Public Periscope

Where there’s smoke

Rep. George Nethercutt recently accused President Clinton of practicing - horrors! - politics in his new push to restrict cigarette advertising aimed at youths. “I’m not so sure that it’s in our national best interest that we as a government force a tobacco company to advertise one way or another.” … But the Spokane Republican told the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce that Congress eventually will support Clinton’s effort to keep tobacco away from kids. Nethercutt - a smoking foe - also defended his vote against stripping certain subsidies from tobacco growers. Stripping the funding for growers isn’t a fair way to try to curtail smoking, he said.

Wave. They’re watching

Startled by an occasional BOOM? No need to think you’re imagining things. Sonic booms are more common this month. … The Air Force is bringing the SR-71 Blackbirds out of mothballs and working the kinks out of the spy planes that can hit 2,000 mph. One of their routes takes them near Spokane. … Booms will slack off in September, when the planes begin real spy flights.

Let’s clear this up

Freeholder Al Lewis called last week to take issue with the “Public Periscope” view of his proposed savings under a combined city-county government. Lewis said he projects a $15 million savings if the combined government were to institute a hiring freeze for two years, not one as reported last week. … That makes the math work much better. An average of 200 employees have left the two governments in recent years. If those employees received an average salary and benefit package of $37,500, the new government could realize a savings of $15 million at the end of its two-year startup period. … Still, there’s nothing in the charter that requires such a freeze, Lewis acknowledged. Nor would consolidation have to occur to find such savings - the attitude at both the city and county toward new hiring already is frigid. The estimates were made before the current freezes were put in place, Lewis said.

Be still my heart

The folks at the Sinto Senior Center know how to have a good time. Just check out their August newsletter touting an “exciting day trip” to the Spokane Transit Authority’s new terminal. … “Our tour of this beautiful 2 story facility is guaranteed to make you want to ride the bus often!” it promises.

Not their best shot

A computer upgrade left technicians at Spokane School District 81 swamped last week. But the harried workers should have thought twice about their choice of an illustration for the notice they posted - a woman executive pointing a handgun at her computer screen. … Under the district’s strict rule of zero tolerance for guns, one official joked, someone in computer services needs to be expelled.

Getting involved

City Hall hasn’t had much luck filling a spot on the Community Centers Advisory Board and has extended the deadline for applications to Sept. 1. City residents only may apply; pick up applications at the mayor’s office, 5th Floor, City Hall.

, DataTimes MEMO: “Public Periscope,” published Mondays, is compiled by Jim Camden from staff reports. If you have a question about government, growth or development, we’d like to help find an answer. Write us at The Spokesman-Review, Box 2160, Spokane 99210. Or call Cityline at 458-8800 on a TouchTone phone, then press 9120 to leave a message. Or send e-mail to jimc@spokesman.com or azle02b@prodigy.com for Prodigy subscribers.

This sidebar appeared with the story: Hot topics Today: Gov. Mike Lowry will answer call-in questions on a radio talk show, KXLY 920 AM or 99.9 FM, 12:30 p.m. Tuesday: County commissioners will discuss a resolution to put a proposal for an extra -of-a-cent sales tax on the Nov. 7 ballot. Money would be used for building or remodeling a juvenile jail. 5 p.m., county Public Works Building.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by Jim Camden from staff reports