Democrat hopefuls unite against Harris

Spokane County government needs to be more open to the public, say two Democrats who want to replace three-term Commissioner Phil Harris.

Community activist Bonnie Mager said county commissioners need more televised night meetings as part of a push to increase civic involvement. Some may call it radical to give neighborhoods more control over development, she said, but to her it’s just common sense.

Former state legislator George Orr said it’s unfair to the public to hold most meetings during the day, when most of the people who can attend are those who want the commissioners to take some action.

“Their scam is to pull this stuff off under the radar,” he said.

Orr and Mager made an unusually early joint appearance before about 70 people gathered for the Warren G. Magnuson Democratic Club.

Neither has formally announced a campaign, although candidates don’t officially register until late July. The primary is Sept. 19.

It wasn’t a debate. Both said the county needs to do a better job working with city governments, and both said the county should spend more on human services but declined to say how much.

Both criticized Harris, a Republican, for taking large contributions from property developers and other business interests at a $1,000-a-plate campaign kickoff in January.

Harris has said his donors give because they expect him to be fair to all sides, not because they expect him to take their side.

He’s raised more than $40,000, while Orr said he has raised about $4,000 and Mager’s campaign has yet to report any donations.

Like many new candidates, the challengers spent much of their time describing their resumes.

Orr, who served four years in the Legislature and 34 years on the Valley Fire Department, said the county needs a plan to deal with terrorism.

Mager, who has been involved in Citizens for Clean Air, the Washington Environmental Council and the Neighborhood Alliance, asked the audience to sign a petition calling for open county government.