Ciudad de Spokane Valley

Voters for Position 4 this year will find themselves picking between a Republican incumbent and at least one far-right challenger. Incumbent Ben Wick describes himself as conservative but has made some solid votes while in this position. He's run, won, and lost several bids for city council. Following a 2015 loss, he won in 2017 and was chosen as mayor by the council in 2020. Wick points to the hiring of a housing and homeless coordinator, as well as increasing regional cooperation with the county on homelessness, as big steps forward for dealing with the housing crisis. He also supported buying 45 acres of parkland in support of resident feedback during the last city master-plan process.

There are three other candidates in this race: Christopher Ingraham, Mark McManus, and Brandon Fenton. Ingraham has a bare-bones voters' pamphlet statement and has yet to raise money or publish campaign materials. McManus' statement says that's withdrawing to give support to other candidates.

Fenton, on the other hand, wants to roll back that progress, saying that the city should spend fewer resources helping people experiencing homelessness. The bar owner, who is the son of fellow city council candidate Wayne Fenton, describes himself as a Trump Republican. He refused to close his bar during the pandemic, endangering the very residents he's running to represent.

While progressive voters may not find a perfect choice for this seat, Fenton is even more conservative than Wick, who has at least made several good votes that support the residents of Spokane Valley and is not an extremist. Voters should consider the more moderate Wick for Spokane Valley City Council, Position 4.

Like the voters in Position 4, voters for the Position 7 seat will find themselves picking between a more moderate incumbent against a mostly farther-right slate.

Incumbent Linda (Hatcher) Thompson was elected in 2017 as part of a more moderate shift on the council. She works as a nonprofit executive director for the Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council. Thompson states that she is running to continue to make infrastructure upgrades, add parks, and enhance community engagement in crime prevention. Like fellow incumbent and candidate Wick, Thompson has made several good votes on the council, including hiring a housing and homeless coordinator to address the city's housing crisis and supporting parks and trails expansion.

Republicans Laura Padden and Renault Patrick Evans both believe that reproductive health funding, equity measures, and environmental regulations should be cut. Padden, a web developer who is the wife of far-right Sen. Mike Padden, is running on a conservative agenda of pouring more money into policing and reducing regulations. Evans, who does not have a campaign website or policy platform available, seems to be running an equally conservative campaign that decries public health efforts to contain the pandemic and refuses to acknowledge the rights of the city's LGTBQ residents and its sustainability goals.

Also running is Adam Smith, who ran for Spokane City Council in 2019. He is a volunteer EMT and firefighter and the owner of a martial arts center. However, he does not have a campaign platform, website, or policy proposals available.

Thompson represents some solid votes on the council and a more moderate view than her opponents, who have offered divisive agendas. Voters should consider Thompson for Spokane Valley City Council, Position 7.