R ighting WRongs • R ebuilding l ives
C OV E R S TO RY | E L EC T I O N 2 0 1 4
James R. Sweetser ATTORNEY AT L AW | since 1984 Former Elected Spokane Prosecutor
seRious PeRsonAl inJuRY Call:
509-328-0678
sweetserlawoffice.com
1020 N Washington, Spokane, WA 99201
N
i m o
en! p O w o sN
e n o r i Pe Prize
io t a n
n
Who do you think is making a difference in the Inland Northwest? We’re accepting nominations for our fifth annual Peirone Prize, a cash award recognizing passionate local people under the age of 35 who have dedicated their lives to service. Send your nominations to: GiveGuide@Inlander.com by Aug 1, telling us why they deserve recognition. Winners will be featured in our Give Guide issue on Aug 28.
Al French’s view on growth has rankled some city leaders, who worry about sprawl.
“THE BULLDOZER,” CONTINUED... county’s negotiation tactics. casino’s proximity to the base’s flight path could “Having a meeting with the county commiscause it to close. Rushing is absolutely certain it sioners was like pulling teeth,” Airway Heights wouldn’t. Mayor Patrick Rushing says. “We spent hours For French, it’s a war worth waging. and hours and hours with the county commis“We’re protecting $1.3 billion of economic sioners, and they ignored anything we said.” activity a year,” French says of Fairchild. “That French, by contrast, says the county spent seems like a good investment.” years seeking input. “We’ve sent letters, we’ve gone out to meetings, we’ve done a whole series T H E L A N D WA R R I O R of outreach endeavors,” he says. French splays his hands across either side of the He believes many of the smaller cities were Spokane City Council lectern, kicking off a call frustrated over the county spending $9.9 million for county-city collaboration with an insult. to purchase two transfer stations from the city “Here’s maybe a mystery to you: Your of Spokane — but he says it was the best deal the citizens are our citizens,” he tells the councilmemcity would offer. bers about their land-use ordinance. “As we hurt Negotiating with 13 other jurisdictions, Comone, we hurt all of us. This is old thinking, this is missioner Mielke adds, is tough, especially when antiquated. This is winners and losers. … This elections bring in a whole new slate of elected will place a cold chill on the business recruitment officials with entirely different views. and expansion in this region.” French is still negotiating. Millwood, Liberty French pauses and lets out a long Lake and Airway Heights haven’t desigh. cided yet whether to exit the county’s “You can only be the ‘city of coalition. French faces big hurdles, Send comments to especially with Airway Heights. “I’m editor@inlander.com. choice’ if you have options,” he says. The biggest philosophical conflict not a fan of Mr. French, and he knows the past few years between the Spoit,” Rushing says. “He’s completely kane City Council and the county commissionbackwards on the direction of the county.” ers hasn’t been over military bases or garbage: The animosity between French and Rushing, It’s been about sprawl. Mielke says, means that he or O’Quinn usually French argues that, because the city of Sponegotiate with Rushing instead. kane hasn’t achieved the growth and density it’s “Mayor Rushing has what appears to be a wanted, the region should allow more growth on very personal difficulty with Al,” Mielke says. the outskirts. “But I also think that Al has been brutally honest But Councilman Snyder argues the opposite: over where [the county and Airway Heights] dif“There’s no accident we still have dirt lots downfer on Fairchild.” town, when they keep green-lighting their borBoth French and Rushing are former military ders,” he says. He also blames the legacy French men, yet both fervently hold opposing beliefs on left at the city, where development incentives, the impact that the Spokane Tribe’s proposed “including these weird gerrymanders where his hotel and casino could have on Fairchild Air friends own property,” were so widespread that Force Base. French is absolutely certain that the
LETTERS
Joe and Alice Peirone
28 INLANDER JULY 24, 2014
YOUNG KWAK PHOTO