Ahern is particularly irked by the gavel incident with Stuckart (whom he says needs anger management). If elected, Ahern says he wants to reverse Spokane’s “sanctuary city” ordinance that prohibits municipal workers from inquiring about people’s immigration status, which he says is attracting lawlessness. “ISIS, they can come on in,” he says referring to the terrorist organization. “It’s an open invitation to bring them on in, and they can raise all kinds of hell.” He also wants to see Spokane place a moratorium on the growth, production and sale of marijuana. Conservative councilman Mike Fagan, who has drawn heat for his controversial views on vaccinations and used his talk radio show to bring outraged citizens to council meetings, also is up for re-election. If he does decide to run for another term, he’ll face Randy Ramos, a recruiter for Spokane Tribal College and life skills coach at the the Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations, a substance abuse clinic in Spokane Valley. In an email, Fagan says he’s not sure if he’s going to run, saying that he needs to have a serious conversation with his family about the time commitment. Known for being especially attentive to constituent services, he writes, “Don’t get me wrong, I truly love helping people, and have a servant-leader heart but, I don’t want to get consumed by the thought until it is time.” Replacing Fagan isn’t the primary motivation for Ramos, who at 35 would be the youngest councilmember. “Challenging Mike for that position isn’t really my basis,” he says. “I just want to represent my community and help build up my community.” He hopes to help develop the Hillyard neighborhood and revive the United Native Americans of Spokane Public Development Authority, a quasi-public agency that he hopes to use to fix up rundown properties. A winner of the Inlander’s Peirone Prize, which recognizes individuals for their outstanding community service, he was born and raised in Spokane and spent part of his youth on the Spokane Indian reservation, where he completed high school. Stuckart, also a Peirone Prize winner, says he’s proud of the work the council has been doing. The liberal supermajority, he says, might just become a “super-duper majority.” n jaket@inlander.com
RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL
Lori Kinnear
LaVerne Biel
John Waite
John Ahern
Randy Ramos
MARCH 19, 2015 INLANDER 15 NQ_Blackjack_031915_12V_CP.pdf