SR Editorial re: Arrogant Assessor

County Assessor Ralph Baker lost the only contested election campaign he waged in Spokane County. That was in 2002, when he ran for auditor. Since then, however, the road to office and influence has been wide, smooth and unimpeded. Maybe, therefore, complacency explains the strangely insensitive attitude he has adopted toward the public. Telling county personnel to spend less time with citizens who come into the courthouse office, removing chairs so members of the public will find waiting for service less comfortable, telling employees to stop helping senior citizens fill out property tax exemption forms — these are not the actions of a politician with an eye on the ballot box.

For the rest of Gary Crooks’ SR editorial, click here .

Question: I simply can’t imagine a situation like this in Kootenai County. We’d run off an assessor like this who has no time for the public. Can you suggest any jobs that Baker would be better able to perform.