Council Wrangles Before Business District Vote Greene, Eugster Trade Words During Debate Over Deferral Of Rate-Setting Hearing

If the last year has proved anything, it’s that even the most innocuous of agenda items can polarize the Spokane City Council.

Monday night was no exception, as the council split on whether or not to defer for one week a vote that would set a hearing on the Business Improvement District’s assessments for 2001.

The council divided in its usual way, with the majority of Mayor John Talbott and councilmembers Steve Corker, Steve Eugster and Cherie Rodgers winning the vote to defer.

It was Councilman Steve Eugster who asked that the item be deferred in order that the council could consider it along with his ordinance that would remake the BID.

Eugster has argued that the BID, which collects fees from downtown business and property owners to pay for services, needs to be terminated in order to be re-created as a more effective entity.

If there is to be a new BID, Eugster said, the fees should be assessed based on the new structure.

“If we want this to be a seamless transition (to the new structure) by Jan. 1, we should get the assessment set,” he said.

Other council members wondered if deferring the hearing would create difficulties for the current BID, which needs to mail out its bills before the end of the year. For that reason, Mike Edwards, president of the Downtown Spokane Partnership, which administers the BID, urged the council not to defer.

Councilwoman Roberta Greene also questioned the assumption that there would be a new BID.

“There is a supposition that we are going to disestablish the BID,” said Greene. “I know there are those who can walk into meetings and say they have four votes, but that vote hasn’t happened yet.”

Greene repeated the objection she made several months ago to Eugster’s plan, which she said would impose by council action the new BID on a membership which had previously joined by a petition process.

Eugster said there was nothing unorthodox about forming a BID by council resolution. Eugster, who owns downtown property and has long objected to the fees he pays as a BID member, also said the petition process wasn’t necessarily any fairer.

“What Councilwoman Greene is suggesting is that we are ramming this down ratepayers’ throats,” Eugster said. “That is not true. If enough people protest it, it won’t go through.”

Greene, who has sparred with Eugster repeatedly over the last year, bristled at his comment.

“It seems to be an ongoing habit of his to correct my statements,” she said. “I would like to take the high road and ignore his consistent correcting of my statements.”

Eugster later accused Greene and others in the council minority of trying to duck the issue.

“Let’s be honest here,” he said. “There are some of us that don’t want to touch this thing and there are some of us that do. That’s what this battle is all about.”

“No, it’s not,” said Greene. “No, it’s not.”

“That is so disingenuous,” said Eugster.