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Liberty Lake News 10/27/2004 By Shaun Brown Two county commissioner positions are up for grabs Nov. 2. Consequently, both voters and candidates welcomed the opportunity provided by the Liberty Lake Property Owners Association (LLPOA) Thursday night, which organized a candidates forum at the Denny Ashlock Building. About 40 people turned out to hear Bill Burke, Mark Richard, Todd Mielke and Linda Wolverton discuss current issues facing Spokane County. Candidates were asked questions prepared by the LLPOA and introduced by Ann Murphy of the League of Women Voters. The first question asked candidates to explore how the LLPOA could help commissioners fulfill their duty to secure the future of the Inland Northwest. Richard, a Republican seeking the District 2 position being vacated by Kate McCaslin, suggested citizens should "continue to be a voice … with civility and energy." His opponent, Democrat Bill Burke, encouraged those in attendance to "communicate and foster collaborative efforts." Burke said Liberty Lake residents had an opportunity to "show the rest of the county how to protect the things you hold dear." Republican candidate in District 1, Todd Mielke, asked the citizens to "include us (the commissioners) when you have issues." Democrat Linda Wolverton, who is opposing Mielke for the seat that was recently vacated by John Roskelly, said she hoped the citizens would "come to us (the county) and make sure our comprehensive plan agrees with where you want your community to go." She also mentioned she felt the county had a need to "mend bridges." The second question dealt with water and sewer issues: In light of recent Department of Ecology actions and cost estimates for future county wastewater treatment, how can we continue to sewer the valley and protect the aquifer? Mielke expressed frustration at the difficulty of meeting environmental regulations. "Even if you take all the discharge out of the river, the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) cannot be reached," he said. However, he suggested "using the best technology we can afford, coming together in a group effort and starting soon." He expressed his belief that the possibility of a 2009 moratorium is a serious threat. Wolverton suggested the water and wastewater issues could be addressed by "thinking outside the box." She suggested a bi-state commission (Washington and Idaho) designed to review "quantity and quality," and then reach a governmental agreement that could be ratified by Congress. Wolverton also said she felt, "The Department of Ecology would be more cooperative if they saw our community be more cooperative." Richard expressed firm support for continuing the septic elimination program. "We have to get those off the aquifer," he explained. He echoed Mielke’s contention that "as soon as the water comes across the Idaho border, we don’t qualify (by Washington State standards)." Richard contended that while Idaho is meeting federal standards, Washington state has set standards that are higher than the federal requirements. Consequently, Richard explained that he sees the need for a "regional commission to go forward fairly quickly." Burke agreed the septic tank removal should continue. He championed the idea of a "regional plan." He expressed his view that through research and innovation, Spokane County could realize a great opportunity for economic development by creating new technologies in relation to water reclamation. "What civilized, smart community turns their river into an extension of their sewer system?" he asked. He then expressed his hope that "people would line up with buckets of money if we teach them how to deal with wastewater without putting it back into the river." The third question dealt with the Urban Growth Boundary in Liberty Lake as it currently exists at Sprague Avenue. The candidates were asked if they would continue to support that boundary. "I’d ask you what you wanted," Burke told the audience. "I work for you and you are the stewards of your community." He added he would want to make sure the boundaries reflect the quality of life and the nature of the community to be affected by the decisions. "Yes, I would support the growth boundary with regard to preserving undeveloped watershed," Richard responded. "We don’t have to grow at the expense of the natural environment." He added that he felt growth could occur in a way that was economically and environmentally sensitive, but added, "Your kids and my kids need jobs and homes. We have to find a balance." Wolverton said boundary issues and neighborhood planning should be done by planning councils that include the community, the businesses and the cities and county. "Be proactive," she suggested, "so you can have a voice." Mielke said he feels the trouble begins when the county commissioners believe they know more than the community. By contrast, he said he hopes to foster respect for the integrity of the individual communities and their community plans. He suggested that citizens be aware and when the time comes for the county commissioners to review the boundaries, "make sure we’re listening." He also gained audible support from the crowd when he stated his position that in all decisions "the bigger community should be considered, and not just the city." The fourth question dealt with light rail. It stated that citizens would like a light rail system from Liberty Lake to the airport and asked candidates "how hard would you work to make it happen." Wolverton expressed her belief that Spokane Transit is intended to be a regional service. "It’s in their name," she pointed out. She added that she would support some kind of service from Liberty Lake to downtown. However, she pointed out that she would want to see the costs. Mielke advocated seeking state funding to help with transit costs. He said three questions determine if we are ready for transit. "Is traffic as fast as transit? Is parking available? Is parking affordable?" The answer is still yes in Spokane, he explained, and until those change, people are not looking for transit. However, he said he supported looking at long-term options and securing right-of-way for future construction. "Light rail is a wonderful idea," Burke said, "but it could eat us alive." He explained that costs have been estimated around $600 million and by the time a system is built in 10 years, it could cost $1 billion. "We have to ask where, in the priority of needs for this community, does light rail fit," he said. "We live in the west. The west does not support transit very well, and we can barely keep the basic system alive." Richard loves the idea but is concerned that Spokane region doesn’t have the density to support light rail on a per rider basis. He would like to see the costs associated with the proposed project and he would like to look at alternative plans such as smaller, more efficient vehicles to be used for mass transit. He stated his support for maintaining the right-of-way, but said "I do not support the recently passed tax to be used in study of the light rail." In a final, two-part question, candidates were asked how they would balance the county budget and what programs would receive priority. "I will not support an increase in property tax," Richard began. As for priorities, he sees government’s role as primarily concerned with pubic health, safety and welfare. However, he invited citizens to help "prioritize the government" by asking, "What are we doing, why are we doing it, and how much does it cost?" Burke said the county is missing entrepreneurialism. He suggested an idea where the county could start its own pharmacy to "pass along wholesale costs to judges, jails and employees." He also proposed establishing the "Office of Professional Gain," which would employ five professional fund-raisers to look for new money for the county. Along with "growing the base," he suggested "looking for efficiencies in government." Mielke explained to the citizens that county revenue comes from four sources: property taxes, new construction, sales taxes and contracts. His priorities would be those of the citizens he represents. He said citizens tell him their priorities are, "Keep me safe, do something about the roads and quit making it so difficult for me to be successful." Wolverton suggested the county can balance the budget by "getting their financial house in order." Technology should be used to deliver services efficiently, she explained. She also said she would like to evaluate all discretionary services, tell the citizens what they cost for delivery and then let the citizens decide if they still want the county to provide those services. In addition, she explained that the growth of Spokane County will come through the success of small businesses. To help those businesses, she said, taxes need to be kept low. The cordial, informative evening ended on a sour note when Richard launched a character attack at Burke in his closing statement, causing a heated discussion between the two opponents and comments of dismay from several in the audience. |
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