Flanigan won’t seek re-election to Valley council

Spokane Valley City Councilman Mike Flanigan has said he will not seek re-election, making position 6 the sole open seat on the council with the official filing period beginning next week.

“I never had any intention of being a professional politician,” Flanigan said, motivated instead by being a part of the city’s first council and getting the new municipality on its feet.

More time with his 12- and 13-year-old children and more time for involvement in specific community issues nudged him to decide against running again, he said.

“One of the prime reasons I was elected was because of my involvement in the community … and once I was elected, I no longer had time to do any of that,” Flanigan said. “It’s the ultimate Catch-22.”

Because of the demands of the council, he hasn’t been able to make it to a SCOPE meeting since he was elected, he said. He also wants to be more involved in school board issues and organizing events like Valleyfest and Spokane Valley Heritage Museum programs.

“I can still have an impact,” he said, adding that even after his term he’ll be no stranger at council meetings when public comment is taken on issues he cares about.

A self-described populist, Flanigan said he hopes his successor will follow the will of the citizens when making decisions and also will continue to oppose new taxes.

Filing for candidates begins next week. From Monday to July 29, declaration and affidavit of candidacy forms can be filed at the Spokane County elections office. The fee to run for a Spokane Valley City Council seat is $48.

All seven council positions are up for re-election. The four winning candidates with the most votes will have four-year terms, with the remaining seats filled for two years in order to stagger the terms.

Candidates must file with the state’s Public Disclosure Commission as soon as they begin campaigning.

For more information, visit the PDC Web site at www.pdc.wa.gov or the elections Web site at www.spokanecounty.org/elections.