Candidates have much in common

In an atmosphere where mayoral candidates are accused of being lying, racist, flip-flopping scoundrels – and that’s leaving out any accusations about mayoral spouses or their supporters – it can be hard to remember that Mayor Dennis Hession and Councilwoman Mary Verner actually share many of the same opinions on the biggest issues.

“Both voted to settle the River Park Square funding controversy with the company that owns this newspaper.

“Both voted to allow unmarried partners of city employees to receive city benefits.

“Both voted to raise utility taxes during a financial crisis in 2005.

“Both supported the recall of former Mayor Jim West.

“Both supported subsidies to pay for infrastructure at the Kendall Yards development.

“Both supported the annexation of land along North Division Street into the city.

“Both supported a decision to allow cameras to catch red light runners.

“Both questioned the need to spend budget surplus money to build a new fire station in the Latah Valley.

“Both have suggested similar solutions to the city’s low-income housing shortage.

“Both have made cleaning up the Spokane River a cornerstone in their platforms.

Asked about similarities, Hession said his strength is experience and results.

“First and foremost, I’ve run this organization for 22 months,” Hession said earlier this month. “We have in a very short period of time turned this organization around and are in a very positive, proactive, progressive track, and none of my opponents can say that they did that.”

Given the same question, Verner said the difference is her ability to engage the public.

“It is a matter of how one approaches the issue and reaches the conclusion,” Verner said in an interview this summer. “And I feel that I approach these issues by careful study, by deliberately reaching out to secure input from various perspectives, a lot of different perspectives to better inform my decision and reserving my final decision until after the completion of all the public process.”