A low-key debate between Spokane Mayor Jack Geraghty and challenger John Talbott on Wednesday led the political rivals to common ground.

But they didn’t stay there long.

The hourlong debate sponsored by the Citizens League of Greater Spokane touched on myriad topics, ranging from public transit to the Lincoln Street bridge, downtown redevelopment to neighborhood councils.

Recent controversies over proposed route changes by the Spokane Transit Authority led the candidates to a similar conclusion: The public should have greater say over the transit system.

Geraghty thought that control should be vested with county government.

Talbott said he wasn’t sure what governmental entity should oversee the STA, but he was sure the current system wasn’t working.

If elected, he said, he plans to draft a “legislative agenda so that we the citizens control the STA.”

The candidates also said they’d support putting a ballot initiative before voters next year aimed at making the neighborhood council system a part of the city’s charter.

The two parted ways when asked whether they’d put the Lincoln Street bridge project to a vote.

Talbott firmly supported such a move.

Any recommendation that came from the citizens committee studying the bridge should go to voters for approval, he said.

Geraghty said he would abide by the committee’s findings, but he didn’t commit to putting the issue to a public vote.

After the debate, he said he felt it was his duty as mayor to make decisions.

“But, if it really came down to it, we could take a public vote,” Geraghty said. “It would have to be an advisory one.”

, DataTimes