Spokane vote bodes poorly for road taxes

NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Originally published Friday, March 15, 2002

SPOKANE -- In what might be a harbinger of public attitudes toward higher taxes to fix roads, Spokane voters this week rejected a $50 million street bond proposal.

Even though giant potholes and rutted streets are prime conversation topics in Spokane, the bond issue fell well short of the 60 percent approval it needed.

Meanwhile, politicians in Olympia have been sharply divided over whether a multibillion dollar plan to help relieve the state's crowded roads should be put to a public vote. Opponents of the vote say it is the duty of legislators to make hard decisions -- and tax votes are dicey.

Greg Sweeney, legislative affairs director for Spokane Mayor John Powers, said legislators should be worried because public votes are a difficult way to raise taxes.

The Spokane street bond got just 44 percent of the vote.

"Typically voters don't know the situation deep enough, with enough perspective," Sweeney said. "They don't have enough information."

Comparing the Spokane proposal to a much larger statewide package is "apples and oranges," because the statewide package will include millions of dollars for major projects like the proposed North Spokane Freeway, said Pearse Edwards, a spokesman for Gov. Gary Locke.

Chuck Kearney, who organized opposition to the Spokane bond issue, said its problem was that it relied exclusively on increased property taxes.

"People want their streets fixed, and they are willing to pay for it, but not in the way offered, with a bond issue," Kearney said.

Of Spokane's 164 voter precincts, 14 approved the street bond by the 60 percent or higher margin it needed to pass.

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