Thursday, April 8, 2004

Spokane

Mielke ends one race, starts another

Jim Camden - Staff writer

Former state Rep. Todd Mielke leaped from one campaign to another Wednesday morning, announcing he was ending a run for Congress to start a run for Spokane County commissioner.

Mielke was one of four Republicans who announced a campaign last year for Eastern Washington's open 5th Congressional District seat.

But traveling through the 12-county district in recent months, he said, convinced him the issues that mattered most to people were local concerns. He'll run for Spokane County's 3rd District commissioner seat, now held by Democrat John Roskelley.

Roskelley has said he plans to seek election to a third full term.

Mielke said he wanted to concentrate on the economy, infrastructure and better cooperation with other governments if he's elected.

"Growing jobs and growing business is not a bad thing for Spokane County," he said. "We need a can-do attitude in Spokane County. It's not going to be an issue of telling people we can't do something."

With the county jail close to capacity, commissioners need to look at several options, Mielke said, including ways to speed up the court system for people in jail awaiting trials and options such as temporary housing for some inmates during summer months.

Mielke served in the state House of Representatives from 1990 to 1995, when he stepped down to become a lobbyist on health care issues for Johnson & Johnson. In 1997 he formed his own lobbying firm and in recent years has worked for the Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Spokane Regional Public Facilities District and area builders and contractors.

Before his election to the House, Mielke had served as a legislative staffer for then-Sen. Jim West, who is now Spokane's mayor.