David Condon

David Condon (born February 9, 1974) is an American politician who served as the mayor of Spokane, Washington from 2011 to 2019. Prior to his election as mayor, Condon was the deputy chief of staff for U.S. Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers.

For other people named David Condon, see David Condon (disambiguation).
David Condon
44th Mayor of Spokane
In office
December 30, 2011 – December 30, 2019
Preceded byMary Verner
Succeeded byNadine Woodward
Personal details
Born (1974-02-09) February 9, 1974
Spokane, Washington, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Kristin 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

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

In May 2011, Condon announced he would challenge incumbent Spokane mayor Mary Verner in that year's mayoral 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 went on to defeat Verner in a close race.[3][4]

As mayor, Condon focused on reforming the Spokane Police Department, improving the city's financial situation and building up the city's infrastructure and parks. He was reelected in 2015, becoming the first Spokane mayor to be elected to a second term since 1973.[5][6] However, he was term-limited and thus ineligible to run for reelection in 2019. Nadine Woodward won the election to succeed him and took office at the end of that year.[7]

Mayoral tenure

Crime and use-of force incidents were reported to have declined during Condon's tenure as mayor of Spokane. Use of force by the Spokane Police Department was down by 22% while violent crime was down by 19.72% and overall crime down by 8.36% as of early 2015.[8]

Despite campaigning against utility rate and property tax increases, Condon proposed 2.9% utility rate increases to be used for capital projects to reduce the amount of 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 also 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. Costs for the plan were estimated 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 donations to his campaign.[13]

In 2014, Condon announced that the City of Spokane would join the nationwide Ban the box movement by removing questions relating to criminal history on city applications.[14] In August that year, Condon announced San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi, Mexico, as Spokane's newest sister city.[15]

The following month, officials from the Washington State Auditor's office released a report showing the City of Spokane had multiple rules violations in the handling of 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 effective from 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 the 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 which increased 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 political appointments. Superior Court Judge Kathleen O'Connor sided with Spokane Firefighter Labor Union Local 29, calling the city's justification for the expansion "ludicrous".[22] Condon announced in May 2014 that he had chosen to appeal this Superior Court ruling.[23] The case was eventually dismissed.

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gollark: Also, ye olden CPUs had less efficient transistors but fewer of them, and did not have to continuously run a billion inefficient Java programs or something.
gollark: No, it's improving in some ways but worsening in others.
gollark: Practical clock frequencies might actually be going *down*.
gollark: Yes, we are hitting downscaling issues.

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.
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