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

Riccelli, Benn vie for 3rd Legislative District seat

Tim Benn has a lot ground to make up if he wants to serve in the state House representing central Spokane.

He emerged from the August primary with 34 percent of the vote, enough to move to the general election by beating a Libertarian candidate, but still well behind the 57 percent won by incumbent Democratic state Rep. Marcus Riccelli.

Benn, who is active in the Spokane County Republican Party, has identified himself on the ballot as an “Independent R,” not as a Republican. His decision is a reflection that the 3rd Legislative District is dominated by Democratic voters.

Riccelli defeated Benn for the seat two years ago. He holds a major campaign fundraising advantage in the race. He’s raised $97,000 – almost 14 times more than Benn.

Since the primary, Riccelli said he has focused a lot of attention on two major issues: the continued funding of public education and getting a medical school to Spokane.

“We do need to create better opportunities for our graduates in Washington,” Riccelli said, adding that research shows 70 percent of college graduates remain in careers near the schools they graduate from. “This is not just about a medical school. The health care sector is huge for our community.”

In early September, the Washington Supreme Court held the Legislature in contempt for its inability to increase funding for public education. That ruling was based on the so-called McCleary decision which gave the legislature until 2018 to raise the K-12 budget.

Riccelli said the Legislature has worked on this but has not been able to agree where cuts could be made, or taxes increased, to pay for the shortfall.

“House Democrats passed legislation to close $1 billion worth of tax loopholes and ineffective tax incentives,” Riccelli said.

Benn doesn’t agree that there’s a need to increase basic education spending. He maintains that public schools can do a better job with the money already allocated, and he is opposed to national education standards. Benn supports charter schools which he said fit with the more localized operating model for schools he envisions.

Benn said poverty and the lack of living-wage jobs in Spokane must be addressed at the legislative level.

“High rates of unemployment is tied directly to small business failure rates which are higher in Spokane than in other Washington cities,” Benn said.

“Spokane can no longer afford Washington’s anti-business policies that continually trickle down and become anti-citizen policies,” Benn said.

Riccelli, who is the vice chairman of the House Health Care and Wellness Committee, has received several maximum campaign contributions of $950 from medical-related businesses and groups, including from pharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc., Walgreens, the political action committee for pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline and the Washington Hospital PAC. Others giving maximum donations include several unions, Boeing’s PAC and Waste Management.

Benn, who has raised about $7,000, received a maximum donation from Cindy Zapotocky, former chairwoman of the Spokane County Republican Party. He’s received smaller donations from Spokane businessman Duane Alton, former Spokane Mayor John Talbott and Spokane County Treasurer Rob Chase.