Dear Downtown supporter.
2015 has been a banner year so far for our city center, including the addition of the Davenport Grand Hotel to our skyline, public approval of major re-investment in Riverfront Park, new developments, new businesses, and new faces in downtown. The wind is definitely at our backs thanks to your hard work and commitment to the city’s historic center.
In the midst of so much great news, comes the next challenge: Envision Spokane is back with an extreme initiative that they are working to place on the November ballot, pending confirmation by the County Auditor that they have gathered a sufficient number of signatures. If you want to know more about their proposal, check out their website, here.
What you need to know
The Hearing Examiner, in their non-partisan review of Envision Spokane’s measure, has recommended that the last provision, “Corporate Powers Subordinate to People’s Rights” be removed because, “The subordination of corporate rights is accomplished by depriving corporations of access to the courts." The Hearing Examiner believes this component of the initiative is flawed and would not be sustained by the courts”, and adds, “In the Hearing Examiner's opinion, the provisions of the proposed initiative that deprive corporations of access to the courts, directly or indirectly, are inconsistent with the state constitution and will not be sustained.”
The Hearing Examiner’s full response is available here.
What you can to do
Contact the Mayor’s office as soon as possible and ask that he take action through his authority granted in Spokane Municipal Code to challenge its legality in superior court. The Mayor needs to hear from you! You can reach him through mayor@spokanecity.org or 509.625.6250.
Stay engaged
One of the primary functions of your Downtown Spokane Partnership is to advocate for policies that support a growing economy. Whether you own, manage, or work at a business here in our beautiful and dynamic downtown, we know running a business is incredibly difficult. At a time when your city core is on the upswing, businesses simply cannot afford the uncertainty and negative impact of unwarranted regulations.