Greene Expected To Seek Second Term On Council Says She Will Continue Drive For Better Jobs, Higher Home Ownership

A self-described “naive newcomer” when she announced plans to seek a Spokane City Council seat nearly four years ago, Councilwoman Roberta Greene has gained a reputation for asking questions.

More experienced now, but with the same determination to find answers, Greene is expected today to announce her plans to seek a second term on the council.

During her first four-year term, Greene said she has gained a better understanding about the workings of city government.

“I don’t have any problems asking questions,” she said. “I want to make good, well-thought-out decisions.”

“I know where to go to find the answers,” she said.

During her term on the council, Greene has tangled with such issues as the complex state Growth Management Act, city finances, public safety and neighborhood concerns.

Greene, 55, co-owns Empire Ford with her husband, Nate. She moved here in 1986 from Charleston, S.C.

Greene counts working on the Downtown Spokane Plan and her involvement with the Community Assembly of Neighborhood Councils as some of her most satisfying projects.

But just as rewarding, she said, are the opportunities she’s had as a councilwoman to speak to a wide variety of community groups, schools and organizations, and to serve as a role model for youngsters.

“I thoroughly enjoy being a representative of our city,” she said.

In the future, she said she plans to focus on better jobs and housing for Spokane residents.

“We have to try to get more people into home ownership,” she said.

Greene pushed this year for a resolution offering tax incentives for building multi-family housing in specific Spokane areas. Next year, she hopes to see it put into effect.

“I’m excited about our future as a community,” Greene said. “We just need to work through obstacles and move forward together.”