The chairman of the Hillyard Neighborhood Council added himself late Wednesday to the growing list of people who want to represent Northeast Spokane on the City Council.

Luke Tolley, 32, also ran four years ago, but lost in the primary. He is the outreach and marketing organizer of Sustainable Works, a nonprofit group that works to make homes more energy efficient.

This is candidate filing week in Washington. In the race for Northeast Spokane, Tolley joins downtown businessman John Waite, Riverside Neighborhood Council Chairman Gary Pollard and Mike Fagan, co-director of Voters Want More Choices. Two others have filed campaign finance paperwork indicating that they also plan to run. The winner will take the seat currently held by Bob Apple, who can't run again because of term limits.

Tolley says his goal is to "try to get government and citizens and businessses to try to work together."

In dealing with the city's budget problems, Tolley said there isn't "a silver bullet" and that he would prefer trying to avoid cutting full programs like the Youth Department. But he said he is willing to make "tough decisions" if alternatives aren't possible.

"We have to learn to live within our means," Tolley said.

Tolley also opposes the new $20 vehicle tab fee that was imposed this year by the City Council.

"I feel like it's a tax that is going to hurt low-income people," Tolley said.

Here are the candidates who have filed to run for Spokane city office as of 9 a.m. today:

Mayor

Mary Verner, incumbent

Mike Noder, co-owner of MoMike Inc., a demolition company

Barbara Lampert, former nurse’s assistant, frequent candidate for office

David Condon, former deputy chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers

Robert Kroboth, former debt collector

City Council president

Ben Stuckart, executive director of Communities in Schools

Steve Corker, Spokane City councilman

City Council, northeast district

John Waite, owner of Meryln's, a science fiction store in downtown Spokane

Gary Pollard, chairman of Riverside Neighborhood Council

Mike Fagan, co-director of Voters Want More Choices

City Council, south district

Mike Allen, former city councilman

Richard Rush, incumbent

City Council, northwest district

Karen Kearney, former regional operations manager at Capital Savings Bank in Seattle

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