Strong Mayor Candidates Have Last Debate Talbott, Powers See Eye To Eye On Few Issues

In their last joint appearance before Tuesday’s election, the men running for Spokane’s strong mayor debated Sunday and seemed to be talking about two different cities.

Incumbent Mayor John Talbott described a city that has turned the corner, with vigorous new leadership and enthusiastic employees, hindered only by the River Park Square debacle.

In the Spokane described by attorney John Powers, River Park Square is just one of many issues left to fester by a stagnant, dispirited city government that has failed to unite the city.

While the two men saw eye to eye on a few issues - the need to bolster the city’s economy and to end domestic violence - they offered mostly contrasting views of Spokane.

They differed on who is to blame for the city’s broken streets, on negative campaigning and on how to solve the River Park Square garage controversy.

While Powers pushed his plan of mediating the garage dispute, Talbott scoffed, saying mediation is another opportunity for the mall’s developer to take advantage of the city.

Mediation means a compromise and the developer will still be receiving city money, Talbott said. “We ought to get back to ground zero.”

Talbott has long been critical of the 1997 city ordinance that pledged city parking meter revenue to support the garage if its revenues didn’t meet its expenses. He has also taken issue with using a low-interest Housing and Urban De- velopment loan guarantee to help finance the downtown redevelopment.

River Park Square is being developed by an affiliate of Cowles Publishing, which owns The Spokesman-Review.

Talbott clearly believes River Park Square is an issue that still resonates strongly with Spokane voters.

In the course of the hour-long debate at KXLY’s television studios, he mentioned the garage or the potential loss of HUD funds eight times, in response to questions about everything from snow removal to the city’s lack of cultural diversity.

When asked about the city’s reputation among businesses as a source of cheap labor, for example, Talbott responded in part by saying “If we can get that River Park Square problem solved and get that HUD 108 money back into the neighborhoods, we can solve that problem.”

Powers said the city needs to address the garage issue and move on.

“I don’t believe the future of the city revolves around River Park Square,” he said. “It’s an important issue but the city goes well beyond that. We need to get beyond obsessing over one problem.”

Both candidates were asked about one perennial problem: Spokane’s broken streets, and how to fund what is now a $100 million backlog in repairs.

Talbott said the City Council has refused to provide a solution.

“For political reasons, the council has not risen to the challenge,” he said. “We need a council that will step up to the plate and put together a bond issue people will support.”

Powers said it’s a question of whether citizens trust city government.

“We’re not going to fix our streets by blaming the council,” Powers said. “The council needs resources. Step one is restoring trust and confidence in City Hall. It’s not there now and if you tried to pass a bond tomorrow, I fear it would not pass.”

While the debate was civil, it grew tense when Talbott was asked about ads attacking Powers. The ads are being run by political action committees on Talbott’s behalf.

Talbott said he had no knowledge of the ads before they ran. While there is no place for false advertising, some questions needed to be asked, he said.

The most recent ads, which take the form of mailers from Citizens for Fair and Open Government, accuse Powers of violating campaign finance laws. The accusation is based on a complaint filed by a Talbott supporter with the state Public Disclosure Commission last week. The PDC dismissed the complaint Friday.

“If I were to ask a question and someone doesn’t like it, is that negative campaigning?” Talbott asked. “I don’t think so.”

Powers wasted no opportunity in blasting both the ads and the mayor’s response.

“Those are are false, they are misleading and they are fearbased,” he said. “While the mayor may not have seen them before they ran, he has had every opportunity to do so now. I’ve asked him to stand in public, show some leadership and denounce those ads.”