Valley Voters Reject Incorporation Third Attempt To Form New City Strikes Out

Spokane Valley residents on Tuesday overwhelmingly defeated a third attempt to form a city of their own.

Unofficial results showed 41 percent of voters supporting incorporation and 59 percent voting against.

Gathered for a party at the Valley’s Red Lion Inn, incorporation boosters were demoralized by the news. Early counts of 1,000 absentee ballots had showed 500 in favor and 500 against.

“Oh, Christ, I don’t believe it,” said Larry Wendell as later election returns drifted across a room filled with blue and yellow balloons.

A scientific survey a month before the election had showed strong support for incorporation, and many proponents felt Tuesday’s election was their best hope to form a city.

“I don’t know if the situation will ever be right again,” said Howard Herman, co-chairman of Citizens for Valley Incorporation.

Herman and fellow leader Joe McKinnon said they would not lead a fourth incorporation drive if one is attempted.

“I’m going to go back to work,” said McKinnon, a Realtor. “I said that last time, but you can believe it this time.”

Many incorporation backers started gathering to discuss the prospects for a Valley city in the 1950s. They put the proposal on the ballot in 1990 and 1994, when it was backed by 34 percent and 44 percent of voters, respectively.

The group ran a smarter campaign this year, cutting out precincts that were least supportive in the previous elections. The proposal for a city of 73,000 people was supported by the county’s Boundary Review Board, which recommended against the earlier attempts.

Citizens for Valley Incorporation warned that without a city, the Valley would be overlooked in planning required under the state’s Growth Management Act.

The group warned Spokane would take over western reaches of the Valley. That prediction gained credence when Spokane officials took steps to have the industrial Yardley neighborhood removed from the incorporation boundaries.

Until two weeks ago, it looked as if the 1995 incorporation drive would go unopposed. But a late-forming group, Concerned Citizens Against Valley Incorporation outspent proponents nearly 2-1, investing much of its money in television and radio ads McKinnon’s group couldn’t afford.

“I’m glad the voters decided not to divide the community,” said Dick Denenny, chairman of the antiincorporation group.

County Commissioner Skip Chilberg was relieved.

Anticipating a victory for incorporation, the county in recent weeks has prepared for a huge cut in revenue. Commissioners delayed projects like better courthouse security and a gang task force for the prosecutor’s office.

“This will let us precede with some projects with the knowledge that our funding will remain stable,” said Chilberg.

The election outcome was not nearly as certain early in the evening, when Chilberg announced the results of absentee ballots during the commissioners’ weekly meeting.

Of the 999 absentee ballots counted mechanically, 499 were marked “yes” and 500 were marked “no.” A single ballot that was too crinkled to be counted by the machine also was marked in favor of the proposal.

The early results buoyed the hopes of incorporation boosters, who had expected a strong showing by antiincorporation forces in the absentee votes.

Underfunded in each of its elections, Citizens for Valley Incorporation has learned to rely on masses of volunteer labor. Volunteer Al Dietzman said pro-incorporation forces had fresh leaflets printed on Tuesday and distributed them door-to-door in an effort to get the vote out.

The group’s message that the county spends Valley taxes in other areas struck a chord with voters like Judy Mayfield, who opposed past incorporation proposals but voted yes Tuesday.

“From what I understand from them, a lot of money is going out of the Valley, and I’d just as soon see it stay here,” said Mayfield, 25.

Other voters remained unconvinced.

“How can you add another layer of government and not spend more money?” said Kris Wales. “To me, it’s an utter joke that we’re going to hire all these people to run this new city, and it’s going to save us money.”

One Map: New city falls short (map if the proposed city)

MEMO: Two sidebars appeared with the story: 1. Valley says… Final, inofficial results of Valley incorporation vote. No 8,922 59% Yes 6,266 41% What’s next? Now that the decision has been made, where does the Valley go from here?/Page A4

2. Back for more? Spokane Valley incorporation is down but not necessarily out. Although it failed at the polls Tuesday, supporters can bring the proposal back next year because more than 40 percent of the voters supported the measure. If incorporation had gotten less than 40 percent approval, proponents would have been forced to wait at least three years before bringing it back to a vote.