Demos Take Different Trails In Race For Commission Seat Crumley Balks At Criticism While Reid Lobs Bombshells

The two Democrats vying to replace Spokane County Commissioner Phil Harris are as different as their campaign styles.

Kathy Reid, a retired nurse once appointed to fill a vacant state legislative seat, is lobbing bombshells at Harris - and all but ignoring opponent Dennis Crumley.

Crumley, a juvenile corrections officer and president of his local supervisors’ union, refuses to speak critically of anyone - including Harris and Reid.

While the two Democrats for the Third District seat hold vaguely Democratic positions, they share little when it comes to priorities.

Where Crumley talks about fixing potholes in county roads, Kathy Reid focuses on making road crews more efficient.

Where Reid talks about battling perceptions of cronyism in county hiring, Crumley wants the county to do more to embrace diversity.

At the top of Crumley’s list is his call to return “honesty and integrity” to public office.

Crumley, 50, won’t specify how the county has lost those traits, or if he believes Harris is responsible.

“I promised to keep the campaign clean, and I have to keep that promise,” he said.

Reid, meanwhile, insists people are still complaining about the fact that two of Harris’ sons work for the county in maintenance.

While Harris claims - and evidence appears to support - that he wasn’t involved in the hirings, Reid, 55, says it still looks bad.

“People just feel county employees wouldn’t dare cross the boss by not hiring his sons,” she said.

Crumley, who has spent 19 years in juvenile justice, also wants to focus on stemming the tide of crimes committed by minors.

He has three main ideas: Get to problem kids early - age 11 or 12 - and get them help before they become violent. When minors commit violent crimes, lock them up and keep them locked up. Establish a committee of teachers, lawyers, police and business people to brainstorm ways to deal more effectively with problem kids.

“We don’t want our kids going to school in fear of being shot,” Crumley said.

Crumley also has taken a page from candidates for county sheriff, who want to eliminate a handful of desk jobs and put more cops on the street.

In addition, he said commissioners should not have such a large reserve fund - now roughly $7 million - until basic services like pothole patching are better funded.

Crumley wants to spend time in Olympia, ensuring Eastern Washington gets its share of state tax dollars. And he wants to improve relations between commissioners and unions.

“There are ways we can reduce overtime if we have management and labor sit down together,” he said. “I know I can make that work.”

Reid, meanwhile, is focused primarily on Harris.

She said he has taken credit for reducing county spending when, in fact, operating costs have risen. Tax rates haven’t skyrocketed because property value increases have brought in more money, she said.

Reid also supports more “common sense” changes in operations, particularly through combining some services in public works.

She cites a consultant’s report that calls for simple changes - like installing wells in outlying areas to be used by road-maintenance crews.

“It seems ridiculous for empty trucks to be running 20 miles back to town to get a load of water to spray on the road,” Reid said.

She also thinks the state and commissioners should search for alternative methods to field burning, and not abandon bluegrass farmers.

“I’m an environmentalist, but I want methods found so we don’t destroy our economy as well,” she said. “I believe the job of leaders is to find the people who have the answers.”

Harris and Reform Party candidate Phil Kiver are unopposed in the primary.

This sidebar appeared with the story: The job The Spokane County District 3 commissioner represents northeast Spokane and the western portion of the county. Commissioners set policy and oversee the budget and other county business. They serve four-year terms and earn $59,158 a year.