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Posts published in “Day: December 6, 2005”

Recalled

It's no surprise, and predicted here (and of course, not just here) for many months: Jim West has been recalled as mayor of Spokane.

Jim WestNot all the ballots have been counted yet, or will be (under Washington's odd system of allowing mailed-in ballots to count even days after the election) for a while. But the 76%-35% decision to recall is much too decisive to be reversed.

For Spokane, the real question of the day is, what now?

Dennis HessionMost immediately, the next event is on December 16, when Council President Dennis Hession, an attorney with Richter-Wimberley, will become the mayor pro tem, an interim position only. Indications are that this translates in ideology to a move from the right toward the center, though what that would mean for the city directly is unclear. Also unclear is whether Hession will want to keep the job, whether it's his if he wants it, and who might be the city council's alternative to serve the last couple of years of the mayoral term if not him.

That's the narrower question. The broader one is, what are the takeaway lessons for Spokane from all this?

By voting for recall the voters have taken the West scandal off the front pages and airwaves, mostly at least. But there's no pretending that it didn't happen, or that it didn't shoot a fierce spotlight onto parts of the city most people would rather not think about. In a way, the people, and the leaders, of Spokane have a bigger choice ahead of them: Do they sweep "all this" under the rug, or - even while rebuilding their civic image - find a way to acknowledge and deal with it?

If that sounds a little vague ... more will be coming in the days ahead.

The case against Cantwell

Maria Cantwell seems moderately well-positioned for re-election in 2006: Not a lock, but playing a stronger hand than her probable Republican opponent, Mike McGavick. One reason for that has to do with the case each has to be making.

Maria CantwellCantwell can position herself as a defender of Washington's consumers (against Enron and others) and environment (against the latest Puget Sound tanker proposal). Her narrative is easily mapped out, and there's no very obvious reason it won't work.

There are plenty of people out there who really don't like Cantwell, and they have their reasons. They tend not to have been clearly explicated in Washington, and there may be good reasons for that. (more…)

Idaho meds

Maybe it had to be an interim president of Idaho State University to bring up the idea of creating a full-fledged medical school at Idaho State University. The last president, Richard Bowen, never broached the idea - publicly at least - and if anyone ever has, it's gone unremarked. Which would seem unlikely.

Idaho State UniversityInterim President Michael Gallagher has nothing to lose by floating the idea, which on the surface and over the long haul seems not unreasonable. Of Idaho's higher ed institutions, ISU is the one most closely allied with medical training.

Gallagher's specific language was a little more diplomatic than that: "ISU is charged as the lead institution in health and support sciences," he said. "We are willing to work with the board and the Idaho Medical Association, plus other institutions including the Legislature, to help define what the future of health and medical education should look like in Idaho." But his meaning was clear enough. (more…)

Bremerton clout

Peter Callaghan's ever-fun Q&A column has pungent bit today on the idea of taxpayers picking up $166 million of the tab for a NASCAR speedway near Bremerton.

We here have never backed the idea of public funding of private sports facilities, these being among those cases where the free market should operate (if a business proposition doesn't make economic sense without artifical public help, then it probably doesn't have enough merit anyway). Callaghan raises a noteworthy political issue in this case, though ...

Q: You raise an interesting point, and I’m glad I could be here to witness such a rare event. What’s the difference between giving tax money for a NASCAR track and giving tax money for professional baseball and football?

A: There’s a big difference that can be summarized in two words: Bremerton and Seattle. The sports stadiums are in Seattle and were lobbied by the state’s most powerful business, political and social leaders. These people enjoy team sports, as long as they can watch them in suites that keep them a safe distance from the people known as “fans.” Auto racing seems awfully red-state to them. And most didn’t realize Bremerton was an actual place. They thought it was a ferry.