There’s general agreement the Spokane metropolitan area needs more housing, especially for working-class people. The city is providing incentives for builders, including getting rid of rules that once mandated parking for new housing projects. There’s also new impetus for property owners to build accessory dwelling units, apartments or detached units on lots that already contain housing.
Spencer Gardner is Spokane’s planning director and in our studio to talk about the changing face of housing. He says Spokane needs to provide mechanisms that allow property owners a variety of choices when they want to make improvements.
Next month, Washington voters will say yes or no to Initiative 2109. That would repeal the state’s capital gains tax on sales of assets with a value of more of $250,000. It was initially submitted as an initiative to the legislature, but legislators didn’t act on it, so it’s now before voters.
Here are pro and con statements on 2109, submitted for TVW’s Video Voters Guide. The pro statement was provided by Hallie Balch from the group Let's Go, Washington.
Third District Washington State Representative Marcus Riccelli is giving up his seat in the state House to run for the state Senate. The two people who are running to replace him are in our studio today: Democrat Natasha Hill and Republican Tony Kiepe.
