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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Tab tax for city car owners on agenda

From Staff And Wire Reports

The Spokane City Council on Monday will decide if car owners who live in the city of Spokane should have to pay a $20 annual license tab tax.

Council members remain divided on the issue. Although state law requires the tax to be used for streets, the council could divert other street money to fund other departments.

The council voted this fall to create a Transportation Benefit District. When taking up tab tax matters the council will be acting as the Transportation Benefit District Governing Board. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. or immediately after Monday night’s City Council meeting. It will be held in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.

City reports progress on plowing

As work continued to dig out Spokane’s residential street, officials reported good progress on Friday.

“Plowing is going better than originally anticipated, and officials expect the full-city plow to be completed Sunday,” according to a city news release. But the berms left at the end of driveways would be heavy and difficult to move, especially as temperatures drop, and officials warned that large ice chunks are likely.

The city declared a Stage 2 Snow Emergency on Thursday, requiring residents to move their cars to the even side of the street within residential areas. The residential parking restrictions are in place in an area until that area has been plowed.

To check the plow route map, visit www.spokanestreetdepartment.org/documents/ snowroutemap.pdf. To check the progress of city plows, visit www.spokanestreetdepartment.org/ snowplow.htm. City spokeswoman Marlene Feist said capacity has been added to the city’s computer server, which should make navigating the online system a little easier.

Unabomber’s land up for sale

HELENA – A 1.4-acre parcel of land in Western Montana that was once owned by Unabomber Ted Kaczynski is on the market for $69,500.

The property is listed by John Pistelak Realty of Lincoln, Mont. Pistelak said he was in a meeting Friday morning and couldn’t immediately comment.

The listing offers potential buyers a chance to own a piece of “infamous U.S. history” and says the forested land “is obviously very secluded.”

The Lincoln-area property, which had been listed at $154,500, does not have electricity or running water. Kaczynski was critical of technology.

The property does not include Kaczynski’s cabin. It is on display in the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

Kaczynski is serving a life sentence for a series of mail bombings over 17 years that killed three and injured 23.