Find A Place On The Shelf For This It’S The Wrong Time City Hall’S A Mess. Who’D Want To Join?

An idea good in theory isn’t necessarily wise in the real world. Consider, for example, the city of Spokane’s recent talk of annexing several areas along its borders.

In theory, our metropolitan area is one community and therefore ought to be governed by a single entity so that services would be uniform, administrative redundancy reduced and the whole tax base harnessed for the benefit of all. It’s a good theory and many of us subscribe to it. This theory was at the root of the effort to organize a consolidated city-county government a few years back.

Voters, however, rejected that theory.

Enter, then, the real world of local politics. Those who long for better, more-unified local government have to face political facts as they are. One key fact is that suburban dwellers really do not seem interested in becoming vassals of the Spokane City Council.

The Valley and the far North Side have distinct identities. Furthermore, residents of these areas live there because they like it there. Among other things, they like their service providers - such as the Valley Fire Department and the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department. Sure, some get sewer and water service from the city - and pay plenty for it. Spokane County commissioners, thanks largely to the very competent Kate McCaslin, run a tight ship that is in exceptionally good financial condition.

The same cannot be said of City Hall, where the unfortunate bickering and uncertainties of the current transitional year have inspired a continuing exodus of the most experienced, knowledgeable employees. The last person to leave may not even know how to turn off the lights.

Under these conditions, what will happen if the city tries forcibly to annex some territory? The first thing it will hear is snorts of disdain. Next, it likely will hear that petitions are circulating for the incorporation of separate cities on its borders. Then will come the lawsuits.

The formation of separate cities would create permanent divisions in our community and would end all near-term hopes for consolidated governance. It would create enormous governmental startup hassles in the suburban areas, which right now are reasonably content.

City Hall’s timing is worse than poor, it is counterproductive.