Candidates for Council District 1

Gary Pollard, 67

Career: Retired field investigator for Arizona Department of Revenue. Former assembly line worker for Chrysler.

Military: U.S. Army, 1963-1964.

Education: Graduated from Phoenix South Mountain High School, 1963.

Political: Ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 2007. Longtime chairman of Riverside Neighborhood Council. Member of several community boards, including University District Revitalization Project Advisory Committee.

Family: Has domestic partner. Has three adult children.

 

Mike Fagan, 51

Career: Co-director of Voters Want More Choices, a group, which is led by Tim Eyman, that advocates for lower taxes. Worked as a purchasing officer of a communications company in California in the late 1980s until the mid-1990s. Worked at MOR Manufacturing in Post Falls, including as materials manager, from 1997 to 2007.

Military: Served in Army from 1978 until 1987.

Political: Involved in several statewide initiatives working to cut taxes as part of his position with Voters Want More Choices. Former president of Bemiss Neighborhood Council. Co-hosts radio show about local politics.

Family: Married. Has three children.

 

Luke Tolley, 32

Career: Organizer for SustainableWorks, a nonprofit group that performs energy audits. Worked as estimator and project manager for Talisman Construction, 2007 to 2010. Formerly operated ACES E-Z-Go, a family-owned golf cart dealership.

Political: President of the Hillyard Neighborhood Council. Active in numerous neighborhood committees and organizations, including the Hillyard Festival Association.

Education: Graduated from Rogers High School, 1997. Bachelor’s in Technology, Policy and Management from Embry-Riddle University, 2006.

Family: Engaged. No children.

Chris Bowen, 33

Bowen declined to submit answers to a Spokesman-Review candidate questionnaire about his background and positions.

Career: As of this spring, he was working as the activity coordinator for Helping Hands, a nonprofit residential treatment center for at-risk youths in Spokane. He has refused to discuss other past employment, though state records indicate that he used to operate a lawn mowing business.

Education: Graduated from Ferris High School.

Political: Ran unsuccessfully for state representative in 2008. Former Republican precinct committee officer. Fined $300 by the state Public Disclosure Commission for filing problems in his 2008 campaign. PDC opened a new investigation into Bowen this year after a complaint was filed alleging new filing violations. Former intern for Spokane City Council.

 

John Waite, 46

Career: Owns Merlyn’s Comics and Games. Former Spokane Public Schools teacher.

Political: Ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 2007 and 2009 and state Legislature in 2008. Current chairman of the Cable Advisory Board. Co-hosts radio show about government.

Education: Graduated from North Central High School, 1983. Bachelor’s degree in humanities from Eastern Washington University, 1998.

Family: Single.

 

Donna McKereghan, 58

Career: Owns Rave Web Design, a website design company. Former accountant, including for about five years in the 1970s at Boise Cascade.

Political: Former member of the Washington State Legislative Ethics Board. Former chairwoman of the Logan Neighborhood Council.

Education: Graduated from Pasco High School in 1971. Bachelor’s degree in philosophy and humanities from Eastern Washington University in 1992. Master’s in philosophy from Gonzaga University in 1997.

Family: Divorced. Has adult son.