Again, three issues set candidates apart
Oct. 28—Jessica Klein, Darlene Lambert, Brennon Leafty and John Spickelmire are four candidates seeking seats on the Lewiston City Council this fall.
The top three vote-getters in the Nov. 7 general election will win four-year terms. The other candidates are Maureen Anderson, Rick Eldridge, David Funke and Jim Kleeburg.
This story includes views Klein, Lambert, Leafty and Spickelmire shared with the Tribune in emails, texts and interviews.
A story that ran Friday covered similar ground with other candidates.
Spickelmire is an incumbent. Klein, Lambert and Leafty are seeking political office for their first time.
A Republican, Klein, 35, is a self-employed property owner and landlord. Lambert, 45, is a journalist and reporter for Big Country News. She describes herself as an independent leaning toward Republican.
Leafty, 20, works as a self-employed, freelance graphic designer. Politically he's an unaffiliated independent who previously was a member of the U.S. Christian Democracy Party.
"I want to keep Lewiston sovereign and for the people of Lewiston, rather than for foreign and despotic powers that are currently seeking to interfere," Leafty said, referring to entities such as the federal government and the states of Oregon and Washington.
Like Klein, Spickelmire, 62, is a Republican. He is a retired federal aviation administration district manager and disabled veteran.
Some of the most pronounced differences in the candidates' views involve their positions on the city's financial support of the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport, how to address the homeless issue and operations of the Lewiston City Library.
The airport is owned by the city of Lewiston and Nez Perce County. Each entity gets to select two members of the five-member board and the fifth is picked by the other board members.
This fiscal year, the city and county are both contributing about $550,000 to the transportation facility.
That support is separate from the $4 million Nez Perce County used from a portion of its American Rescue Plan Act money in a three-year agreement that helped bring United Airlines' nonstop Lewiston-Denver flights to the Lewiston airport in 2021.
The city's support makes sense because the municipality is an airport owner, Klein said.
"Is ($550,000) too much?" she said. "... As it gets healthier and there are more people able to use this resource, the amount contributed by the city should decrease and help alleviate the burden on taxpayers."
Lambert said she sees the value of the airport, but doesn't understand why it needs the city subsidy.
"I would need access to more facts," she said. "I do believe that a deeper look into every aspect of government spending needs to be examined and the costs versus benefits weighed."
Lewiston's spending for the airport should be cut or at least temporarily suspended while an investigation is conducted about why the airport is "draining so much money with such little to show for it," Leafty said.
Once that happens, if the people decide, the money could be reinstated after the system is overhauled so the money is being used efficiently, Leafty said.
"Otherwise, I would like to see it completely cut and operating on a private venture, which I believe it should be able to do and will incentivize quality," he said.
Spickelmire would like to see other entities help carry the financial burden of the airport.
"Lewiston taxpayers are shouldering most of the responsibility for the airport's financial support with city and county taxes," Spickelmire said. "I feel we should solicit support from Clarkston, Asotin County and businesses that rely on the airport's services to help reduce the property tax burden on our residents."
On the homeless issue, Klein, Lambert and Spickelmire all oppose allowing homeless individuals to camp in public parks.
Homeless individuals shouldn't be permitted to pitch tents and make other citizens feel unsafe using amenities that are supposed to be available for all community members, Klein said.
"I realize that people are struggling to find homes to rent or can't afford them, but some of these individuals choose to be homeless and not have a paying job," she said. "Why should tax paying citizens have to suffer for their choices?"
Leafty has a different take. He supports harsh penalties for those who cause disturbances or leave harmful items on public property, but he backs public land being a place for homeless people to stay.
"Public property is public property," he said. "You should be allowed on it any time and anywhere regardless of if you possess a place to live. If they aren't allowed on it, then where else would they go?"
As with the homeless issue, the candidates have different takes on the Lewiston City Library. The library, Klein said, "is a nice place to bring your children and check out books," but it needs additional evaluation.
As with her stance on the airport, Lambert said she needs more information and generally feels all city spending needs to be examined.
"I feel the library is a necessary resource and service to the community," Lambert said.
Leafty's personal belief is that libraries should operate commercially rather than through tax dollars, he said.
"It's not really something I intend to enact unless people decide they want that," Leafty said.
He would want to get more information about the library's operations, he said.
"If I see areas where we can agree the funding is being used in an inefficient or unhelpful way, let's cut that or find a way to readjust it," Leafty said.
The Lewiston library, Spickelmire said, is one of the nicest in the region.
"Our library director is doing a good job managing the facility and it is a necessary/valuable part of our community," he said.
The library's budget is about 6% of the present property tax levy, Spickelmire said.
"Although this is a significant amount and should be scrutinized, the city has several other discretionary spending cuts that need to be reviewed before the library is even considered," he said.
Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.
