Shawn Vestal

The federal investigation into the real estate deals of Greg Jeffreys – the man at the center of the Ridpath mess – depicts schemes so brazen that it’s hard to imagine how he got banks and appraisers to go along. But he did. Over and over again, both before the recession and after. The checks and balances didn’t check or balance, and a lot of people paid a huge price. Banks and appraisers were either complicit, asleep at the wheel, or unacceptably gullible.

Mayor David Condon’s proposed city budget accomplishes his main objective: keeping his campaign promise not to raise taxes. It does not, however, do what he says it does: preserve the city’s “most critical services.” His proposal would lock in the smallest police force the city has had since the mid-1990s. Attrition and the long time it takes to train and replace officers will likely mean even fewer cops on patrol in 2013. Meanwhile, the budget “re-deploys” 14 people to help developers speed through the permitting process, and another five people for a new customer service initiative – kind of a City Hall concierge for citizens.

If you think it’s crazy that the Community Colleges of Spokane is hiking salaries for presidents, vice presidents and deans as it cuts salaries for janitors, plumbers and groundskeepers, join the club. Even in a fiscal crisis, it seems, the smallest salaries are too big, and the biggest salaries are too small.

There is little that exposes our priorities quite so nakedly as a sensational vice bust. Take the raids on the alleged prostitution rings at local “spas” this week.

As the excruciating end-game surrounding the Ridpath Hotel plays out, one name has cropped up repeatedly as a potential savior. But Walt Worthy, the man who gave the Davenport Hotel back to Spokane, says he is not interested in these particular square feet.

Second of two parts

Where’s our cheap booze? Isn’t that what we voted for? Cheap booze? There was more to Initiative 1183, of course, and the whole scenario was complicated by various percentages and markups and considerations and predictions. Certain smart people argued that I-1183 would not necessarily give us cheap booze, but arriving at that view required a little knowledge and research and I frankly just don’t think most of us gave it much of a thinking-over.

Charles Wallace’s final, desperate mile ran through an ordinarily tranquil town. Chased by every cop in the area, suspected of shooting two officers and firing at those pursuing him, Wallace roared west through downtown Deer Park. Past blocks of small, well-kept homes. Past City Hall and Zion Lutheran. Past Perrin Field and Grandma’s Attic and the Cut ’N Up hair and nail salon. Past the Farmers Market and Bakery.

We’re in the “show me” phase of the city’s relationship with the police department. So it’s a problem that the interim chief seems to think we’re still in “trust us” mode.

Is the Washington state Republican Party taking another misguided run at tribal sovereignty? They are, if Bob Eberle and his fellow Skagit County Republicans have anything to say about it.