Editorial: Brown’s departure will be a loss for the city

Lisa Brown’s departure from a position of power is sudden, but no less surprising than her arrival. From a lone Democratic island in a sea of Eastern Washington conservatism, she fought off charges of communism and radicalism to become one of Spokane’s most influential legislators.

She started as “Sandinista Lisa” in 1992 and advanced to Senate majority leader in 2005, which she has been ever since. Critics affixed that early label because she taught economics in Nicaragua at a time when communists ruled. She responded that she was teaching capitalism, but the nickname stuck for a time.

Before making that first run for office, she belonged to a loose affiliation of people interested in fighting poverty and social injustice. Brown, who was an associate professor of economics at Eastern Washington University, was tapped to run for the House in the 3rd District. But as longtime friend and supporter Mary Ann Murphy said in a 2001 Spokesman-Review article: “We didn’t think she stood a chance.”

But she did win, and kept on winning, switching to the Senate in 1996. By 2001, she leveraged her knowledge of economics and public policy to become the chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, which made her the Senate’s chief budget writer. The only other Spokane legislator to ever hold that powerful position was Republican Jim West, who also held the position of Senate majority leader, just before Brown.

Over the past two decades, Spokane has been fortunate to have two such powerful lawmakers, especially when more than half of all legislators come from King, Pierce and Snohomish counties. Now that Brown is leaving, our region will lose clout. Gov. Chris Gregoire was right when she said Brown’s exit “will be a huge loss for Spokane.”

The editorial board has differed with Brown many times on issues related to taxation, spending, business regulations and the size of state government. Too liberal for us on all scores. But there is no denying that her battles on behalf of her hometown have yielded impressive results.

At some point, a Riverpoint Campus building – and there are several to choose from – probably ought to be named for her, because she fought hard to see that this higher education dream became a reality. She used her influence to place campus projects atop capital budget lists, and she once headed off a veto by then-Gov. Gary Locke for funding for the Health Sciences building. She’s also secured critical funds for the Fox Theater, YMCA and the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

She was able to survive and thrive in politics because she made the transition from House firebrand to Senate pragmatist. Her work ethic and unpretentious personal style also helped in crafting the political compromises needed to move issues forward.

Over the years, Brown resisted friends’ pleadings to run for Congress, which would have been a much tougher slog than winning a 3rd District seat. Instead, she decided to stay in a position where the tangible results of her work would be evident.

Even her harshest critics would have to concede there is plenty to see.