Anderson Says He’d Give Part Of His Salary Back Candidate Offers Symbolic Solution To County Budget, Morale Problems

Chris Anderson thinks he has a quick, symbolic solution to Spokane County’s budget woes and plummeting employee morale: He promises to give back 10 percent of his salary if elected county commissioner.

Cynics might argue that 90 percent of a $55,746 annual salary is still a pretty good windfall for someone without a job other than being a Spokane City Council member.

Anderson has gone through a series of jobs in recent years. He was elected to the City Council in January 1984.

The independent needs only 1 percent of the primary vote to qualify for the general election.

“It’s a clear message I’m willing to sacrifice before I go forward and ask employees or taxpayers to sacrifice,” Anderson said.

He said the county must economize while at the same time directing more resources to punishing criminals.

He proposes using civilians or volunteers to transport shackled prisoners from jail to courtrooms, instead of well-paid deputies.

Saying the county can’t afford to build new jails without raising taxes, Anderson wants to use existing detention units more efficiently by assigning two or three inmates to each bed. When prisoners aren’t sleeping, they’d be working, he said.

Other budget savings could occur by eliminating unnecessary services, he said, and asking employees to temporarily forgo step increases while raising productivity.

“People are terrified over there,” Anderson said of courthouse morale. “Morale could be boosted with people just knowing where the Board of County Commissioners is trying to take the county.

“The board has done a terrible job of communicating with the public, a terrible job of communicating amongst themselves and a terrible job of communicating with department heads.”

, DataTimes