Dan Hansen

The Citizens League of Greater Spokane, which started the drive to reform local government, has published a series of "white papers" about the proposed unified charter. The eight reports discuss how representation, taxes, land-use planning and other issues would change if voters decide on Nov. 7 to merge Spokane city and county governments.

Here are some questions and answers regarding the proposed city-county consolidation: Question: What is the rate of the city's utility tax? Could it be levied on Valley residents if consolidation is approved? Answer: The city levies a 17 percent tax on water, sewer and garbage bills. It collects 6 percent on natural gas, electricity and telephone bills.

Here are some questions and answers regarding the proposed city-county consolidation: Q. Will the combination of the two governments be called a municipality?

Valley business leaders who responded to a recent survey were split evenly on the issue of Spokane city-county consolidation. Seventy-three Valley Chamber of Commerce members said they support consolidation. Another 73 oppose the idea. Sixteen said they are undecided. "I expected the vote of our membership to be close, but a tie did surprise me," said Executive Director Ray Murphy.

"Unify, simplify and save," promise campaign signs for Spokane city-county consolidation. But government experts, even those who agree with the first two promises, say the third is impossible to prove. "It's not at all clear that economic efficiency has resulted" from consolidation in other communities, said David Olson, political science professor at the University of Washington.

Here's what the proposed citycounty charter says about money issues: The consolidated government could levy a business and occupation tax countywide, but not without a public vote. County governments cannot use the B&O; tax; the city of Spokane does not currently have one. The government could levy a utility tax, which the city uses to collect about 20 percent of its budget. County governments cannot levy utility taxes. Government debt would be limited to half of what's allowed under state law.

Nikolay Senchenko arrives Thursday at the U.S. Court House in Spokane for arraignment on charges of illegally snaring bears. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

(From For the record of Friday, 10-13-95): The largest donation to a group fighting Spokane city-county consolidation was from Democrats for United Action. Thursday's newspaper reported the contribution was from former county assessor George Britton. Britton signed the check.

With more than two years invested in writing a proposal for city-county consolidation, Spokane County freeholders aren't about to step aside now. "The job isn't over," said Ed Sharman. "The great majority of us got swept up in this thing." The group of 25 freeholders disbanded in May after completing the task for which they were elected: writing a unified charter to present to voters. It will be on the Nov. 7 ballot.

Charter boosters say it's a red herring. Opponents say it's a cover-up. Either way, city debt has become one of the biggest issues in the campaign to consolidate Spokane city and county government.

Residents in several East Coast towns say they aren't sorry they kept their independence while the counties around them merged with bigger cities. "It's face-to-face (government). People have access," said Jim Jarboe, deputy city manager at Atlantic Beach, Fla. "If anything goes wrong with government, whether it's local, state or federal, they let us know at our meetings." Jarboe's city of 14,000 is one of four in Duval County, which merged with Jacksonville 27 years ago. The other towns range in size from 2,000 to 18,000 people.

From the wrought iron chair on his front porch, Louis McDowell's gaze takes in the farm where he was raised and the fields where he hunts rabbits behind hounds. The driver of nearly every rig that passes on Huffman Mill Road honks and waves.

Here are some questions and answers about the proposed city-county consolidation: Question: Will the executive be elected by voters or appointed by the council? Answer: The executive would be elected by voters countywide and would have powers similar to that of a strong mayor or state governor. He or she would not vote with the 13-member council, but could veto council decisions. Vetos could be overridden with a vote of nine members.

Wildlife agents plan to use technology made famous in the O.J. Simpson trial to prove a Ukrainian immigrant poached bears in northeastern Washington. Gallbladders and other bear parts found in Nikolay Senchenko's Spokane Valley home will be tested at a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lab in Ashland, Ore., said Washington wildlife agent Ted Potter.

Wildlife agents charged a Ukrainian immigrant with snaring at least three bears in northeastern Washington following an investigation that used hidden videocameras to help identify the alleged poacher. Agents found three large snares and worry more may dot the remote ridges and tangled creek bottoms in Pend Oreille County. Nikolay Senchenko, 45, is charged with illegally killing wildlife and attempting to kill grizzly bears, a threatened species.

Walk in the Wild officials say they'll shut down the zoo and get rid of the animals if they don't raise $2 million in the next nine months. The money, at least 10 times more than was raised in the zoo's most successful fund-raiser, would pay for a planned move to North Idaho's Silverwood Theme Park.

Merging of minds: Proponenets of consolidation discuss how to beat the odds at a Friday morning meeting in their Riverside Avenue office. Photo by Sandra Bancroft-Billings/The Spokesman-Review

The proposed charter written by Spokane County freeholders sets a firm schedule for consolidating Spokane city and county governments. Here's what would happen if voters approve consolidation: Feb. 6, 1996: Primary election for executive and council members. March 12, 1996: Final election of 13 council members and executive.

Here are some questions and answers about the proposed city-county consolidation: Question: Would the new government need fewer workers than now are employed by the city and county? If so, who would be terminated? Answer: There's little research on the matter.

Like an arranged marriage between unwilling partners, the merger of city and county governments causes hard feelings and cold feet. A survey three years after Athens, Ga., merged with Clarke County found 85 percent of employees wishing it'd never happened. "I'm starting to enjoy it now. The first three years were hell," said Gwen O'Looney, mayor of the government formed in 1991.

1. Thoroughbred horse farms dot the rolling hills around Lexington, Ky. Photo by Associated Press 2. Athens, Ga., is home to a thriving arts community that includes the "World Famous Traveling Panoramic Encyclopedia of Everything Elvis." Photo by Associated Press

It would change Spokane more than Expo '74, draw more attention than Bloomsday and cause more political upheaval than the "Contract With America." But after 30 years of talk, and little more than a month before the election, campaigners say many people still don't know what city-county consolidation is all about. "What is it again?" asked a visitor at the Spokane Interstate Fair campaign booth for We The People, the group promoting consolidation. "Why haven't I heard of it?"

By next summer, Spokane talk show hosts might not have Steve Hasson and Dexter Amend to kick around. In fact, the entire County Commission and Spokane City Council will disappear if voters decide Nov. 7 to consolidate Spokane city and county under a single, regional government. No more coroner.

Chipped windshield season is coming to the North Side. Spokane County road workers, who spent several weeks putting oil and gravel on 60 miles of asphalt roads elsewhere in the county, are beginning the work this week in rural and suburban areas north of Spokane.