Strong-Mayor Backer Turns In Enough Names Eugster Submits Over 4,000 Signatures

Wed., June 9, 1999

By Kathy Mulady kathymu@spokesman.com

Steve Eugster turned in enough signatures Tuesday to earn his proposed strong-mayor initiative a spot on the November general election ballot.

About 3,000 valid signatures are needed to qualify the initiative for the ballot. Eugster turned in petitions with 4,196 signatures.

The City Council will likely ask that the signatures be verified to make sure the required number are from registered voters who live in the city.

The initiative, proposed by Eugster’s Coalition for a New Spokane, would change Spokane’s city manager form of government to an elected strong-mayor type.

“Every four years we will have to get behind our leader,” Eugster said.

“We want this issue to be the subject of substantial debate among the candidates,” added Eugster, who is challenging Councilman Jeff Colliton for his council seat.

“I expect it will be a campaign issue,” Colliton said. “It is an expensive and somewhat outdated form of government. I think most cities are moving away from a strong-mayor form.”

Eugster proposed a strong-mayor initiative in 1996, but never turned in signatures. Instead, the City Council voted to place the proposal on the September ballot.

Eugster later said the council set the initiative up for defeat by not allowing him time to raise money or educate voters. The initiative collected almost 44 percent of the vote.

This time, Eugster turned in signatures equaling 5 percent of the voters in the last municipal election, likely earning it a spot on the November ballot.

David Bray’s proposal for electing City Council members by district has been placed on the November ballot.

Signature gathering for the strong-mayor initiative was done by a combination of volunteer and paid gatherers, Eugster said. He said he paid for the signature gathering himself.

Bray helped organize the signature-collecting effort for Eugster. “This City Council has a history of making it as difficult as possible for anything they disagree with to reach the ballot,” Bray said. “I strongly support this initiative and wanted to make sure people had the opportunity to vote for it.”

WHAT’S NEXT Council action The Spokane City Council is expected to seek verification of the initiative signatures.

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