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Council’s end run

The Spokesman-Review

For all the talk of the City Council about supporting the democratic process, their latest move flies in the face of it. In watching the City Council meetings these past few weeks, it became clear that the reason the council voted to put the Community Bill of Rights measure on the ballot is to avoid a lawsuit, not because they support democracy.

Now we learn that they plan to put “advisory questions” on the ballot, which are not only unnecessary but an attempt to undermine the initiative itself. It appears the Spokane Home Builders Association wrote these questions for the council as they seem to control Al French and Nancy McLaughlin, at the very least.

So, rather than trust the voters to decide – the very same voters who put them in office and who can take them out – the City Council is trying to make an end run around the initiative system. That’s not democracy; it’s unethical!

Rick Evans

Spokane

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