Michael Cathcart
A candidate for Spokane City Council, northeast district, City of Spokane in the 2019 Washington Primary Election, Aug. 6
Age: 39
City: Spokane, Washington
Education: Went to University High School. Graduated from Montana State University with a bachelor's degree in motion picture arts.
Political experience: Elected to the the Spokane City Council in 2019, and currently serves as the Spokane City Council president pro tem. Ran unsuccessfully for Spokane County commissioner in 2022. Serves as Spokane’s representative to the Regional Broadlinc Public Development Authority, chair of the Public Safety Committee, chair of the Northeast Public Development Authority, chair of the police and fire pension boards, vice-chair of the Finance Committee, and a current member of the Budget Committee, Spokane Police Advisory Committee and Traffic Calming Committee. Formerly served as vice chair of the Spokane City Council Public Infrastructure & Environment Committee, council liaison for the Spokane Park Board, council liaison for the city’s Employees Retirement System, volunteer for the Spokane Lunar New Year Celebration, chair of the Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council, member of the city’s In-Fill Housing Steering Committee and a member of the Mayor’s Quality and Affordable Housing Taskforce.
Work experience: Spent five years as executive director of Better Spokane, a pro-business organization. Worked as an aide for former 6th Legislative District Sen. Michael Baumgartner. Former government affairs director for the Spokane Home Builders Association.
Family: Married to Vina (Tran) Cathcart. Has a young son.
Political donations: Reported nearly $63,800 as of Oct. 3. Top donors include the Association of Builders and Contractors Political Action Committee, the Build East Political Action Commission, Spokane Realtors, the Spokane Homebuilders Association, manufacturing and engineering firm Pyrotek, and George, Jennifer, Theresa and Ryan Gee of the Gee Automotive Holdings company.
Contact information
Race Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Tim Benn (N) | 2,370 | 26.25% |
| Michael Cathcart | 2,121 | 23.49% |
| Naghmana Sherazi | 1,612 | 17.85% |
| Jerrall J. Haynes (N) | 1,166 | 12.91% |
| Doug Salter (N) | 685 | 7.59% |
| Krys Brown (N) | 551 | 6.10% |
| Louis Lefebvre (N) | 525 | 5.81% |
Related Coverage
Getting There: Northeast City Council candidates discuss North Spokane Corridor, street planning, public transit
Northeast Spokane has seen several major transportation construction projects in the past few years, including changes to Crestline and Sprague. An even larger one looms with completion of the North Spokane Corridor. City Council candidates Tim Benn and Michael Cathcart offer their views on those projects, as well as whether car tab fees should be reduced.
City Council debate: Benn vs. Cathcart
At the Oct. 3 Pints and Politics debate, Tim Benn and Michael Cathcart debated city issues related to their race for the District 1 seat on the Spokane City Council.
Spokane’s Proposition 1 would make bargaining between the city and unions public
The proposal is intended to bring more transparency to talks between City Hall and public employees, including clerical and maintenance workers, firefighters and police. The initiative is sponsored by Better Spokane, a pro-business nonprofit that is headed by City Council candidate Michael Cathcart.
Spokane Proposition 2 would outlaw a local income tax, as courts weigh legality of Seattle measure
Sponsor Michael Cathcart said the measure is intended to make sure the city remains competitive in business recruitment.
Shawn Vestal: Realtors and other rich interests are pouring money into funds to back Nadine Woodward and other Spokane candidates
As special-interest money pours into local elections, do donors with $50 to contribute deserve 100 or even 1,000 times less free speech than the deep pockets? What about people without even that?
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Collective bargaining transparency, income tax ban sought by pro-business group at Spokane City Council
The Spokane City Council on Monday will hear two initiatives submitted by Better Spokane, a fiscally conservative group that supports business-friendly political candidates. One would prevent the city from enacting a local income tax, and the second seeks to make collective bargaining open to the public.
Caroline Woodwell: Better Spokane can do better
Michael Cathcart, executive director of Better Spokane, says that Spokane cannot afford the City Council’s energy mandate (“Spokane can’t afford City Council’s energy plan,” Aug. 18, 2018). He is wrong. The city cannot afford the business as usual model that he proposes. As I write, air quality in Spokane is hazardous for humans. The sun has not been visible all day. Smoke hangs in the ponderosa pines and wafts down my street in white clouds. People with respiratory ailments and a history of strokes have been urged to leave the area. And this is only the beginning. There are vast forests in the West, just waiting to burn.