Campaign ‘99

Candidate Q and A

This week we return to a regular feature of the Campaign Notebook column that offers readers a chance to compare the answers of the candidates on one topic. This week’s question was:

Do you support the amendment to the city’s Human Rights Ordinance that is on the November ballot?

(The amendment would remove sexual orientation as one of the protections in the city’s human rights code.)

Position 1

David Bray: Oppose. “I think people are being misinformed by the Equal Rights, Not Special Rights group. This region doesn’t need to be known for discrimination against anyone.”

Roberta Greene: Oppose. “I think discrimination is wrong, period. I am hoping that we as a community will recognize that different people, while we may not agree with them, have their right to be a part of the community.”

Position 2

Steve Corker: Oppose. “It’s a human rights issue. I do not think human rights should be limited. We should not prevent gays and lesbians from enjoying basic human rights.”

Al French. Oppose. “The community has to make a stand on diversity. We welcome everyone from all different lifestyles to the table.”

Position 3

Jeff Colliton: Oppose. “We should send a message that we don’t discriminate against anyone. Period. That is the message we want to send to businesses that want to locate here.”

Steve Eugster: Oppose. “When people are in the business of providing public accommodation, they can’t be in the business of discriminating between one person and the next.”

Running with the PACs

The number of new business-related political action committees in Spokane continues to grow. The Spokane Area and Spokane Valley chambers of commerce filed papers last week to form the Business Alliance for Inland Northwest Prosperity … The alliance, which does not make a decent acronym by the way, has no money in its coffers but hopes to remedy that through a flier asking for contributions that was inserted in the Spokane Journal of Business. Already in the campaign fray are two other new PACs, Straight Talk and the Lilac City Garden Club, which have the backing of prominent businessmen and women … But business isn’t a monolithic bloc, any more than unions or soccer moms are. Don’t be too surprised if the alliance backs different horses in the upcoming races.

Campaign trivia

We have a winner with the correct answer to last week’s campaign trivia question: What candidate in the 1980s campaigned throughout Spokane in a black and orange 1967 Buick Electra? … The correct answer, from Jim Christie of Spokane, is mayoral candidate Margaret Leonard, who, when filing for office in 1987, said she was “hitting on all eight” when asked how she was doing. Leonard is still active in politics, by the way. She served as campaign treasurer for John Talbott’s mayoral bid … Christie wins a memento from one of the most expensive short presidential campaigns in history, a Gramm for President button.

This week’s trivia question: Supporters of what Washington state candidate sported buttons that proclaimed: “Hi! I’m a Big Labor Boss”? Call, fax, mail or e-mail your answer to one of the numbers or addresses listed below.