Candidates Meet Spokane County Commissioner Candidates Spoke Of Growth And Other Concerns This Week

Candidates for Spokane County commissioner said encouraging and managing growth will be one of the key issues in this year’s District 1 race.

Commissioner John Roskelley and the three men vying to unseat the Democratic incumbent each spoke briefly this week at a Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce meeting.

Roskelley said preserving the quality of life in Spokane by protecting the aquifer, river corridors, air quality and open space will in turn benefit development.

“We have a responsibility to our future generations to see that growth takes place, but in a smart manner. Sprawl costs everyone in infrastructure costs,” Roskelley said.

“My vision for Spokane County is the same as many of yours - affordable homes, excellent education facilities, good-paying jobs, attractive community. And we can do these things while still protecting our environment. We have to get away from the belief that one is a trade off for the other. In fact, they complement each other.”

Roskelley pointed to his five-year voting record and said as a commissioner he has helped to keep tax hikes minimal while still putting money in reserve.

Land-use consultant and surveyor Cliff Cameron, who will challenge Roskelley in the Democratic primary, said over the past four years county commissioners have created an environment that stifles development.

“A good friend of mine always says, `If you’re not growing you’re dying,”’ Cameron said.

He added: “We have to be encouraging growth and development. Growth and development is not a dirty word.”

Cameron said his daughter probably won’t be able to pursue a career in Spokane when she graduates from college because opportunities here are limited.

“The focus we should have at this point is what we can do to keep growing at a sustainable rate,” he said. “Our children are moving away and that is not acceptable.”

This is the second time Cameron, 47, has challenged Roskelley. He lost by a wide margin in the 1996 Democratic primary.

Cameron also criticized the county for keeping so much money in reserve - about $16 million - and said it should be returned to the taxpayers.

“Why is Spokane County being used as a bank? That is the people’s money,” he said.

Republican challenger Karl Wilkinson said Spokane County needs to encourage “common sense” growth. It should not threaten the environment nor infringe on people’s rights.

The county needs to be organized and predictable to encourage that kind of growth, he said.

“Imagine every street in the county on a master schedule for improvements,” Wilkinson said. “Imagine walking into a government office and getting a complete checklist of everything you need to do … and then they don’t change it or add to it.”

Wilkinson, 50, has been a real estate agent for 22 years and also worked as a school teacher. He served on the East Valley School Board for 15 years before resigning to run against Roskelley.

He said he will work to get more people involved in county government if he is elected.

“I believe that government belongs to the people,” Wilkinson said.

Retired businessman Bill Sprague said the county must encourage growth by loosening regulations on development and streamlining the building permit process.

Sprague, 55, will face Wilkinson in the Republican primary. He ran for the District 1 seat in 1988, as a Democrat, but lost in the primary.

He also spoke against the emerging county land-use plan that would limit the size of subdivided lots. Many people have planned to sell their land to help pay for retirement, Sprague said.

“This GMA thing is kind of for the haves and the have-nots, and most of us are have-nots,” he said.

The county also needs to recruit high-paying jobs to the area. Sprague recommended establishing a job bank at the Spokane International Airport for people who are traveling through the area.

Sprague said he will not be influenced by special interests if he is elected and said he is running a “grass roots” campaign.

“I’m here today to say goodbye to John Roskelley. I’m tired of him keeping the county under his thumb,” he said.