County race turns negative

Congressional, legislative and now even local races are going negative.

With Tuesday’s ballot-casting deadline drawing near, Democrat Bonnie Mager has joined the growing number of candidates turning to campaign attack ads. The new radio spots are taking aim at her Republican opponent, incumbent Spokane County Commissioner Phil Harris.

“Nepotism is a cancer that infects any organization where it is allowed and destroys employee morale,” former County Commissioner John Roskelley says in one of the ads. “Phil Harris has three sons working for the county. How does a county manager reprimand the commissioner’s son or turn down a request for a step increase? They don’t.”

Harris said the ads indicate that the Mager campaign is desperate.

“I think it’s sad that she had to resort to these kinds of tactics,” said Harris, who is running his own radio commercials. “My ads are all positive about me. I’m just not going to do negative stuff.”

Democrats say that they need to highlight why they feel change is needed in county government. After all, they point out, Harris’ three sons have been hired into county jobs since Harris was first elected 12 years ago.

“We had to bring up that there is a problem, and there needs to be a change,” Mager said.

Mager’s and Harris’ ads are playing on many of the same stations, including KXLY and KGA. As of the end of October, Harris’ campaign had about $14,000 left to spend. Mager had about $8,000, according to their most recent finance reports filed with the state.

Harris has denied he had anything to do with his sons’ hiring. Cathy Malzahn, the county’s human resources director, said she believes county managers are empowered enough to reprimand any of the Harris children if it became necessary.

Roskelley, who wrote the ad that he read, said he was motivated to participate in the commercial after The Spokesman-Review’s editorial board endorsed Harris.

“They completely washed over nepotism,” Roskelley said. “The Spokesman-Review just said, ‘Hooey, we’re going to endorse him anyway.’ “

Harris questions Roskelley’s involvement, noting that he serves on the Eastern Washington Growth Management Hearings Board. That council recently ruled against the county commission in cases brought by the Neighborhood Alliance of Spokane County. Mager is on leave as the alliance’s director.

But Roskelley said he sought advice from the state attorney general’s office before participating in the race, adding that as a Democrat with a history of disagreeing with Harris, his decision to support Mager shouldn’t be a shocker.

“As long as I am participating as an individual and do not use my office, then it is perfectly legal,” Roskelley said.

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