Community members gathered at the Spokane NAACP’s City Council Candidate Forum to hear directly from those vying to shape Spokane’s legislative future. Moderated in partnership with KYRS Radio, the event featured candidates Kate Tellis, Alejandro Barrientos, Jonathan Bingle, Sarah Dixit, Zack Zappone and Christopher Savage, representing Districts 1 through 3.
Before the debate began, organizers grounded the conversation by reviewing the responsibilities of the Spokane City Council–a reminder of the weight carried by those seeking office.
Understanding the Role of City Council
The Spokane City Council serves as the legislative body of city government. Its seven members–including six district representatives and a council president–are elected to four-year terms. The council is responsible for:
- Creating city laws and policies through ordinances and resolutions
- Adopting and overseeing the annual city budget
- Allocating funds to departments, programs, and public services
- Setting rates for utilities and city taxes
- Regulating business activity and zoning laws
- Providing oversight of city departments and ensuring they operate efficiently
Council members act as liaisons to neighborhood councils, boards, and commissions, advocate for the needs of their districts, and serve as a bridge between residents and city administration.
Opening Statements: Vision and Values
Each candidate’s opening remarks reflected their personal journey and vision for Spokane.
Kate Tellis, District 2 candidate, is a former city prosecutor and nonprofit worker, said Spokane is “at a crossroads,” emphasizing transparency, accountability, and collaboration. Her campaign centers on safety, affordability, and sustainability, calling attention to the city’s housing shortage, water conservation, and environmental stewardship.
Alejandro Barrientos, District 2 candidate, is a business leader who emigrated from Colombia, said he’s running “to give back to a community that’s given me so much.” His priorities include public safety, homelessness, and housing, stressing leadership that “brings people together on common ground.”
Jonathan Bingle, the District 1 incumbent, framed his reelection bid around government accountability and community safety, recalling how pandemic restrictions devastated his family’s event business. “I’m here because I distrust government,” he said, “and I want to make sure it works for the people.”
Sarah Dixit, District 1 candidate, an organizer and Whitworth University graduate, focused on equity, representation, and accessibility. A former Planned Parenthood organizer, she said her work taught her “the power of storytelling” and how civic engagement can drive change.
Zack Zappone, District 3 incumbent and North Central High School teacher, spoke about education and opportunity. “Everyone deserves a fair shot,” he said, outlining policies around affordable housing, safer streets, and compassionate approaches to homelessness.
Christopher Savage, running in District 3, positioned himself as a pragmatic candidate focused on restoring downtown safety, reducing vacancies, and addressing affordability. He called for fiscal balance and “making sure Spokane isn’t a shadow of its former self.”
Youth Engagement: Building Pathways to Opportunity
Asked whether they would support city-led initiatives providing stipends and internships for youth under 15, candidates broadly agreed on the need to invest in young people.
Tellis proposed a “Youth Council Shadow Day” and mentorship pipeline, while Barrientos cited his experience hiring college interns and mentoring through community programs. Bingle praised the Chase Youth Commission for empowering civic leadership and said early employment instills self-reliance.
Dixit called for a formal youth subcommittee within city government and underscored the need to reach students “outside traditional spaces.” Zappone linked youth engagement to public safety, saying it prevents criminalization and builds civic confidence. Savage argued that revitalizing community centers–which have lost funding–would restore after-school and athletic programs vital to youth development.
Protecting Immigrant Communities
When asked how they would protect Spokane’s immigrant residents, candidates’ perspectives diverged.
Bingle referenced his work assisting Haitian residents during past immigration enforcement waves, emphasizing his support for those “who came here legally.” Dixit, the daughter of Indian immigrants, recounted her advocacy against ICE bus raids and her testimony supporting Safe and Welcoming Spokane legislation.
Zappone touted his sponsorship of resolutions limiting local cooperation with ICE and his advocacy for an immigrant aid fund in the city budget. Tellis described the national climate as a “constitutional crisis”, pledging to resist anti-immigrant policies and stand publicly with threatened communities.
Barrientos, who immigrated from Medellín, said the city should “fund organizations doing the work” like Thrive International and Manzanita House, while Savage pointed to his volunteer experience with World Relief and Meals on Wheels, saying all residents “deserve to belong.”
Housing and Homeownership: Closing the Gap
With homeownership rates for Black people are lagging far behind white residents, candidates were asked how they would expand access to affordable homes.
Zappone cited record-high housing permits and down payment programs passed during his tenure, saying the city’s progress must continue. Savage disagreed, calling for expanding the city’s urban growth boundaries to lower costs through market supply.
Tellis rejected that approach as “unsustainable,” urging investment in existing neighborhoods lacking infrastructure and transit. Barrientos supported smaller-lot developments and public-private partnerships to reduce permitting delays.
Bingle tied zoning reform to racial equity, noting that “zoning laws once used to exclude Black families now prevent economic diversity.” Dixit advocated for diverse housing types, including condos and ADUs, and proposed a land value tax to discourage speculative land hoarding.
Public Safety and Police Accountability
The final question–how to rebuild trust between law enforcement and communities who feel unsafe or dehumanized–revealed deep philosophical differences.
Tellis, drawing on her legal background, said effective public safety “requires oversight that works” and called for social workers–not armed officers–to make first contact with unhoused residents. Barrientos emphasized “training and representation” within the police force while supporting enforcement against open drug use.
Bingle, endorsed by the Spokane Police Guild, praised local officers but supported robust civilian oversight through the Office of the Police Ombudsman. Dixit called for demilitarizing responses to protests and strengthening the Office of Equity and Civil Rights, saying “safety must include emotional and psychological safety.”
Zappone backed stronger liaison relationships between police and community leaders, including Indigenous advocates, and pushed for accountability when leadership falls short. Savage emphasized expanding CARES teams and creating multidisciplinary response units pairing social workers with officers.
Common Ground: A City at a Crossroads
While the candidates differed on policy, they shared a recognition that Spokane faces pivotal challenges–housing, safety, and belonging among them.
Tellis, Dixit, and Zappone spoke to transparency, inclusion, and data-driven compassion. Bingle, Barrientos, and Savage called for pragmatic governance and revitalized public order.
Community respondents noted that the forum illuminated two broad visions: one centered on equity, access, and collaboration, and another focused on enforcement, efficiency, and accountability.
Three residents sued Barrientos on Oct. 27, questioning whether he resided in the district he is running to represent.
State and local law requires a candidate for public office to have lived in the jurisdiction for at least a full year before they file for office. Specifically, under the Spokane City Charter, a candidate must have their “primary residence” be a “permanent address where he or she physically resides and maintains his or her abode.”
Barrientos called the lawsuit “an 11th hour dark money smear.”
Election Day
Ballots for the 2025 Spokane City Council election are due Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Mail ballots by Oct. 26 or return them to an official Spokane County drop box.