Spokane Alliance ignored

I attended the City Council meeting Monday as a member of Spokane Alliance, a 10-year-old organization of 20,000 Spokanites acting in unison to improve situations affecting us all.

Unfortunately the coordinated efforts and representation of our 20,000 members could not get through to City Council members Fagan, Allen, McLaughlin and Salvatori on any of the most impactful decisions. For example, on a motion to fund three more police positions using excess funds from the retired police officer pension account, the facts pointed to a low-risk, high payoff money transfer that would strengthen the underfunded police department.

The council members maintained strong opposition, in blatant disregard for the facts and testimony presented. Giving no concrete explanation for why they avidly opposed the motion, they alienated all those looking to make responsible decisions for Spokane based in fact and reason. In order to have an effective and transparent government, council members need to give us the concrete reasons for their decisions.

When we tell the council how we would like to be represented and they unashamedly do the opposite without a good, fact-based explanation of why, we citizens feel unheard and patronized by the very people we elected to represent me.

Dallas Williams

Spokane