Crime and use-of force incidents were reported to have declined during Condon's tenure as mayor of Spokane. Use of force by the Spokane Police Department was down by 22% while violent crime was down by 19.72% and overall crime down by 8.36% as of early 2015. Despite campaigning against utility rate and property tax increases, Condon proposed 2.9% utility rate increases to be used for capital projects to reduce the amount of raw sewage flowing into the
Spokane River due to major storm events. He also proposed a 2% property tax increase to purchase police and fire equipment. He also pledged to tie all future utility rate increases to inflation. The Condon Administration's Integrated Clean Water Plan was one of the first integrated plans to be developed under the
Environmental Protection Agency's integrated plan framework. Costs for the plan were estimated up to $310 million. In late 2014, the city issued $200 million in "green" bonds to pay for part of the Integrated Clean Water Plan. It was the largest amount of debt assumed in the city's history. In December 2013 Hoyt Larison, a businessman who had contributed to Condon's reelection campaign and political action committee, was nominated by Condon to serve on the
Spokane International Airport Board. Mayor Condon withdrew Larison's name from consideration after members of the City Council and
The Spokesman-Review began inquiring into the timing of Larison's donations to his campaign. In 2014, Condon announced that the City of Spokane would join the nationwide
Ban the box movement by removing questions relating to criminal history on city applications. In August that year, Condon announced
San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi, Mexico, as Spokane's newest sister city. The following month, officials from the Washington State Auditor's office released a report showing the City of Spokane had multiple rules violations in the handling of Federal grants. This was the third year in a row that the City of Spokane showed an increase in audit findings. Mayor Condon's proposed 2015 budget included a $7,000 raise for himself, bringing his salary to nearly $180,000. Condon later announced that he would be donating his salary increase to local charities. In 2015 the City of Spokane's Salary Review Commission voted unanimously to decrease the Mayor's salary to $163,000 effective from the following year.
Spokane Home Builders Association In 2014, Condon vetoed an ordinance sponsored by
Jon Snyder that would have prohibited the City from supplying water and sewer services to areas challenged under the
Washington State Growth Management Act. The Spokane Home Builders Association, a major contributor to Condon's campaign, lobbied hard for the veto.
Spokane Fire Department In 2013, when conservatives held the Council majority, Condon created a new organizational structure for the Spokane Fire Department which increased the number of political appointees to 14. The Spokane Firefighters Labor Union Local 29 filed a lawsuit against the city. In the November 2013 elections, the Spokane City Council majority shifted and passed a repeal of the previous ordinance expanding the political appointments. Superior Court Judge Kathleen O'Connor sided with Spokane Firefighter Labor Union Local 29, calling the city's justification for the expansion "ludicrous". Condon announced in May 2014 that he had chosen to appeal this Superior Court ruling. The case was eventually dismissed. ==References==