Jonathan Bingle and Sarah Dixit on 13 issues

	Jonathan Bingle	Sarah Dixit
In 2021, as vacancies plummeted and rent soared, Spokane declared a “housing emergency.” Vacancies have returned to healthier levels and development has accelerated, but rent has still climbed roughly $200 in the same period for a one-bedroom apartment. What should the city do to improve housing affordability?	{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} Spokane must continue to expand housing supply. I support reducing barriers to new construction, streamlining permitting, and ensuring zoning allows for a mix of housing types. Regulating rents will not solve the issue. Reducing unnecessary government requirements will help lower cost. We need to make it easier and faster to build so that supply can meet demand.	{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} The city should address housing affordability from two sides: increasing supply and increasing purchasing power. The city should continue increasing new housing by infilling affordable units near the city center and transit lines and should consider stipends and vouchers so that more of our neighbors can stay housed. We also need to build upon tenant protections, like rent stabilization, which my opponent has voted against every time.
In 2022, the City Council passed a law mandating that residents limit how often they water their lawns during drought conditions, but has never enforced this law. Do you support these restrictions; if so, should the city start enforcing them with fines, and if not, what role should the city have in water conservation?	{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} I support encouraging water conservation, for residents and the city alike. I do not support levying fines and fees. Another problem with that ordinance is that certain city property is exempt. The city’s property is no more valuable than a private citizen’s. If the city is serious about conservation, then we should be leading the way in conservation instead of exempting ourselves.	{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} I support the restrictions and believe the city should start enforcing them. I would work with Spokane Riverkeeper and other conservation organizations to determine an effective method for enforcement. Average daily domestic water use per person in Spokane County is 235 gallons per day, which is almost three times the national average of 82 gallons per person per day. The city should lead by example by replacing city owned lawns with pocket prairies and other waterwise landscapes that don’t require frequent watering.
Do you support current plans to reconfigure Division Street, including by adding a protected bike lane and modifying a vehicle traffic lane to prioritize buses, following the completion of the North Spokane Corridor?	{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} This question made me laugh out loud! I’m not holding my breath on the completion of the NSC. The current NSC isn’t scheduled to be completed until I’m well out of office IF it stays on the current timeline. Every year the funding for this project is in jeopardy. I think a better question is, “Do you support the reconfigure… before the NSC is completed?” And to that I say, “I won’t even entertain the conversation until the NSC is completed.”	{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} Yes. We need to make Spokane a safer place for people who use all forms of transportation. District 1 has the highest proportion of transit riders. Adding a bus lane on Division will help my community members get to their jobs, appointments, and be able to run their errands more efficiently. A protected bike lane will help bicycle riders, like myself, feel safe traveling on one of the main arterials in the city. In addition to making travel faster and easier, this project will improve quality of life and beautify our city.
What is the most appropriate use for the sales tax to address homelessness and affordable housing issues, often called “1590” funds, as local organizations and elected leaders weigh affordable housing development, treatment services and emergency homeless shelters?	{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} These dollars should be bonded and braided with state and federal funding to build/restore facilities that will make the most direct impact on the community. We need long-term mental health and substance use facilities.	{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} 1590 funds should be used to prioritize and fast track low-barrier housing for people experiencing homelessness. The Spokane County Point in Time Survey, while imperfect, shows that overall homelessness in Spokane has gone down, but that the number of those living unsheltered has gone up. We need to invest in using the funds for new construction for affordable housing as well as services.
Do you support expanding the city’s use of red light and speeding cameras?	{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} Yes. I constantly hear from my residents about the speeding traffic all around town. Hopefully these cameras will help reduce speeding and dangerous driving throughout town.	{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} Yes, for safety and for funding traffic calming projects. According to the city’s website, there are only ten intersections being monitored, yet there are many other dangerous traffic areas that could benefit from a red light and/or speeding camera. New locations should be based on data of where traffic violence is occurring, while also making sure that no one neighborhood or community is experiencing the financial burden of the fines.
Do you support an expansion of involuntary treatment as a tool to address chronic homelessness and accompanying addiction or mental health issues?	{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} Yes, I support expanding involuntary treatment. We cannot stand by while people suffer in cycles of addiction and untreated mental illness on our streets. This tool, paired with treatment facilities, will save lives.	{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} No. Housing First programs, like the Houston model, are far more humane and cost effective than involuntary treatment. Studies show that those forced into treatment are re-traumatized, universally relapse, and their conditions worsen, leading to more harm than recovery. Involuntary treatment is a dangerous distraction from offering real solutions like “H.O.M.E. Starts Here” (a comprehensive, data-driven, and evidence-based approach to achieve housing stability, reduce and prevent homelessness, and ensure public health and safety), which my opponent has voted against.
Would you support reinstating the 2023 anti-homeless camping law, which made it illegal for the homeless to camp within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, playgrounds or licensed daycare facilities, and which the state Supreme Court struck down on technical grounds earlier this year?	{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} Yes, I would support reinstating this law. The new ordinances that were adopted in its place, which I call “Prop None,” have been an abject failure for the community. I would reinstate and expand city wide. Families should not have to worry about encampments next to schools, parks, and playgrounds.	{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} No. Prop 1, as written, spreads a harmful and untrue message about our unhoused neighbors. Data shows criminalizing folks for being unhoused does nothing to address the underlying issues: the need for more affordable housing, accessible community programming, and compassionate resource delivery.
Do you support the creation of a regional homeless authority? Do you believe there was sufficient reason for the city to pull back from talks to establish that organization?	{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} We absolutely must address this issue regionally. Without it, we’ll continue to head down the same path we’re going now. The city pulling out of those talks was a terrible move. We had some agreement in principle on board structure and funding, the two largest hurdles facing this cooperation.	{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} I do support a regional approach, but there doesn’t seem to be a regional interest in getting to the root of the crisis. Other cities in our region have refused to provide services for the unhoused population, making the city of Spokane the sole provider. A regional homeless authority must have an equitable and representative structure in order to work, where municipalities are working together for a shared vision and outcome.
Do you believe city leadership responded appropriately to the June 11 protests?	{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} People have every right to assemble and protest. I support that right! You do not have the right to obstruct law enforcement. I do not support that. Anyone who obstructed those actives as defined in the law should be arrested and prosecuted.	{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} No. As someone who was there and participated in the June 11 protest, I know firsthand that our gathering was peaceful until law enforcement unnecessarily escalated the situation, using force and intimidation against Spokanites. Some city leadership responded in unhelpful ways that made the situation more dangerous and spread misinformation about the protest. Instituting a curfew was also inappropriate. If elected to city council, my attitude and participation in protests and rallies would remain the same – we are more powerful together than we are apart.
Do you support the Keep Washington Working Act, which prohibits law enforcement or other government officials from aiding federal immigration officers and appears to have led to the White House branding the state a “sanctuary jurisdiction,” potentially risking federal funding to the state and local jurisdictions?	{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} I opposed this law. It undermines cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and puts federal funding at risk. Spokane should not be branded a sanctuary jurisdiction. That makes our community less safe and less secure.	{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} Yes. As an organizer, I advocated for the Keep Washington Working Act in Olympia, and have pushed for protections at the city level. I have and will continue to stand in solidarity with our immigrant communities. Washington has a strong track record of standing up to the federal government to protect state and local funds. We can’t succumb to this administration’s threats. I also support Spokane’s Safe and Welcome ordinance which designates public ticketed events in Spokane as temporarily private spaces that are harder for ICE agents to access. My opponent has routinely voted against protecting our immigrant communities.
Some of the plastics Spokane residents are asked to recycle are instead burned at the Waste-to-Energy Plant or pulverized and used for marginal reuse projects. Does the city do enough to recycle what goes in the blue bins? Should it invest in a more robust recycling system?	{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} Very few items are actually recyclable. I think the city wastes a lot of money in this endeavor. We do need a serious discussion about whether or not its worth it to the citizens. I would support a majority consensus.	{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} We should support statewide and national advocacy that would make manufacturers responsible for their waste. This would make industry responsible for the investment in improved recycling. In addition to that, the city should better educate residents and we could look into a sorted recycling process vs. single stream to make our system more effective. We should also be looking into all avenues of profit by selling our recyclables. Due to new legislation, there's a possibility we could have to pay fines for emissions due to the Waste-to-Energy facility, so burning less plastic would save us money.
The City Council has previously approved two moratoriums on new development in the Latah Valley, totaling 16 months. During that time, the city developed plans to improve long-neglected infrastructure and roadways in the area. The last moratorium expired in May. Do you believe the city has done enough in that time? How would you address the continued issues in the area?	{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} The city has not done enough. Residents in Latah Valley have waited too long for infrastructure and road upgrades. I oppose blanket moratoriums because they punish homeowners and stifle growth. We must address infrastructure needs directly and ensure new development pays its fair share for impacts. Also, we could’ve been a long way down the road to addressing the current and future issues if we were actually pursuing solutions rather than political theater.	{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} We should not develop in environmentally sensitive areas like Latah Valley. Increased population does not require urban sprawl. Studies show that it is not population growth, but zoning laws, wealth, marketable land and housing costs, and the desire for more privacy and amenities to be the primary causes of urban sprawl. City Council recently passed an ordinance to allow more vertical building downtown and I believe we should build up before we build out. This will improve our residents’ quality of life, while sprawl would increase taxes, have immense environmental impacts, and residents would experience greater transportation and infrastructure burden.
Public safety and housing affordability have been hot-button political issues in Spokane for years. Excluding these topics, what is an issue in your district that you will improve during your term?	{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} In District 1, public safety remains foundational, but beyond that, I am focused on improving infrastructure in Northeast Spokane. That means better roads, safer intersections, and stronger investment in neglected neighborhoods. Residents here deserve the same level of service as the rest of the city.	{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} Throughout District 1, traffic violence is an issue for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and drivers. Too many people have been harmed or killed at the hands of cars, and we need to improve our infrastructure to support safe multimodal transportation and public spaces. Adopting Vision Zero would be a guiding map for our infrastructure planning, and we can determine which projects are best suited to our communities at what times. We do not need to live in a world where traffic violence is normal – everyone deserves to feel safe traveling around our city regardless of the transportation method.

In 2021, as vacancies plummeted and rent soared, Spokane declared a “housing emergency.” Vacancies have returned to healthier levels and development has accelerated, but rent has still climbed roughly $200 in the same period for a one-bedroom apartment. What should the city do to improve housing affordability?

{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} Spokane must continue to expand housing supply. I support reducing barriers to new construction, streamlining permitting, and ensuring zoning allows for a mix of housing types. Regulating rents will not solve the issue. Reducing unnecessary government requirements will help lower cost. We need to make it easier and faster to build so that supply can meet demand.

{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} The city should address housing affordability from two sides: increasing supply and increasing purchasing power. The city should continue increasing new housing by infilling affordable units near the city center and transit lines and should consider stipends and vouchers so that more of our neighbors can stay housed. We also need to build upon tenant protections, like rent stabilization, which my opponent has voted against every time.

In 2022, the City Council passed a law mandating that residents limit how often they water their lawns during drought conditions, but has never enforced this law. Do you support these restrictions; if so, should the city start enforcing them with fines, and if not, what role should the city have in water conservation?

{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} I support encouraging water conservation, for residents and the city alike. I do not support levying fines and fees. Another problem with that ordinance is that certain city property is exempt. The city’s property is no more valuable than a private citizen’s. If the city is serious about conservation, then we should be leading the way in conservation instead of exempting ourselves.

{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} I support the restrictions and believe the city should start enforcing them. I would work with Spokane Riverkeeper and other conservation organizations to determine an effective method for enforcement. Average daily domestic water use per person in Spokane County is 235 gallons per day, which is almost three times the national average of 82 gallons per person per day. The city should lead by example by replacing city owned lawns with pocket prairies and other waterwise landscapes that don’t require frequent watering.

Do you support current plans to reconfigure Division Street, including by adding a protected bike lane and modifying a vehicle traffic lane to prioritize buses, following the completion of the North Spokane Corridor?

{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} This question made me laugh out loud! I’m not holding my breath on the completion of the NSC. The current NSC isn’t scheduled to be completed until I’m well out of office IF it stays on the current timeline. Every year the funding for this project is in jeopardy. I think a better question is, “Do you support the reconfigure… before the NSC is completed?” And to that I say, “I won’t even entertain the conversation until the NSC is completed.”

{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} Yes. We need to make Spokane a safer place for people who use all forms of transportation. District 1 has the highest proportion of transit riders. Adding a bus lane on Division will help my community members get to their jobs, appointments, and be able to run their errands more efficiently. A protected bike lane will help bicycle riders, like myself, feel safe traveling on one of the main arterials in the city. In addition to making travel faster and easier, this project will improve quality of life and beautify our city.

What is the most appropriate use for the sales tax to address homelessness and affordable housing issues, often called “1590” funds, as local organizations and elected leaders weigh affordable housing development, treatment services and emergency homeless shelters?

{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} These dollars should be bonded and braided with state and federal funding to build/restore facilities that will make the most direct impact on the community. We need long-term mental health and substance use facilities.

{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} 1590 funds should be used to prioritize and fast track low-barrier housing for people experiencing homelessness. The Spokane County Point in Time Survey, while imperfect, shows that overall homelessness in Spokane has gone down, but that the number of those living unsheltered has gone up. We need to invest in using the funds for new construction for affordable housing as well as services.

Do you support expanding the city’s use of red light and speeding cameras?

{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} Yes. I constantly hear from my residents about the speeding traffic all around town. Hopefully these cameras will help reduce speeding and dangerous driving throughout town.

{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} Yes, for safety and for funding traffic calming projects. According to the city’s website, there are only ten intersections being monitored, yet there are many other dangerous traffic areas that could benefit from a red light and/or speeding camera. New locations should be based on data of where traffic violence is occurring, while also making sure that no one neighborhood or community is experiencing the financial burden of the fines.

Do you support an expansion of involuntary treatment as a tool to address chronic homelessness and accompanying addiction or mental health issues?

{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} Yes, I support expanding involuntary treatment. We cannot stand by while people suffer in cycles of addiction and untreated mental illness on our streets. This tool, paired with treatment facilities, will save lives.

{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} No. Housing First programs, like the Houston model, are far more humane and cost effective than involuntary treatment. Studies show that those forced into treatment are re-traumatized, universally relapse, and their conditions worsen, leading to more harm than recovery. Involuntary treatment is a dangerous distraction from offering real solutions like “H.O.M.E. Starts Here” (a comprehensive, data-driven, and evidence-based approach to achieve housing stability, reduce and prevent homelessness, and ensure public health and safety), which my opponent has voted against.

Would you support reinstating the 2023 anti-homeless camping law, which made it illegal for the homeless to camp within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, playgrounds or licensed daycare facilities, and which the state Supreme Court struck down on technical grounds earlier this year?

{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} Yes, I would support reinstating this law. The new ordinances that were adopted in its place, which I call “Prop None,” have been an abject failure for the community. I would reinstate and expand city wide. Families should not have to worry about encampments next to schools, parks, and playgrounds.

{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} No. Prop 1, as written, spreads a harmful and untrue message about our unhoused neighbors. Data shows criminalizing folks for being unhoused does nothing to address the underlying issues: the need for more affordable housing, accessible community programming, and compassionate resource delivery.

Do you support the creation of a regional homeless authority? Do you believe there was sufficient reason for the city to pull back from talks to establish that organization?

{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} We absolutely must address this issue regionally. Without it, we’ll continue to head down the same path we’re going now. The city pulling out of those talks was a terrible move. We had some agreement in principle on board structure and funding, the two largest hurdles facing this cooperation.

{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} I do support a regional approach, but there doesn’t seem to be a regional interest in getting to the root of the crisis. Other cities in our region have refused to provide services for the unhoused population, making the city of Spokane the sole provider. A regional homeless authority must have an equitable and representative structure in order to work, where municipalities are working together for a shared vision and outcome.

Do you believe city leadership responded appropriately to the June 11 protests?

{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} People have every right to assemble and protest. I support that right! You do not have the right to obstruct law enforcement. I do not support that. Anyone who obstructed those actives as defined in the law should be arrested and prosecuted.

{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} No. As someone who was there and participated in the June 11 protest, I know firsthand that our gathering was peaceful until law enforcement unnecessarily escalated the situation, using force and intimidation against Spokanites. Some city leadership responded in unhelpful ways that made the situation more dangerous and spread misinformation about the protest. Instituting a curfew was also inappropriate. If elected to city council, my attitude and participation in protests and rallies would remain the same – we are more powerful together than we are apart.

Do you support the Keep Washington Working Act, which prohibits law enforcement or other government officials from aiding federal immigration officers and appears to have led to the White House branding the state a “sanctuary jurisdiction,” potentially risking federal funding to the state and local jurisdictions?

{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} I opposed this law. It undermines cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and puts federal funding at risk. Spokane should not be branded a sanctuary jurisdiction. That makes our community less safe and less secure.

{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} Yes. As an organizer, I advocated for the Keep Washington Working Act in Olympia, and have pushed for protections at the city level. I have and will continue to stand in solidarity with our immigrant communities. Washington has a strong track record of standing up to the federal government to protect state and local funds. We can’t succumb to this administration’s threats. I also support Spokane’s Safe and Welcome ordinance which designates public ticketed events in Spokane as temporarily private spaces that are harder for ICE agents to access. My opponent has routinely voted against protecting our immigrant communities.

Some of the plastics Spokane residents are asked to recycle are instead burned at the Waste-to-Energy Plant or pulverized and used for marginal reuse projects. Does the city do enough to recycle what goes in the blue bins? Should it invest in a more robust recycling system?

{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} Very few items are actually recyclable. I think the city wastes a lot of money in this endeavor. We do need a serious discussion about whether or not its worth it to the citizens. I would support a majority consensus.

{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} We should support statewide and national advocacy that would make manufacturers responsible for their waste. This would make industry responsible for the investment in improved recycling. In addition to that, the city should better educate residents and we could look into a sorted recycling process vs. single stream to make our system more effective. We should also be looking into all avenues of profit by selling our recyclables. Due to new legislation, there's a possibility we could have to pay fines for emissions due to the Waste-to-Energy facility, so burning less plastic would save us money.

The City Council has previously approved two moratoriums on new development in the Latah Valley, totaling 16 months. During that time, the city developed plans to improve long-neglected infrastructure and roadways in the area. The last moratorium expired in May. Do you believe the city has done enough in that time? How would you address the continued issues in the area?

{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} The city has not done enough. Residents in Latah Valley have waited too long for infrastructure and road upgrades. I oppose blanket moratoriums because they punish homeowners and stifle growth. We must address infrastructure needs directly and ensure new development pays its fair share for impacts. Also, we could’ve been a long way down the road to addressing the current and future issues if we were actually pursuing solutions rather than political theater.

{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} We should not develop in environmentally sensitive areas like Latah Valley. Increased population does not require urban sprawl. Studies show that it is not population growth, but zoning laws, wealth, marketable land and housing costs, and the desire for more privacy and amenities to be the primary causes of urban sprawl. City Council recently passed an ordinance to allow more vertical building downtown and I believe we should build up before we build out. This will improve our residents’ quality of life, while sprawl would increase taxes, have immense environmental impacts, and residents would experience greater transportation and infrastructure burden.

Public safety and housing affordability have been hot-button political issues in Spokane for years. Excluding these topics, what is an issue in your district that you will improve during your term?

{'id': 170, 'title': 'Jonathan Bingle'} In District 1, public safety remains foundational, but beyond that, I am focused on improving infrastructure in Northeast Spokane. That means better roads, safer intersections, and stronger investment in neglected neighborhoods. Residents here deserve the same level of service as the rest of the city.

{'id': 171, 'title': 'Sarah Dixit'} Throughout District 1, traffic violence is an issue for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and drivers. Too many people have been harmed or killed at the hands of cars, and we need to improve our infrastructure to support safe multimodal transportation and public spaces. Adopting Vision Zero would be a guiding map for our infrastructure planning, and we can determine which projects are best suited to our communities at what times. We do not need to live in a world where traffic violence is normal – everyone deserves to feel safe traveling around our city regardless of the transportation method.