Bloglander

Who wants to change the charter? -- The Spokesman-Review quickly runs through the proposed amendments to the city charter that Spokane voters will receive in the mail this week. They include an amendment allowing council members to serve a term as council president even though their two terms are up, an amendment clarifying mayoral paycheck language, another changing city council recall elections to happen in only their district rather than citywide, one clarifying the city council's power to make temporary committees and another clarifying that the city council president has to step down from his position if filling the mayoral role. Others deal with the mayors right to hire attorneys, the Spokane park board's ability to condemn property, how annexed land is appropriated into council districts, who the Office of Neighborhood Services reports to, how many special elections may be held within a six month period, and clarifies the powers of the City Plan Commission. (SR)

Burning money -- There are two articles on KREM.com today worth reading. One is about how firefighters scrambled to fight three different brush fires yesterday. The other is about how the lack of wildfires have made it difficult to pay wildfire fighters. (KREM)

Raul and the borders -- With North Idaho a long, long way from the Mexican border, you wouldn't think immigration reform would be a top topic for an Idaho representative. But that's been Raul Labrador's main focus throughout his time in Congress. But it makes sense. The man was an immigration lawyer for 15 years. (CDAP)

Debt crisis crisis -- As the debt ceiling deadline tick-tick-ticks toward Doomsday, Speaker of the House John Boehner scrambles to find the votes he needs to pass his plan. His problem isn't finding Democrats to vote for the plan -- the House already has a majority of Republicans, but convincing the more conservative members that his plan isn't a betrayal of their values. Now, the intensity of the tea party that's been so useful to Boehner may backfire for him. (Politico)