Eugster for City Council 2009

Steve Eugster | home

I have decided to run for Spokane City Council Position 2 this Fall.

My concerns, interests and goals can be found under these topics.

Highway 195

City Council Meetings

The City Budget

Fair Taxation – Utility Taxes

Mis-use of tax revenue

Metropolitan Government

Council Manager Form of Government

Downtown Spokane

Fairchild Air Force Base

Spokane Park Department

Highway 195 -- The City must act now to reduce the deathly hazards of Highway 195 south of I - 90.

City Council Meetings -- People should be welcome to speak on issues before the City Council Meetings. The Council is actively opposed to open and vigorous speech. The Council meetings must be welcoming events for those who care about our Spokane City Government.

The City Budget -- The city budget must be reduced and plans for the reduction started now. We have to decide what is truly necessary and the extent to which we are going to fund that which we deem necessary.

Fair Taxation – Utility Taxes -- Our taxation of utilities is highly unfair. All utilities should be taxed at the same rate if they are going to be taxed at all. It is absolutely unfair to impose a 25% tax (really a sales tax on city utility services).

Mis-use of Tax Revenue -- The city and the county of Spokane are mis-using tax revenues. The use of Conservation Futures Taxes for the purchase of the Downtown YMCA is wrong and in fact is illegal. It was also wrong and illegal for the City of Spokane to have balanced the budget for 2009 by use of money in the City Utilities collected for capital improvement expenses in the future.

Metropolitan Government -- it is time to re-think whether we should pursue metropolitan government.

Council Manager Form of Government -- Has the "strong mayor system" worked, is it working? Perhaps it is time to rethink the form of government for the city.

Downtown Spokane -- Downtown Spokane is ready for some serious thought and renovations. The entire "streetscape" of Downtown Spokane and the approaches to Downtown Spokane need renewal and renovation.

Fairchild Air Force Base -- There is a real possibility that Fairchild Air Force Base may close. We need a plan. There is something we can start doing to be ready -- a port district. It is time for a Spokane County Port District.

Spokane Park Department -- The Park Department is separate from the rest of the City. This must be understood. If this is not what the people want then the City Charter has to be changed.