On Oct. 15, the Spokane branch of the NAACP hosted a candidate forum and town hall. The highlights are below.
Meet the candidates
Republican Al French has served four terms as a Spokane County Commissioner. Molly Marshall, a first-time democratic candidate and a retired member of Washington’s Air National Guard, is challenging French to retain his seat as the Spokane County Commissioner for District 5 for what would be his fifth term.
During the Spokane NAACP Candidate Forum these leaders addressed the issues affecting the Spokane community and the policies they plan to implement to serve their community.
Food insecurity
Both candidates agreed that addressing food insecurity in Spokane County is critical and is one of their priorities if elected. French argued that the county has been a party partner with food banks for many years, and that during the COVID-19 crisis it provided millions of dollars to food banks, school districts, agencies and nonprofits to work on addressing this issue within the communities in need. French promised to continue to work with the programs that serve the community.
Marshall also acknowledged the challenge of food insecurity, and emphasized the importance of working with outstanding organizations to tackle it, especially with the youth. She suggested partnering with organizations such as Second Harvest and other agencies to expand opportunities for schools feeding programs, in addition to passing legislation that ensures sustainability.
Overcrowding of county jails
Marshall mentioned that she first visited the county jail to understand more about this issue at the beginning of her campaign. She admits being surprised by how the county jail was overpopulated, understaffed and outdated. She said if elected she plans on building a new jail and developing an updated jail system, which will enhance and support services such as behavioral addiction services, rehabilitation, and integration services. She does not want to see a waste of taxpayer dollars, and commits to bringing the necessary resources.
French, in response, broke down the role the county plays within the county criminal justice system, stating that a lot of work has been put in for many years, engaging the community and collaborating with experts to try to find the right model. “I was there when we started the blueprint for reform, because I was aware we needed to reform the criminal justice system. It’s much more than the jail cell, it’s about how you keep the community safe and how do you make sure that the right people are incarcerated and those that are suffering from mental illness, drug addiction or some other ailments are not made criminals in the jail system.”
Homelessness
Both candidates agree that those who are unhoused affects the entire region, and that if elected they will provide financial resources and continue to support nonprofit services that address the need of homelessness in the community.
Washington state Legislative 3rd District candidate Natasha Hill
Hill, a lawyer and community organizer continues to ensure that the African American community has a strong voice and connection across Spokane County. She believes that it is important for her to send a strong message that representation from people with lived experience matters. “We must listen to people who have lived it, who have done it, who have overcome it and actually go back and show up in their community for people who are still dealing with it.”
When asked about how she intends to tackle the mental health crisis in public schools, Hill said she wants to be a champion education and work hard to de-escalate mental health issues in ensuring they are not cutting off educational programs. Her top legislative priorities are affordable housing, rent stabilization, and improvement of public health and safety.
U.S. Rep. Congressional 5th District candidate Carmela Conroy
Conroy seeks to advocate for American interests over political persuasion. A former deputy prosecutor, Conroy highlighted a priority in supporting working families so that their kids can see a path forward to access equal opportunities. Pro-union, if elected as congresswoman, she will ensure that her constituents will have what they need. She aims to employ a holistic approach to tackling crime, substance misuse, and supporting mental and behavioral health while integrating local solutions. On what she could do to ensure student loans debts are evaluated or mitigated in the context of racial wealth gap, Conroy acknowledges the lack of generational familiarity of higher education processes for first generation students. These challenges include the inability of families to provide financially for their students, withdrawal of federal support from university education over the past 40 years, and much higher prices in the cost of public universities. This all leads to a high debt ceiling for students who want to get ahead by accessing opportunities. Conroy stated that loans being turned over to for-profit contractors needs to be evaluated along with loan forgiveness shortfalls for public servants. She believes that federal funding should not be available for diploma mills that exploit students.