Reform Party Candidate Announces Steve Thompson Seeks Council Seat, Wants To Rebuild Faith In Government

Saying he wants to rebuild faith in government, a Reform Party official is running for the Spokane City Council.

“I believe if we are to truly have representative government we must allow more citizen participation,” said Steve Thompson in a written statement.

Thompson filed for office Tuesday and plans to challenge Councilwoman Phyllis Holmes this fall.

Attempts to reach Thompson on Tuesday and Wednesday were unsuccessful.

Holmes is a “great person,” Thompson said in his statement, but she too often rubber stamps major issues “without concern to the public at large,” particularly those related to the redevelopment of River Park Square downtown.

“This action goes against the grain for how city government should operate and is in my opinion very short-sighted,” he wrote in the statement.

Holmes defended her voting record Wednesday. “If we’re not looking out for streams of revenue, then we’re showing a considerable lack of concern for the community,” she said.

According to his statement, Thompson’s key issues include:

The Lincoln Street bridge project. He opposes the proposed project and thinks the city should consider replacing the Monroe Street Bridge.

Zero-based budgeting. He thinks departments should start each year’s budget plan at zero and justify each expenditure.

City Cable 5. He thinks the city-managed station should show informational programming more frequently, including meetings with neighborhood councils.

Campaign finance reform. He thinks candidates should not accept out-of-state donations or solicit money.

Thompson, 41, is a central committee member of the Reform Party of Washington state, which was started by Ross Perot supporters.

He ran unsuccessfully for the council in 1995, losing in the primary to John Talbott and Orville Barnes.

Thompson works for a Spokane telecommunications company.

Three incumbents who had announced their City Council candidacies formally filed for office Wednesday, including Cherie Rodgers for Position 1, Phyllis Holmes for Position 2 and Jack Geraghty for mayor.

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