating against her when she applied for a job. The lawsuit was unsuccessful.
She promises to be a voice for open government and to balance the budget without new taxes or fees, as well as eliminate inefficiencies in government – without the help of hired consultants.
“What is needed to be good at this job is a fire in your belly for a particular issue, and mine is the people of Spokane,” McKereghan said. “I don’t think they’ve had representation on City Council, genuinely, and it’s time for that to happen.”
While both have long ties to the community and a history of activism, there’s a wide gulf between them on many issues.
Fagan, who is a Republican precinct committee officer, helped found the Spokane Patriots, a group that split from the Tea Party of Spokane. He’s also co-host of a local conservative talk show that praised a Florida pastor who threatened to burn a Quran on the 9/11 anniversary last year and oversaw the burning of the Islamic holy book in March after it was found “guilty” during a “trial” at his church.
McKereghan has distanced herself from party labels, but she was appointed to the state Legislative Ethics Board by Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire. She also has received some backing from the Spokane Regional Labor Council.
Fagan opposes the $20 tab tax approved by the council this year to pay for street maintenance. He opposes the Waste-to-Energy Plant, the city’s sustainability plan and red light cameras.
He supports asking voters for a new, 10-year street bond, saying that though he prefers it pay only for curb-to-curb amenities, like the 2004 street bond, he’d be open to it covering sidewalks or other upgrades if that’s what the community wants.
McKereghan supports the $20 tab tax, continued use of the Waste-to-Energy Plant, the sustainability plan and red light cameras. She said the city should hold off on asking for a new street bond until the economy improves.
Apple said he’s backing Fagan because he’s experienced and can get along well with people he disagrees with. He also won’t be afraid to challenge the status quo and the assumptions of City Hall administrators, Apple said.
“I have a hard time believing that (McKereghan) will get along with other council members, ever,” he said.
Waldref disagrees with Apple and contends McKereghan is the better choice: “She has a record of fighting for government transparency and good ethics.”
Closing Geiger: Wise or worrisome? 
Open_Spokane on October 20 at 6:43 a.m.
Regardless of who gets elected in District 1, there will be confrontation. This brings on change, which the city needs.
Remember Councilman Eugster? Now there was a person who wasn’t afraid of anyone including the Cowles family. He was instrumental in our change to a strong mayor. Council members are elected by district and not by the South Hill voters.
For all the good he did for Spokane, the powers that be destroyed him. Confrontation has it’s price.
DickAdams on October 20 at 9:32 a.m.
The story says,
“McKereghan supports the $20 tab tax, continued use of the Waste-to-Energy Plant, the sustainability plan and red light cameras. She said the city should hold off on asking for a new street bond until the economy improves.”
Looks to me like she is a liberal tax and spend. Heck, she can`t handle her own finances by filing for bankruptcy, what makes her think she can handle the city budget when obviously she can`t handle her own ?
I shall support Mike Fagan, 100%.
Remember Mike was instrumental in reducing license fee tabs. Before it was changed, I was paying well over $500.00 a year for a Dodge stratus which is far from a luxury automobile. I migrated from Minnesota in 1984. When I bought a new licenses for my 5 year old 1979 Chrysler I was charged over $500.00. It was hard to believe leaving the state of Minnesota where taxes are high, but cheap for car licenses compared to Washington. Nuf said.
The_Seer on October 20 at 10:22 a.m.
Sure am glad I saved those e-mail exchanges with Fagan when he was shilling for Eyeman.
Sounds like a great time to break them out!
Dick: All Mike did was help Tim Eyeman cripple the state’s ability to pay their bills and is slowly destroying our transportation infrastructure. All so you can crow about having a few extra hundred dollars a year.
Dazzeetrader11 on October 20 at 10:50 a.m.
Seer…have fun with those from 4 years ago. lol…neither of these are geniuses….like you. Nonetheless, it’ll be good to have a conservative voice on council. Things in Spokane seem to be shaping up.
Condon, Mike Allen, Salvatori, Hession. Time to get the greenies a job….instead of spending taxpayer money on fluff and then raising taxes and fees to cover the stupidity. It’s the liberal way. We pay for this garbage. Not for much longer.
fairchildairman on October 20 at 11:31 a.m.
All it takes is a good look at the PDC to see who is pulling Mike Fagan’s strings: The familiar names: Salvatori, Baumgartner, Jeff Baxter, Bob Apple, Hong Kong Buffet…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMaS42B4Wlc
Ed Byrnes on October 20 at 12:26 p.m.
So if I were in that district I would choose the graduate educated candidate with accounting experience with a government ethics background.
Ed
soccermomsusie on October 20 at 12:30 p.m.
Wish Mike Fagan lived in my district so I could vote for him. All the good that he and his best friend Tim Eyman have done for our state with their fantastic initiatives should be rewarded.
Finally, we can get someone on the council who will continue to starve and assault the government from the inside as much as he did on the outside. It is kind of like getting shot in the face by the plastic surgeon who will do your facial reconstruction (with another, more sterile, gun).
In other words, we need a guy like Mike Fagan and how!
HEAR OUR VOICE!!!
lunaazule on October 20 at 1:09 p.m.
When someone gets a person’s vote because ‘they get along with everyone’ sounds like a vote for a passive puppy. Not a person who’ll fight for what they believe is right.
Dazzeetrader11 on October 20 at 10:38 p.m.
Shaded yes of course….make a referendum on someone who isn’t in any of the races. Gawd you’re just brilliant! lol
Condon, Hession Salvatori, MIKE ALLEN to unseat crazy Rush and now…FAGAN!
greenlibertarian on October 20 at 11:56 p.m.
Both are crackpots, Donna less so than Fagan.
mmspowaus on October 21 at 3:37 a.m.
Mike Fagan is a dynamo and will serve District #1 well.
Donna McKereghan is one of the crazy people like Barb Lampert that get past the Primary election now and then….
Bob Apple who has served District #1 interest well for 8 years, supports Mike Fagan.
The SR-Review whose masters brought us the River Park Square (RPS) boondoggle, endorsed Donna McKereghan in 2007 and 2011.
Bob Apple voted against RPS in 2004; he was not endorsed in 2007 by the S-Review.
mmspowaus on October 21 at 3:38 a.m.
—What has the Verner’s Sustainability Action Plan done for Spokane but unnecessarily cost our city millions of dollars?
mmspowaus on October 21 at 3:58 a.m.
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I looked through Shadedmuse other post and she is either obsessed with Cathy McMorris Rodgers or is a democrat political operative hack
Fairchildairman post are as obviously biased as Shademuse and look as if she is trying to be a Spokane’s political popup video hack
Her videos are of poor quality and starved for actual fact…they never compare and contrast against the subject’s opponent…
Since Fairchildairman has only been posting since March 2011, I’d say she is a political hack employed by the local petty democrats….
jake on October 30 at 8:18 a.m.
Dick: The article stated that both candidates have bankruptcies in their backgrounds, so your statement about Donna must be applicable to Mike as well, right?
But let’s not dwell on side issues. Mike is the guy who wanted to take on the UN, when the UN isn’t even on the Spokane radar, because he has some paranoid fantasy about tanks rolling in the streets. Might be better to worry about businesses rolling out of town if we elect crazy people to the City Council.
Mike’s rabid ant-tax stance, and puppy dog adherence to his master’s voice; when Tim Eyman say’s “roll over”, Mike rolls over twice and then begs for a doggie treat and a pat on the head, has lead to under funding state infrastructure to the point where we now drive on decrepit and dangerous bridges. Thanks Mike.
Donna is level headed and informed by a neighborhood sensibility derived from actually listening to neighbors and working to find practical solutions to neighborhood problems.
While Tim was battling the UN, Donna was working to provide Spokane with an Ethics ordinance and assisting citizens in their efforts to keep trash pickup in those alleys where it had been historically.
Smart, concerned, informed, that’s the person I want for the City Council. Vote for Donna… let’s not take on the UN, at least until we can afford our own fleet of tanks! :-)