No learning curve, please

Having attended the Spokesman’s “Pints and Politics” debate last week, I was quite taken aback by the paper’s endorsements. My wife and I, both college debaters, thought we saw a clear choice. There were two idealistic but relatively uniformed, untested candidates opposed by two others who had been in the trenches and really knew what we are dealing with.

Ben Stuckart almost drowned Nadine Woodward in data and information. He may not be charming but he knows his stuff. He has tried all the “good ideas” Woodward is suggesting and knows what causes our issues and what has worked and not worked. Cindy Wendle came off as just a nice person who really had no ideas at all. She will just, “listen.” It was a striking contrast to Breean Beggs’ understanding of city problems.

I will not be surprised if both Woodward and Wendle win the election. Voters like simplicity. What voters should not expect, however, is for these new city leaders to suddenly solve our problems. They will, like the others, go through a long period of trial and error. I personally would like to skip this phase and just send Stuckart and Beggs back to work.

James Becker

Spokane