The Board of Eastern Washington Voters endorsed the below positions on the 2013 February special election ballot. Please cast your ballot by Tuesday, February 12, 2012.  The location of ballot drop off boxes in Spokane and last pick up times for mail boxes are here.

2013 Special Election: Eastern Washington Guide for Progressive Voters

Prop 1: Vote “Yes” for Independent Investigations of Citizen Complaints of Spokane Police Misconduct

Currently, Spokane Police are allowed to investigate themselves.  Really, that is the situation at the moment. As ludicrous as it sounds, that is what happens when a citizen files a complaint about the Spokane Police Department or police conduct.  There are no checks and balances. No real oversight.  No Transparency.

Vote for Proposition 1 in Spokane.  It  would mandate independent investigations of complaints of police misconduct.   It also gives average citizens a voice by creating a citizen oversight committee.   We need this to prevent another citizen like Otto Zehm from being killed.

Prop 2: Vote “No” on making Spokane City Council decisions to raise revenue less Democratic

Proposition 2 in Spokane to require a 5/7 majority is a poorly written and undemocratic.  It leaves dozens of questions unanswered.

• The City legal department cannot even answer all the questions about it.
• There are too many unanswered questions about what this would affect and not affect.  Some fees are affect, others are not.

• As few as two people on the City Council could derail sources of funding for our fire police departments, libraries, and parks.

We should not amend our City’s Constitution with something so confusing and undemocratic.

Prop 3: Vote “Yes” to Keep Spokane Libraries Open

The City of Spokane is facing a five hundred thousand dollar deficit in the library system and we will have to close branches unless something is done.  Prop 3: The Library Levy will generate the revenue to keep branches open and operate 40 hours a week.

Spokane Public Libraries play a vital role in our communities to provide grade school children with a safe, educational environment outside of school and in the summer.  This is particularly true in low-income neighborhoods where educational materials are often not available at home.

The Levy is minimal.  It is only seven cents for every 1,000 dollars of access property value.  Someone who owns a one hundred and fifty thousand dollar home will only pay $10.50 a year to help save our libraries and keep them open.

It is less than one book costs if you go to the book store.  We are asking you to sacrifice one book next year to keep our libraries open for all of Spokane.