River Park Square Suit Thrown Out Ruling Means Group Can’t Seek Vote On Parking Meter Money

A Spokane County Superior Court judge Wednesday threw out a lawsuit aimed at squashing the city’s involvement in the River Park Square redevelopment project.

Judge Sam Cozza’s decision means that a citizens group can’t move ahead with a petition initiative that calls for a public vote on any pledge of parking meter money to an off-street parking facility.

The City Council declared the initiative filed by Citizens First “legally invalid” April 1. Six days later, the group filed a lawsuit in Superior Court aimed at reversing that decision.

On Jan. 27, the council pledged parking meter money to help pay expenses on River Park Square’s parking garage if parking revenues fall short of projections.

The proposed initiative was retroactive, so the council’s January decision would have gone to voters for approval.

Cozza said state law gives the council the authority to dedicate revenues to a parking facility.

“This case is a classic illustration of the tension in our society between two key theories of self-rule: a republican form of government versus a democratic form,” Cozza said.

“The particular facts of this case develop in such a way that the River Park Square project is subject to decision making by the citizenry not directly, but through their elected representatives.”

, DataTimes