David Condon

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For other people named David Condon, see David Condon (disambiguation).
David Condon
44th Mayor of Spokane
Assumed office
December 30, 2011
Preceded byMary Verner
Succeeded byNadine Woodward (elect)
Personal details
Born (1974-02-09) February 9, 1974 (age 50)
Spokane, Washington
Political partyRepublican
SpouseKristin Condon
Children3
Alma materGonzaga Preparatory School
Boston College (B.A.)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1996-2005
Rank Captain

David Condon (born February 9, 1974) is an American politician who is the Mayor of Spokane, Washington. Prior to his election as mayor, Condon was the deputy chief of staff for U.S. Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers.

A Spokane native, Condon graduated from Gonzaga Preparatory School in 1992 and then enrolled at Boston College, where he received a bachelor's of arts degree in Finance and Military Science. He immediately entered the Army where he rose to the rank of captain. Retiring from military service in 2005, he briefly worked in small business before getting hired by McMorris Rodgers. He rose to become her deputy chief of staff.[1]

In May 2011, Condon announced he would challenge incumbent mayor Mary Verner in the November election, Though he claimed to have a positive working relationship with Verner, he disagreed with her policies regarding taxation, vehicle registration and criminal justice.[2] Condon defeated Verner in a close race.[3][4] As Mayor, he has focused on reforming the Spokane Police Department, improving the city's financial situation and building up the cities infrastructure and parks. Condon was reelected in 2015, becoming the first Spokane mayor to be elected to multiple terms since 1973.[5][6] Condon was term-limited and could not run for reelection in 2019. Nadine Woodward won the election to succeed him and will take office on December 30, 2019.[7]

Tenure as Mayor of Spokane

  • Crime and Use-of-force incidents down in Spokane. As reported in early 2015, use-of-force by the Spokane Police Department is down by 22 percent while violent crime is down by 19.72 percent and overall crime is down by 8.36 percent.[8]
  • Despite campaigning against utility rate and property tax increases, Condon proposed 2.9% utility rate increases to be used for capital projects mitigating raw sewage flowing into the Spokane River due to major storm events. He also proposed a 2% property tax increase to purchase police and fire equipment.[9] He has pledged to tie all future utility rate increases to inflation.[10] The Condon Administration's Integrated Clean Water Plan was one of the first integrated plans to be developed under the Environmental Protection Agency's integrated plan framework. The plan costs up to $310 million.[11] In late 2014, the city issued $200 million in "green" bonds to pay for part of the Integrated Clean Water Plan. It was the largest amount of debt assumed in the city's history.[12]
  • In December 2013 Hoyt Larison, a businessman who had contributed to Condon's reelection campaign and political action committee, was nominated by Condon to serve on the Spokane International Airport Board. Mayor Condon withdrew Larison's name from consideration after members of the City Council and The Spokesman-Review began inquiring into the timing of Larison's political donations to Condon.[13]
  • Condon announced in 2014 that the City of Spokane would join the nationwide Ban the box movement by removing questions relating to criminal history on city applications.[14]
  • On August 25, 2014, Condon announced San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi, Mexico, as Spokane's newest sister city.[15]
  • On September 23, 2014 officials from the Washington State Auditor's office released a report showing the City of Spokane had multiple rules violations for handling Federal grants. This was the third year in a row that the City of Spokane showed an increase in audit findings.[16]
  • Mayor Condon's proposed 2015 budget included a $7,000 raise for himself bringing his salary to nearly $180,000. Condon later announced that he would be donating his salary increase to local charities.[17] In 2015 the City of Spokane's Salary Review Commission voted unanimously to decrease the Mayor's salary to $163,000 starting the following year. [18]

Spokane Home Builders Association

In 2014, Condon vetoed an ordinance sponsored by Jon Snyder that would have prohibited the City from supplying water and sewer services to areas challenged under Washington State Growth Management Act. The Spokane Home Builders Association, a major contributor to Condon's campaign, lobbied hard for the veto.[19][20]

Spokane Fire Department

In 2013, when Conservatives held the Council majority, Condon created a new organizational structure for the Spokane Fire Department increasing the number of political appointees to 14.[21] The Spokane Firefighters Labor Union Local 29 filed a lawsuit against the city. In the November 2013 elections, the Spokane City Council majority shifted and passed a repeal of the previous ordinance expanding the fourteen political appointments. Superior Court Judge Kathleen O'Connor sided with the Spokane Firefighter Labor Union Local 29 calling the city's justification for the expansion "ludicrous".[22] Condon announced in May 2014 that he chose to appeal this Superior Court ruling,[23] however this case was eventually dismissed.

References

  1. ^ "David Condon". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  2. ^ Blunt, Jonathan (May 2, 2011). "David Condon, McMorris Rodgers staffer, declares candidacy for mayor". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  3. ^ Brunt, Jonathan (November 10, 2011). "It's now Spokane Mayor-Elect Condon". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Election Center". Spokesman Review.
  5. ^ Chitnis, Shawn (March 20, 2015). "Spokane Mayor hopes to break curse of one-term mayors". KREM2. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  6. ^ "Mayor Condon announces re-election campaign". KHQ. March 3, 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  7. ^ "Spokane City Council President Ben Stuckart announces run for mayor". The Spokesman-Review. April 13, 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  8. ^ "Overall crime, use of force incidents down in Spokane". KHQ Right Now. Retrieved 2019-08-26.
  9. ^ Brunt, Jonathan (November 20, 2013). "Spokane City Council OKs property tax hike". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  10. ^ Brunt, Jonathan (November 19, 2013). "Spokane City Council OKs water, trash, sewer rate hikes". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  11. ^ Feist, Marlene. "Utilities Communication Manager". City of Spokane. Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  12. ^ Deshais, Nicholas. "City issues $200 million in 'green bonds'". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  13. ^ Brunt, Jonathan (December 6, 2013). "Mayor David Condon's Airport Board nominee withdraws". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  14. ^ Deshais, Nicholas. "Spokane joining nationwide 'ban the box' trend". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  15. ^ Groover, Heidi. "Meet Spokane's new sister city". The Inlander. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  16. ^ Deshais, Nicholas. "Audit faults city's grant handling". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  17. ^ "Mayor says he won't take planned raise". The Spokesman-Review. October 15, 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  18. ^ Deshais, Nicholas (November 22, 2015). "Panel cuts Spokane mayor's pay". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  19. ^ Prager, Mike. "Mayor vetoes council plan that would have limited sprawl". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  20. ^ Wasson, David. "Groups lobby to veto anti-sprawl vote". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  21. ^ Wasson, David. "Condon's plan to raise number of fire department appointees halted". Spokesman Review. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  22. ^ Wasson, David. "Condon's plan to raise number of fire department appointees halted". Spokesman Review. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  23. ^ Brunt, Jonathan. "Mayor David Condon fights judge's ruling on fire appointments". Spokesman Review.

Template:Washington cities and mayors of 100,000 population

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