Spokane Valley election spending grows slightly, while Spokane races break records

While spending in Spokane elections have hit a record-breaking $1 million, Spokane Valley’s election spending has yet to surpass $120,000, which is slightly above what candidates normally spend.

Spending in Spokane Valley has usually amounted to less than $20,000 per a candidate for the last 12 years, but this year, four of the six candidates who made it to the general election have received more than $20,000 in contributions.

Public Disclosure Commission data shows that only Dean Grafos, a former mayor and councilman, raised more than $20,000 in previous years. He raised $20,400 in campaign contributions in 2009, which was several thousand more than every other council candidate that year. In the next election in 2011, he was the only candidate to raise more than $10,000, according to PDC filings.

Data on election spending between Spokane Valley’s first election in 2002 and 2007 is not available on the Public Disclosure Commissions website.

Incumbent Arne Woodard has raised more than any other candidate in this election with about $22,000 in contributions. Most of his contributions were from individual donors, but he did receive $500 from the Associated Builders and Contractors PAC and an additional $500 from the Spokane Home Builders Association PAC. He is also the only Spokane Valley candidate who received contributions from the Washington Association of Realtors PAC.

Woodard did not return a request for comment.

In Spokane’s mayoral and City Council races, the Washington Association of Realtors PAC spent more than $620,000 combined across four city candidates.

Tom Hormel, chair of the WA Realtors PAC, said the organization contributed to Woodard’s race because they had supported him in previous elections and his policies had not changed.

He said most of the PAC’s time and resources this election were focused on Spokane and that, while Spokane Valley had some similar issues, things at Spokane Valley City Hall appeared to be going well.

“They’ve got a good budget and a lot of good things going for them, and we did not see that in Spokane,” he said.

While Hormel said some candidates in the primary had policies that concerned him, he declined to name which candidates.

“I’ve met a few candidates, but we just didn’t have the funding to jump in all the races,” he said.

Woodard’s opponent, accountant Lance Gurel, has raised about $17,800 in campaign contributions, but lent money to his own campaign and has spent more than Woodard. Gurel has spent $22,800. Most of Gurel’s contributions are from individual donors, but he also received several contributions from labor unions, as well as state and county Democrats.

The Spokane Regional Labor Council contributed $1,000 and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union No. 77 contributed $500.

The Spokane County Democratic Central Committee donated $1,000 to Gurel, and the Washington State Democrats donated about $860.

Gurel said he’s always been a supporter of labor unions because things that improve workers’ lives also improve their families’ lives, which makes the community stronger.

“What’s good for families is good for business,” he said.

He said he has previously been a Democrat in the past, but has won support from people from both parties during this election.

Brandi Peetz and Michelle Rasmussen received the second and third most contributions.

Peetz, a former 911 dispatcher, has raised about $21,700 and spent about $20,500. Peetz has more union support than any other candidate, bringing in almost $5,000 from the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, the Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 44 Union, the Iron Workers District Council of the Pacific Northwest and the Spokane Valley firefighters union.

City Councilman Ben Wick also contributed to her campaign.

Peetz did not immediately return a request for comment.

Her opponent, Michelle Rasmussen, the senior director for campus services, parking and transportation at Eastern Washington, has raised almost $21,000 and spent about $20,200. Most of Rasmussen’s biggest contributors are individual donors, and she is supported by the Spokane Home Builders Association, who gave $1,000 to her campaign.

Rasmussen is also supported by several current council members, including Woodard, Councilwoman Pam Haley and Spokane Valley Mayor Rod Higgins, who all donated to her campaign. Spokane Valley state Senator Mike Padden also supported Rasmussen with a $175 donation.

Rasmussen said she likely received the support from the Home Builders Association because of her voting record on the planning commission and because she and her husband used to own a construction business.

“I’ve actually been in their shoes, I understand what regulations can do, or stop you from doing,” she said. “That’s the difference between me and my opponent, I’ve got those experiences.”

The least expensive race for Spokane Valley City Council is for the seat currently held by Councilman Sam Wood, who did not file for an additional term, saying in an interview last month that it was time to “give someone else a turn.”

Tim Hattenburg, an author and former library trustee, has raised more but spent less than his opponent Bo Tucker, a first time candidate and a chiropractor. Hattenburg has raised about $20,100.

Hattenburg has unsuccessfully run as a Democrat against Sen. Bob McCaslin in 2004 and Rep. Matt Shea in 2008, and has garnered support from unions and from state and county Democrats. The majority of his donors are individuals.

Hattenburg also noted City Council races are non-partisan and he is a fiscal conservative.

He said the slight increase in campaign contributions could be caused by Spokane Valley residents’ concerns about development encroaching on their neighborhoods or about the growing homeless population.

“People are really concerned about what’s going to happen,” he said.

His opponent Bo Tucker has raised about $17,300 and spent about $16,200. Tucker is also supported by the Spokane Home Builders Association and current council members. Haley, Woodard and Higgins all donated to his campaign. He also received contributions from Padden.

Tucker said he likely won the support of city leaders because he owns a business and is more conservative than Hattenburg.

“I believe I am very fiscally conservative and have a very traditional family values approach, and I think people the people who are voting for me recognize that,” he said.

This story was updated on Monday, Nov. 1 to include that councilman Ben Wick contributed to Brandi Peetz.