Reporter’s coverage of City Council biased

Sat., Nov. 19, 2011

Nina Culver’s article on the front page of the Valley Voice (Nov. 17) was totally inaccurate. Her article was biased and based upon the opinion of two Spokane Valley City Council members and contained half-truths.

In my opinion her article should have read, “City Manager Mike Jackson sets speed trap.”

Nowhere in the municipal code does it state that our City Council did not have the right to adopt an amendment reducing the speed limit on Mission Avenue that same evening. I believe that was their intent until Mike Jackson gave council his opinion. Unfortunately that opinion came after council’s well-intended resolution lowering the speed limit on the parkways. I believe he set a “trap” for council as his opinion was intentionally withheld until after the resolution passed.

There is nothing in the code that states council needed a “recommendation” from staff or notice. The code only requires a traffic study, which was completed on Oct. 10 and 11.

We in the Valley are fortunate to have a council that works extremely hard for its citizens, are well-intended and do not deserve the type of biased, misleading and yellow journalism Ms. Culver provides.

I would prefer she gets her story straight or go find another job.

Pete Miller

Spokane Valley

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