District 2
Jon Snyder
John Ahern
LaVerne Biel
finance and public safety, and has been outspoken about national issues, which some have challenged as a poor use of council time. In 2011, Snyder sponsored a resolution urging national legislators not to cut community development funds. Last year, he introduced a resolution in support of same-sex marriage and campaigned for Referendum 74. “As long as an issue has serious impacts on folks who are in the city of Spokane, I’m going to fight for it,” he says. “I’m going to speak out. … What we have among some folks is an aversion to having to take a stand.” Snyder’s best known opponent, 78-year-old John Ahern, has raised less than half of Snyder’s $33,000, but has a decade of work as a staunch Republican in the state House of Representatives to his name. Hunched over in a dark suit jacket with an American flag pin, Ahern touts his family values and says he believes further privatizing government — as Condon has supported — will save enough money to pay for new police. Focused on creating a business-friendly environment, Ahern says he would convene a group of business owners to hear their input and decrease taxes and regulations he believes hamper development. “The last thing in the world I want to do is to impede the developers and stand in their way,” Ahern told a League of Women Voters forum when asked about representing an area of town that’s faced neighborhood-versus-developer standoffs. Snyder’s other challenger is 60-year-old businesswoman LaVerne Biel, who says she also hears about streets and public safety when she’s out knocking on doors. She says she’s open to another street bond, but thinks there are savings to find in police overtime spending. She says by rescheduling officers to the busiest times of the day, the department can keep people safer and use savings to hire more officers. Biel also wants to see some city and state codes relaxed for better “customer service” for businesses. Biel has little political experience other than a stint as chair of the East Central Business Association and sounds frazzled when pressed for specifics. “I’m not looking at a side,” she says. “I’m starting at the middle, trying to figure out how to best serve our citizens.” n
MINING MADNESS AT THE MILL or....
A BIG BANG FOR BUNKER HILL Written by Carol Roberts Directed by Paul and Carol Roberts
July 31st - August 25th
Wednesday - Saturday 7:00pm | Sunday 2:00pm
All SummeR TiCkeTS ARe $10.00 Family Rates - $30 | 2 Adults, 2 kids each Additional kid - $5
225 E. 3rd Ave., Spokane, WA
1-877-SIXTHST (208) 752-8871
sixthstreetmelodrama.com
JULY 25, 2013 INLANDER 15