Public Periscope
Taking the high road
Spokane County Commissioner Phil Harris chastised the Spokane City Council last week for not finding a way to get voters to support road needs. He then proudly crowed about the county’s ability to get people involved. … He even suggested that when it comes to raising money for transportation, city officials should be more like the county. But even Harris had to laugh when Councilwoman Roberta Greene reminded him that Spokane County voters roundly rejected a gasoline tax increase last fall while the same measure was favored by a majority within Spokane city limits.
On the third hand …
Commissioner Phil Harris managed to come down in support of every side of a recent move to prohibit competing vendors from using the county fairgrounds 30 days before or after each other. He voted against the measure - while saying he was doing so merely because the plan was procedurally flawed. … Immediately after the meeting, he said he actually was of “two minds on the issue.” On one hand, he’d prefer not to have any restrictions on use of the fairgrounds. But if restrictions are necessary, he added, he prefers that competing vendors not use the fairgrounds 60 days before or after each other.
What a deal …
A misprint in a recent Spokane City Council agenda caused Councilwoman Roberta Greene to wonder whether she had made the right choice in running for office. Her car business had to forsake bidding on city contracts. Readers may recall that Greene and her husband, Nate, own Empire Ford. … The agenda item detailed a contract with Wendle Ford to buy three heavy-duty four-wheel-drive pickup trucks for 466,177.”I’ll happily resign if we could get a bid like this,” Greene said. “We could sell three trucks a year and retire. Could we reopen the bids for this?” … Turns out the amount was a mistake made by a typist who had failed to hit the shift button: The four was supposed to be a dollar sign and the actual bid was for a much more reasonable $66,177.
Does this collate?
Travis Jones, an administrator in the Spokane County prosecutor’s office, was less than warmly received last week when he asked commissioners if he could spend $13,000 on a photocopier. Even though most of the cost would be covered by grants and other funds, commissioners weren’t convinced Jones was trying to get the best deal. .. Little mention was made of the fact that $3,000 of the cost would have come from a grant designed to help the county battle domestic violence. Jones maintained that using the money on a photocopier would be appropriate because at least a quarter of the copies would be made by a domestic violence unit.
Few of us will ever worry about this
The Washington State Lottery - that government-sanctioned numbers game - has such a deal for you, and it just started Sunday. Now, if you’re lucky enough to win one of those jackpots that amount to bazillions of dollars, the state will give you a choice of payment plans. … Option 1 - the way it’s been ever since the state got into the gambling racket - is to split the money up over 20 years of payouts. Now, Option 2 allows you to take a lump sum all at once. … Note, however, that if the jackpot is a bazillion when you pick all the right numbers, the state will give you only half a bazillion as a lump sum. But then, you can invest it anyway you want - the stock market, the ponies, whatever - and maybe make even more over those 20 years. … Don’t think the state is being strictly altruistic in offering this option. As the agency noted in a press release announcing the change, when other states have offered such a deal, they have sold more tickets.
This sidebar appeared with the story: HOT TOPICS Tuesday: Looking for a chance to chat with your legislators? If you live in the 6th District - which covers much of south and northwest Spokane - there’s a town hall meeting with Sen. Jim West and Rep. Brad Benson at 7 p.m. in the downtown Spokane public library, 909 W. Main.