Spokompton?!

Is anyone else as outraged as I am about that regional nickname for our city?!

So why has Spokane become a stopover to those either on their way up or on their way down? The SoCal Compton also was a 19th-century hub city that experienced an exodus for greener pastures and lost its tax base and its more affluent educated citizens to nearby communities that finally incorporated nearly a century later. People felt safer and more comfortable elsewhere. Sound familiar?

Even Spokane’s own public-sector workers avoid Spokane. They want to work in Spokane, just not be Spokane. Now we’re a servants’ quarters for blue-collar private-sector workers or Social Security/disability recipients. Become a landlord if you don’t believe me.

One solution? With 5 of the 6 largest Inland Northwest employers being government, maybe we can reverse this by strongly encouraging a residency requirement through pay incentives (especially for law enforcement and educators) for city residency.

Or get used to Spokompton.

Mike Reno

Spokane