Well, the new “green”-tinged City Council has wasted no time in trotting out its first major boondoggle. Last Monday the Council voted 5-2 for a resolution directing city staff to attend a workshop to be conducted by an outfit called the “Complete Streets Coalition” — a Washington, DC-based lobbying group devoted to rebuilding America’s urban […]
An interesting exchange here between Spokesman-Review reporter Jonathan Brunt and City Council candidate Jon Snyder regarding the “big box” development on the South Hill approved by the Council last year. Snyder had stated that he would not have approved the zoning change which will allow the development. (Exchange begins ~ 37 minutes). —— Brunt: How […]
Gadfly attorney, intrepid blogger, former Spokane City Councilman and current Council Candidate (District 2) Steve Eugster today on his blog laments the decision of a South Hill neighborhood group to abandon their efforts to block a “big box” retail development on S. Regal St (S-R story here). Eugster calls the decision by the City Council […]
During a recent conversation over coffee an acquaintance posed the question, “What does Spokane have going for it?” My immediate and glib answer was, “Not much.” No, I’m not a reluctantly relocated Seattleite, nor an exemplar of Spokane’s alleged inferiority complex. Spokane does have a number of significant assets, which Greater Spokane, Inc. and the […]
One of the questions asked of Spokane City Council District 2 candidates at the League of Women Voters forum (first shown on July 23, link here, “Other Video Programs“) was, “Sometimes the Council grants developers exceptions to the Comprehensive Plan or zoning regulations. What would be your criteria for granting these exceptions?” Interestingly, while the […]
Public transit nemesis Randall O’Toole also testified before the Senate committee hearing mentioned in the previous post (video and transcripts here). Some of his points (none of which were challenged by any member of the Committee or other witnesses): ♦ “Transit subsidies have historically had only a trivial effect on ridership. Between 1987 and 2007, annual subsidies […]
It is an article of unquestioned faith among advocates of public transit systems that such systems are more efficient than the privately-operated automobile (POV) for passenger transportation. The dogma was expressed most recently by Michael Replogle, a consultant for the Environmental Defense Fund and professional transit propagandist, in his testimony on July 7 before a Senate […]
One of the most amusing arguments in the repertoire of the anti-automobile zealots is the “Obesity Argument.” You know how it goes: we should build more bike lanes, force higher urban densities, build narrower, “traffic-calmed” streets, increase fuel taxes for auto users, etc., in order to compel people to walk and bicycle more. Obesity is, […]