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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Aug. 6, 2013

Aug. 6 Primary

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On the Ballot

Complete Coverage

Washington elections draw big out-of-state donations

SEATTLE – Initiative 522 would change the law only in Washington state, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at the lists of campaign donors. Of the $22 million raised to oppose the proposal to label genetically engineered food, exactly $550 has come from individuals and companies based in Washington, according to the Public Disclosure Commission.

Washington voters on their own to decide ballot advisory measures

Voters seeking extensive information from the usual sources on five statewide advisory measures may be out of luck. There are no high-powered campaigns for or against the nonbinding Advisory Votes 3 through 7. No statements pro or con in the state Voters’ Pamphlet. No websites with videos or lists of endorsers.

Editorial: The Spokesman-Review’s choices for Tuesday’s election

The Spokesman-Review editorial board has wrapped up endorsements for the 2013 election season, which comes to an end on Tuesday. To read the full text of the editorials online, go to http://www.spokesman.com/ tags/election-endorsement-2013. To summarize: Spokane City Council District 2: The contestants are John Ahern and incumbent Jon Snyder. We endorse Snyder, an energetic leader who has demonstrated the ability to work with all council members. Though labor-backed, he says the city might have to test arbitration to push the case that employee compensation outweighs the community’s ability to pay.

Spokane Valley council won’t back tax to help move homes near Fairchild

The Spokane Valley City Council won’t support a new tax to move homes out of Fairchild Air Force Base’s crash zone, saying county commissioners should have tried harder to find the money elsewhere. Proposition 1 on Tuesday’s ballot would raise as much as $18 million in property taxes over nine years to buy manufactured home parks on the south side of Airway Heights and pay to relocate hundreds of people living there.

City Council campaign ads contain false claims

Beware. With money pouring into two Spokane City Council races at a frenzied pace, the campaign material arriving by mail, on the radio, on TV and on the Internet may be misleading or plain wrong.

Doug Clark: Council campaign fortune could be better spent

It takes a lot to shock me after nearly 40 years of journalism. I once had to conduct an interview while standing next to a charred corpse that lay among the scattered wreckage of a plane crash.

Fire District safe from Ahern

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In Washington Senate 7th District race, mud and money fly

The battle between an appointed incumbent and a county commissioner for the state Senate seat in Northeast Washington has turned increasingly negative, generating charges of tax-dodging, union-coddling, trash-talking and even a possible death threat. The usual issues have come up, like helping the economy, finding jobs for the next generation, protecting gun rights and reining in government. But there are unusual things, too, like a tanker full of human waste with a political message on the back, specifically adapted for this year’s special election race in the 7th District.

Shawn Vestal: Public shares blame for smear tactics in campaigns

And so we come to another election season when we are asked to consider: Whose interests are “special”? And whose are simple, pure, virtuous and just? Just kidding. We’re not asked to consider it – i.e., think about it – in any way whatsoever. We already know the answer: Our interests are simple, pure, virtuous and just. Theirs are special, and all that that implies.

Fairchild commander calls mobile homes, target of Proposition 1, incompatible

As ballots hit Spokane County voters’ mailboxes, Fairchild Air Force Base’s commander issued a rare warning Friday about possible encroachment near the base. Col. Brian Newberry, commander of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, said Friday that mobile home parks on the south side of Airway Heights are incompatible with Air Force operations. The parks, with 188 units, are located within an “accident potential zone” at the northeast end of the main runway at Fairchild.

Spokane City Council races escalating with PAC money

Two independent political action committees seeking to influence the outcome of Spokane City Council races this fall have raised more than $100,000 combined in what could be the most expensive council campaign in city history. Reports filed with the Washington Public Disclosure Commission show an escalation in the fundraising competition between the two PACs in recent weeks.

Greenstone disavows ad campaign attacking Mumm, Snyder

The president of Greenstone Corp. has disavowed any connection between his company and a negative television campaign against Spokane City Council candidates Jon Snyder and Candace Mumm. At the same time, business interests funding the ad campaign upped the ante on Monday, adding another $25,500 to the independent television ad buy for a total of $48,700.

Voters to decide array of posts, issues

Control of city councils and school boards is up for grabs as ballots for the Nov. 5 general election begin arriving later this week in the mailboxes of voters across the Inland Northwest. Most of the races in municipal election years are nonpartisan, but northeast Washington features a special election for the remainder of a state Senate term.

Jon Snyder, Candace Mumm target of PAC-funded attack ad

A group of business-backed political action committees has launched a new television attack ad against two candidates for Spokane City Council, marking the opening salvo in what could become the most expensive council races in city history. Councilman Jon Snyder and candidate Candace Mumm, seeking separate seats in this fall’s general election, are targeted by a PAC called Jobs & Prosperity for Spokane, which received funds from three other PACs to help pay for $23,000 in television advertising against them. The ads began appearing on Spokane TV stations last week.

Spokane City Council candidates square off in debates

Two debates filmed Tuesday showcasing candidates for Spokane City Council races had two distinct tones. A debate between Michael Cannon and Candace Mumm, who are vying for a seat representing northwest Spokane, was testy.

Spokane City Council District 3: Candace Mumm vs. Michael Cannon

If convincing people to contribute to a political campaign is a sign of future success in government, Candace Mumm will be a hit. Mumm has raised more than $70,000, beating all previous fundraising records of City Council candidates and almost doubling her opponent’s fundraising in the race to replace Councilwoman Nancy McLaughlin, who has served the maximum two terms allowable by local rules.

District 2 City Council candidates Snyder, Ahern don’t see eye to eye

There’s more than an “h” separating Jon and John. Jon Snyder, 44, is an incumbent Spokane city councilman known for his focus on transportation issues, recently sold outdoor magazine and unsuccessful fight to protect the South Hill’s Fire Station No. 9 from budget cuts.

Stuckart 1, Condon 0

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Incumbents survive their primary challenges

Washington voters – or at least the relative few that cast ballots in the summer primary – seemed willing to stick with the familiar Tuesday. Turnout was light in most areas, but incumbents seeking to extend their terms in office survived primaries for the Spokane City Council, Spokane Valley City Council and the 7th District state Senate race.