Spokane City Councilman Steve Salvatori will step down next month to pursue business interests out of state, and his colleagues on the council should look for a successor who brings to the office a skill set that’s similar to the one he has exhibited. 

Salvatori, who served a relatively short, 2 1/2-year stint on the council, cast himself as a fiscal conservative who was moderate in other areas. Mayor David Condon has credited him with championing independent civilian oversight of the police department, leading a task force whose recommendations are helping to evolve the Spokane Fire Department, and fostering entrepreneurism and small business development in the community.

A Spokane resident for eight years, Salvatori brought to the council extensive experience in business startups, business operations, and real estate development. While certainly other council members own or have owned companies and possess valuable business experience, Salvatori arguably has the greatest breadth and depth of private-sector success on the current council. 

Ultimately, that business acumen is leading him to leave the public sector. Moving to Dallas to oversee Salvatori-Scott Inc., a  growing consumer-products company he has ownership in, Salvatori will serve his last day on the council  July 8.

The council will take applications July 10 through 24 for a successor to fill Salvatori’s 3rd District seat—that district is generally described as the portion of the city north of the Spokane River and west of Division Street. After a series of interviews and other steps, the council is expected to vote to fill the vacancy on Aug. 18. 

Salvatori has no say in the process, of course. When asked, however, what he would like to see his fellow council members do, he said he would like to see them replace him with someone with business experience, preferably small-business experience, if a candidate with such a background seeks the appointment. 

“I think it takes all walks of life on the council,” Salvatori says. “To the extent they can, I think it would be great if they could find someone who has local business experience and can make it a well-rounded council.”

While the city council is technically nonpartisan, it swung to a more liberal majority last year when Candace Mumm won the seat that conservative Nancy McLaughlin vacated and when Jon Snyder won re-election. Both Mumm and Snyder won by decisive margins. With this seat, that majority could achieve a stronger foothold, one that would allow it to override mayoral vetoes when voting as a block. We believe this would be a mistake and caution that balance should be the watchword.

It would be foolish to think power won’t be in the back of their minds as they interview candidates, just as it would be in the minds of more right-leaning council members if political winds were blowing the other way. Regardless of political philosophy, having another council member who knows firsthand the challenges of owning and operating a small business would be an asset to the city.