SPOKANE, Wash. — Former Washington State Dept. of Commerce Director Lisa Brown announced her plans to run for Spokane mayor on Thursday.
Brown is the former Senate Majority Leader in the Washington House of Representatives and the former Washington State University Spokane chancellor. She also served in the state House of Representatives for four years as a minority whip and floor leader.
Brown is the first candidate to announce their plans to challenge incumbent Mayor Nadine Woodward.
"This is your city. We have all made Spokane what it is, and together we can make it better," Brown said. " Together, we can get a city that is stuck in neutral moving again."
Brown, a longtime Spokane resident, was appointed to the Dept. of Commerce by Gov. Jay Inslee in Feb. 2019. She will remain in her role until March 3.
During her campaign launch, Brown said forward progress in the city has been stalled due to Mayor Woodward's administration. She also alleged the administration had "excessive turnover" and "too much conflict."
She added that, because she now has a grandson, she feels a call to be closer to home and to make Spokane better.
"I left a good job at the state Department of Commerce, and I'm running for mayor because the ineffective leadership coming out of Mayor Woodward's office has been holding us back," Brown said. "There isn't a vison for where we're going or a clear roadmap for how we're going to get there."
When asked how her leadership would differ from Mayor Woodward's, Brown said she has a track record of listening to local leaders, making a plan and getting the job done.
"You have to talk about what progress can we really make, what resources can we actually get to to get the job done," she said.
If elected, Brown's top priority will be focusing on the need for housing, addressing community safety and building better jobs and opportunities for Spokane residents.
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