SPOKANE, Wash. — Candidates for Spokane’s City Council District 2, Kate Telis and Alejandro Barrientos, outlined their backgrounds and ideas ahead of the Nov. 4 election.
Telis, an attorney and nonprofit leader, said her work as a former prosecutor handling domestic violence cases and her experience with homeless families in Albuquerque shaped her approach to public service. She has also worked on campaigns for several Spokane-area candidates.
Telis is running for the seat currently held by Councilwoman Lili Navarrete, who recently announced she will not seek another term. If elected, Telis would serve as one of two District 2 representatives, which covers most of the city south of the Spokane River. Councilman Paul Dillon, for whose 2023 campaign Telis served as volunteer coordinator, holds the district’s other seat through 2027.
“I have spent my life standing up for people, whether it’s … I was a former prosecutor that worked with domestic violence felonies, helping them stand up to their abusers. I’ve also worked in the nonprofit realm in Albuquerque … with homeless families with young children, helping them find stability. Obviously, the issues we see downtown, both of my experiences are relevant to that,” Telis said.
She said public safety and sustainable development are her top priorities. Telis supports expanding programs that divert nonviolent calls to social workers, allowing police to focus on violent crime, drug activity and arson.
“We are seeing crime rates downtown that we need to deal with… We also need to make sure that we are taking homelessness and separating it from crime,” Telis said. “Make sure that those people are the social workers and people who are trained to deal with people in crisis, make sure that those people are the first contact for those calls that then, of course, will free up police officers to focus on the crime, focus on the drug deals, focus on the domestic violence, focus on the drug use and arson, and I think we’ll see much better results in that way.”
Telis also emphasized the need for neighborhood-level planning before approving new development in areas such as West Hills and Eagle Ridge. She supports the “Safe and Welcome in Spokane” ordinance, which prevents ICE agents from entering permitted events on most public property if organizers request protection.
Barrientos, chief operating officer of Spokane-based SCAFCO Steel Stud Company, said his professional background outside politics gives him a different perspective.
He is also running for the seat being vacated by Navarrete. If elected, Barrientos would represent District 2 alongside Dillon.
“I’m not a career politician. I’m a father, a neighbor and somebody that cares about Spokane,” Barrientos said. “I’ve been here 17 years. I’ve lived in the Logan neighborhood, I’ve lived downtown, I’ve lived in Browne’s Addition, and now I live in the South Hill. And I just want to bring that leadership experience, the operational experience that I have and bring some much needed change to Spokane.”
Barrientos said public safety is his top concern, followed by chronic homelessness and housing. He supports approaches that combine compassion with accountability, pointing to models in other cities.
“Compassion is giving somebody a guiding hand, and we’ve looked at proven models, like, for example, the mayor San Jose is doing something, if you refuse shelter three times, the fourth time, you either have to go to mandatory rehabilitation or jail. Which jail is never the solution to the issues, but at least you have an option to go to one or the other. And I think most people choose mandatory rehabilitation. And what they found out is that actually gives people a path forward,” Barrientos said.
He also pointed to infrastructure issues, such as repairing the Sunset Bridge and addressing gaps in public transportation, as pressing needs in District 2. Barrientos said his campaign will focus on bipartisan collaboration and communication with immigrant communities.
“And one of the things that I like to tell people this is a nonpartisan race, and the reason why is these issues aren’t red or blue. They’re local issues. I have my own personal beliefs and I have my own values, but I think when it comes to a service position, we should leave our own personal beliefs or political affiliations at the door, because we’re here to represent the people of Spokane,” Barrientos said.
The District 2 race will be decided Nov. 4.
