And another thing …

Cool opportunity. The folks who are bringing the 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships to Spokane now have decided to go after something even bigger, the 2009 World Championships.

Star USA, the Spokane promotion company responsible for the U.S. championships award, knows Spokane’s bid for the worlds is a longshot. This year’s championships were held in Moscow.

The last time the event was staged in our region was 2001 when Vancouver, B.C., was host. But Gov. Christine Gregoire was in town Thursday to pledge the state’s support for what will be a time-consuming and highly competitive bidding process. With potential economic benefit to the region of tens of millions of dollars, it’s a fight the community can and should support.

Leaders and followers. The overwhelming opinion from an array of people who have closely studied the issue, including all three Spokane County commissioners, is that a sales tax bump is needed for the mental health care system. Nonetheless, there will be an advisory vote on the Nov. 8 ballot, and if the public says no, two commissioners, Phil Harris and Todd Mielke, say they will back off.

So, in essence, those commissioners’ views are merely advisory and the voters will decide the matter. That’s not how representative government is supposed to work. To his credit, Commissioner Mark Richard says he may still pursue a tax increase to meet this undeniable need. Doing the right thing, rather than the popular thing, is one sign of leadership.

State should put its cards on the table. Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire has struck a prospective revenue-sharing deal over gambling casinos the Spokane Indian Tribe might build — one at Airway Heights. It’s a brand new approach to Indian gaming, and the potential effect is statewide.

But no locale will feel the consequences as directly as Spokane County. The Spokanes’ casino at Airway Heights would be in direct competition with the Kalispel Tribe’s Northern Quest Casino. Major expansion of gambling opportunities is but one of the concerns on local officials’ minds.

It’s a good thing that two state entities will study the matter in the next three weeks — a joint legislative committee and the state Gambling Commission.

The problem is, both meetings will be in King County, some 300 miles from the community that will live with the outcome. Spokane County Commissioner Todd Mielke correctly called that “amazing.” Four lawmakers who represent part of Spokane County sit on the commerce and labor committees that will meet in Renton next week, so maybe Sen. Lisa Brown and Reps. Alex Wood, Larry Crouse and Bob Sump can explain it to Mielke and the community.