Spokane Valley Mayor addresses health problems ahead of election

After months of speculation and rumors, Spokane Valley Mayor Pam Haley is addressing concerns about her health ahead of the November election. She faces political newcomer Catherine Nelson, who has worked as a Realtor in the Valley for nearly a decade.

Haley said Thursday that she suffered a heart attack in June and was on medical leave for three months. Haley spent nine days in intensive care and several more days in the hospital. She recently returned to council meetings in person.

Several people have questioned whether she is healthy enough to be involved in city government, including Councilman Al Merkel, who alluded to Haley’s absence in a statement.

“It takes true bravery and patriotism to recognize when health challenges prevent you from representing residents and devoting all your efforts to making Spokane Valley a great place to live again,” Merkel wrote in a statement, praising a political ally who announced he was dropping his bid for a different council seat.

Haley has the support of a broad coalition of elected leaders in Spokane Valley, including Spokane Valley city council members Tim Hattenburg, Rod Higgins, Laura Padden and Jessica Yaeger and Spokane Valley state Reps. Suzanne Schmidt and Rob Chase.

Nelson, who won the endorsement of the Spokane County Republican Party, is a part of the Coalition for Common Sense, a group composed of Brad Hohn and Merkel that has been deeply critical of the Spokane Valley City Council. Nelson said she’s felt ashamed of the people she’s voted for who are now on the council, except for Merkel, because he continuously questions contracts and projects that cost the city money.

The heart attack put things into focus for Haley and made her realize that her work in government is important to her, she said.

“This campaign is still really important to me,” Haley said. “One of the things you find out when you go through a serious illness like that is you need to focus your attention on the things that really matter, and it does really matter to me. Some people call me crazy, but that’s OK.”

Spokane Valley is like family to her, and abandoning her candidacy was unthinkable, Haley said.

Haley had open heart surgery, and physicians gave her a 10% chance of survival. Rehabilitation from the surgery will be long, Haley said.

“I was told that for every day you’re in the ICU, it’s a month of recovery time,” Haley said.

During her time away, Haley attended council meetings virtually, but rarely participated. Her re-election effort has been affected by the unexpected medical leave. She has been in cardiac rehabilitation and unable to knock on doors or do other active campaigning.

Nelson commented on Haley’s medical leave on social media platform Nextdoor, stating that Haley should tell people why she was on medical leave and update residents on her health. People have been frustrated with how unclear Haley’s situation has been, Nelson said.

“I hope she’s well,” Nelson said. “I believe my ideas and my ability to look through things and stand up for things is much higher than hers.”

Nelson said she will be a less emotional, more levelheaded and thoughtful council member than Haley.

“A lot of my frustration with the current council has to do with their failure to look forward,” Nelson said. “To look at a project and ask the right questions and provide a way to pull projects back if they’re not successful.”

If re-elected, Haley’s biggest priorities for the Valley will be public safety, infrastructure and improving local roads.

“Our roads are another big issue,” Haley said. “It seems boring, but if we don’t maintain them, then no one will think it’s boring anymore.”

Haley would like to see the city continue making progress on railroad crossings by building overpasses and underpasses so vehicles don’t have to stop for trains.

“People don’t realize that those railroad crossings are more than just annoying,” Haley said. “If you’re in an ambulance and you’re trying to get to the hospital and you’re on the other side of the railroad tracks, it’s hard to get there.”

Haley said she’s proud of how the city has spent its money and remained out of debt.

“Although we don’t always maybe do what the vocal minority wants us to do, I think by and large we do what the majority would like to see,” Haley said.

Nelson and Haley agreed that there needs to be more affordable housing in the Valley, including multifamily housing and single-family homes.

Nelson decided to run for office because she is concerned that Valley residents could be taxed out of their homes.

“Every time I turn around, it feels like the powers that be are sticking their hand out for another few dollars,” Nelson said. “When I talk to my neighbors, a $50 fee, a $20 dollar fee matters to them. It matters to me.”

Even so, unlike most cities, the Spokane Valley City Council usually declines to raise property taxes by the 1% boost that state law allows via a vote of the council. Spokane Valley has held taxes steady for 16 years. Critics of that decision say it has made it difficult to keep up with inflation and properly fund public safety and roads.

Nelson is concerned that the city will begin raising taxes and fees that will push people out. Her biggest priorities if elected will be policing and improving local roads. Nelson wants to explore ways the city can cut the budget and decrease fees for citizens and increase the police presence in the Valley.

“Our roads aren’t as good as they were,” Nelson said. “I, like many people, have worked in Spokane and traveled back and forth. I recall many times thinking, ‘Thank god our roads aren’t like Spokane’s.’ But now they are.”

She also said services in the Valley are declining in quality.

“You have to be the change you want to see,” Nelson said. “Nothing would make me happier than to find a way to cut our budget and return money back to the citizens or get rid of a fee here or there.”