Mayoral candidates in full debate mode

The gloves are off in the Spokane mayor’s race, just in time for a whole string of face-to-face meetings between Dennis Hession and challenger Mary Verner.

The two candidates made that clear last week in the first of about 10 debates or forums, when they fought for advantage on every question at the normally staid League of Women Voters Forum.

They fought over who was first on global warming. Hession noted he was “the first mayor in Eastern Washington” to sign on to a resolution calling for global protection and was named to a panel by the governor. Verner shot back that the City Council beat him to the punch, passing a quality-of-life resolution even earlier, adding “I’m really pleased that Mr. Hession has decided to get involved.” To which Hession replied: “The quality-of-life resolution was drafted by my office and handed to her.”

They fought over the firefighter pension fund. Hession all but accused Verner of selling her vote on a change in the policy for covering retired firefighters’ medical costs for a contribution from the union. Verner shot back that the city had been delaying a decision on the policy, hoping to save costs as old firefighters died, adding “I find that unconscionable.”

They even managed to mix it up on a fairly innocuous question over the importance of neighborhood councils. When Hession gave the fairly standard nod to the value of hearing from people about things that affect their neighborhood, Verner talked about the many council meetings she’s attended since taking office.

“I don’t believe I’ve ever seen Mr. Hession at any of them unless there was a special event,” she said.

When he was a council member, Hession countered, he had the time to go to neighborhood council meetings. In the 22 months he’s been mayor, “we’ve had a lot on our plate” but when things settle down after the election, he said, he plans to stop in more often.

And to think, in some election years, one candidate complains that the other is ducking debates. That’s not going to happen this year in the Spokane mayor’s race.

Over the next four weeks, there will be a pair of televised debates, a radio forum and a growing list of joint appearances for groups around Spokane. While Verner and Hession seem to be the big draw, City Council and council president candidates are also part of the radio forum, sponsored by KPBX, and some neighborhood councils may be sponsoring forums for the City Council position in the district where they are located.

One mayoral debate jointly sponsored by The Spokesman-Review, KXLY-TV and the League of Women Voters will be televised live and available on streaming video on both the newspaper and the television’s Web sites. Voters who want to see it the old-fashioned way – in person, at the Bing Crosby Theater – can do that, too, by picking up tickets at the newspaper office at 999 W. Riverside, the station at 500 W. Boone, or at the theater.

It will feature questions from a panel that includes journalists and a league member, questions from a “Sound Off” panel selected by KXLY, questions from the audience and questions sent by e-mail during the debate.

KSPS-TV will also sponsor a studio debate between Verner and Hession that will be taped for later broadcast.

Upcoming events

Here are the known candidate debates and forums. Remember: It’s subject to grow as the campaigns try to crowd more events into their candidates’ schedules. Current lists for the coming week will be available in The Spokesman-Review’s Sunday political column Spin Control.

Oct. 8: North Spokane Rotary Club’s mayoral debate at noon at the Red Lion Inn at the Park.

Oct. 9: KPBX forum for mayor, council candidates and council president, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the Bing Crosby Theater, Sprague and Lincoln. (Taped for broadcast on Oct. 21-24 at various times on 91.1 and 91.9 FM.)

Oct. 10: Spokane Society for Young Professionals and the Young Lawyers Division of the county Bar Association mayoral debate with questions from members and Gonzaga University students, 6:45 p.m., Barbieri Moot Court Room, GU Law School.

Oct. 12: Greater Spokane Inc. mayor forum breakfast, at 7:15 a.m., Champion’s Room, Spokane Arena; information at (509) 624-1393.

Oct. 15: Spokane City Forum mayoral debate, 11:45 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church; $10 for lunch, reservations at (509) 777-1555.

Oct. 18: KSPS-TV mayoral debate, taped for rebroadcast at 7 p.m. on Channel 7.

Oct. 23: Downtown Kiwanis mayoral debate, noon at Center Stage, 1017 W. First.

Oct. 23: Chase Youth Commission forum for mayoral and council candidates, 4 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, City Hall.

Oct. 25: Manito-Cannon Hill Neighborhood Council mayoral and Council District 2 forum, 7 p.m. at Wilson Elementary School, 25th and Lincoln.

The League of Women Voters candidate forums will be rebroadcast throughout the month, starting Monday at 10 a.m., on City Cable Channel 5. Local news radio shows also expect to be offering candidates time for individual or joint interviews.