Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

Waste more; want more

First comes the teaser: It’s only one tenth of a cent. Maybe $18, $20 a year for an average family.

Next is the promise: That will give us enough money to build (unspecified) additional jail cells and also allow us to make (unspecified) improvements in our juvenile detention facilities.

Now the threat: If the sales tax increase fails, we will be forced to release dangerous criminals out on the streets.

Yeah, right. Remember, this is the land where strange things happen. A $45 million arena comes in on time and budget, but somehow costs many millions more than promised. A useless downtown transit facility is built with a final cost some $8 million over its initial $12 million cost. These are only the recent ones.

Why is it that no one ever steps forward and assumes responsibility for these things?

Spokane-area taxpayers must have learned by now that government has an insatiable appetite for tax money. There is never enough. Vote “yes” and they will be back again for another handout for something equally urgent. Just watch. Charles F. Dayley Cheney

Barrier is symbol of privilege

Most Spokane taxpayers should be outraged by the City Council voting to confirm special traffic privilege to residents of 29th and Pittsburg for having used taxpayers’ money to construct a unique cement barrier obstructing public use of a public street.

Spokane taxpayers are entitled to use all public streets and must not yield to private streets for South Hill resident and council member Orville Barnes. Traffic has and will continue to substantially increase and the responsibility for accepting traffic accidents and congestion must be shared equally among all city residents, without the City Council creating special traffic-free residential areas.

Residents of 29th and Pittsburg have little to complain about considering the traffic and traffic accidents absorbed by other neighborhoods in this city with their one-way streets, two-way arterials and are prohibited from parking cars in front of their own homes. Yet, these residents are paying taxes to pay for this unique cement barrier, the costs of maintaining these streets, including but not limited to snow removal.

If the council is serious about removing the hazards of this intersection, put up the money for traffic lights. The cement barrier does not abolish traffic accidents but only transfers them to neighboring streets. What justification is there for the council to transfer traffic accidents from Pittsburg and 29th to the streets of the taxpaying neighbors?

Councilman Orville Barnes, who lives in this privileged neighborhood, should have had the common sense to excuse himself from voting on this issue. Victor J. Felice Spokane

Kolva has experience edge

Spokane politics are looking up at least in one way. Jim Kolva and Roberta Greene are two fine candidates for City Council. Unfortunately, they are running for the same position.

Greene has lived in Spokane for about eight years and has become well-liked during this short time. She has served on the boards of some of the more visible organizations in town. She works with her husband running a car business.

Kolva has lived in the Spokane area for over 30 years and has served in an unpaid position on the City Plan Commission for seven years. He is also well-liked and has been an advocate for strong neighborhoods. He is an urban planner by profession and runs his own small business.

We need to ask ourselves what Spokane needs right now when making the tough decision to vote for one over the other. As a downtown business owner, my support is going to Kolva because what we need now is someone who has a proven track record of dedication to public service, who is personally knowledgeable about Spokane’s strengths and weaknesses and who has had experience actually making tough decisions involving our neighborhoods and our businesses. Let’s put Kolva on the City Council. Wanda Helgeson Spokane

Kolva - ‘just what we need’

I have known Jim Kolva for over 10 years. He is an honest, hard-working, public-spirited person who knows and loves Spokane. He has lived here most all his life.

He is not afraid to tackle difficult issues. On the City Plan Commission, Kolva always keeps the debate civil, listens to everyone and tries to build consensus. This is just what we need in our city government right now.

Kolva is just the kind of person we need to help solve the tough issues facing Spokane. He has the dedication, experience and knowledge we need. Vote for Kolva for City Council. Jim Dukich Spokane

INITIATIVE 651

Gambling issue should be defeated

We will soon vote on Initiative 651. Do we give Native Americans the right to expand the scope of gambling in Washington or do we keep the laws as they are? Consider these factors:

Do we accept the bribe of a share of the profits when several tribes are vocally opposed to 651?

What will happen to charities that depend on bingo halls for much of their revenue? The Red Cross bingo hall has already closed.

Where will money come from to cover losses to the state’s general fund from decreased sales the state lottery will experience if Native Americans get their legalized gambling?

Where will senior citizens and the handicapped go if charity bingo halls are squeezed out of business?

Remember, there are only so many dollars available and the tribes already have an advantage because their restrictions are more lenient.

I am very opposed to gambling, and I remember when one-armed bandits were legal in Washington. Outlawing those only forced gamblers into the shadows and off to Nevada.

Is it right to give Native Americans a different set of rules? Will they be able to manage it without organized crime getting involved?

I don’t like hyphenated names for the various races. In my opinion, if you are an American citizen you should expect to be governed by the same rules as all citizens, regardless of race, religion or skin color.

Please, think of the consequences before you vote. I will not be bribed. My vote will be “no.” Gerald W. Ray Spokane

Indians deserve this chance

After reading the letter “Initiative 651 gives away the store” on Oct. 26, I wonder what Nathan Narrance is really saying. As long as the Indian stays on the reservation, receives welfare and depends upon the white men who put them there, then it’s OK.

Wait a minute - they want to be independent of the welfare system, think for themselves and teach the new generation a way of life that was stolen from them long ago. Shame on the society that keeps them silent and away in the corner like a scolded child. They were granted “tax exemption” by the government for their silence and forbearance of the heinous treatment received those generations ago.

I was non-committal regarding the issue, but I’m voting “yes” because of Mr. Narrance’s letter and that cancels his vote out. Kathy Horwath Spokane

Foe misunderstands situation

I don’t know where Nathan Narrance (Letters, Oct. 26) got his understanding of Indian issues, and this may be the case with others opposing Initiative 651.

Indians cannot purchase land anywhere they choose and put it into tax-exempt trust status. The land near Chewelah where the bingo hall and casinos are located has always been held in trust as part of the Spokane Indian Reservation.

Money paid to the tribes for the flooding and use of tribal lands mostly goes into the surrounding area’s economy. If Narrance knew anything about reservation life, he would know that we don’t have shopping malls, car dealerships, etc., so we spend our money boosting the economy of the outside area, providing jobs for the non-Indian community.

If Narrance has caught a kokanee salmon or trout in Lake Roosevelt, it may well have been grown and planted by Spokane Tribal Fisheries.

The gaming enterprise employs 40 percent Indians and 60 percent non-Indian employees.

The front page article of Oct. 26 stated there are 850 Spokane Tribe members. Actually, there are 2,200 enrolled members we are trying to provide services for.

I am pleased that Narrance doesn’t oppose gambling on the reservation and I respect his right to vote as he sees fit on Initiative 651. However, I hope this letter will give him and others a better understanding of Indian rights and issues and that he will reconsider his opposition. Agnes McCrea, Spokane tribal elder Wellpinit, Wash.

REFERENDUM 48

Measure turns tables on government

For years now, bureaucrats and environmentalists have been chipping away at the rights of Washington state property owners.

At the expense of every person who has worked long and hard to buy a little piece of land to call home, they have chosen to take care of birds, squirrels and weeds before they take care of people, their homes and their families.

People who don’t themselves own property pay the price of excessive government regulations that prevent schools from growing to meet local needs, that drive up the cost of everything from paper and produce to land and industrial products and that keep businesses from wanting to bring jobs to Washington.

Doesn’t it make sense to demand that government first consider the cost of land-use regulations before it takes away the right to use a piece of property from the people who paid for it? Then, if the government decides to take the right to use a piece of property anyway, shouldn’t it pay a fair price for that land? That’s what Referendum 48 would do.

Voters who care about property rights in this state should approve Referendum 48. Robert W. Wright Spokane

Tale of woe points up need

I feel very strongly that Referendum 48 should be passed. Although it hasn’t affected me personally, I’ve see how the government can affect people.

My father-in-law had a lifelong dream of owning a ranch in Oregon where he could raise sheep. After a number of years, he sold some land in California and was finally able to realize his dream.

He paid his annual rent with the annual payment he received from selling his California property. It wasn’t long until his dream was shattered. When the buyers of the California property began to develop it, they were told they couldn’t because of wetlands on the property. The buyers backed out of the contract and left my husband’s family struggling to make their annual payments.

They will probably have to sell the ranch. No sheep will be purchased and there is very little money left for anything more than the bare necessities.

Please, voters, don’t let this happen to someone in your family. Vote “yes” for Referendum 48. After all, property rights are protected by the Constitution. Kelly Harper Spokane

Stop invitation to ‘feeding frenzy’

Voting to reject Referendum 48 will help prevent an open-ended flow of tax dollars from ordinary citizens to large corporations and landowners.

The loosely worded law passed by the Legislature forces taxpayers to compensate landowners for alleged changes in property value caused by government actions taken in the public benefit.

Given the lack of precise definitions in the law, lawyers, consulting economists and Realtors will have a feeding frenzy as landowners scramble to obtain the highest possible “estimated loss” from every public action taken - from building playgrounds and water treatment plants to passing guidelines to keep drinking water safe.

Vote to reject Referendum 48. Douglas L. Young Pullman

REFERENDUM 45

Professional management needed

I regard to Referendum 45, it’s time for those of us interested in preserving what little wildlife we have left to stand up and be counted.

Since Gov. Booth Gardner made the head of this department a political position, it’s steadily gone downhill. Those in charge had little knowledge of how to best take care for and use these resources. Now we’re seeing the results. The game populations are down. Pheasants, elk and other game animals are all in decline. This is due in part to politicians running the show, rather than professionals who have had years of experience on which to draw.

With the decline in game, we see a decline in the number of hunting licenses sold. This gives the department less money and it all starts a downhill roll.

I strongly urge all fellow outdoorsmen, whether you hunt or not, to take this out of the politicians’ hands and put it back where it belongs, in the professionals’ hands. Vote “yes” on Referendum 45. Francis H. Potter Spokane

Referendum restrains politicians

Unlike traditional human services, natural resource management is jeopardized by sporadic, politically driven decisions and policy shifts. The Fish and Wildlife Commission, nine citizens appointed from across the state, serve six-year terms with three members being replaced or reappointed every two years.

Management decisions that affect the quality, quantity and diversity of fish and wildlife are dependent upon natural systems that take time to implement and evaluate. Referendum 45 will return a citizens commission system which works for fish and wildlife and restrains the current system of politics as usual. Everett Best Spokane

IN THE PAPER

Priggee gives miners the shaft

Now Milt Priggee’s taking shots at us wicked miners with his cartoon depicting an excavator devouring the earth. How clever of him, educating us to the fact that miners dig holes in the ground. What’s your point?

Do we dig too deep? Should we stop digging? If so, I hope you will enlighten us further by explaining how 6 billion people are to exist on this planet without mining. I hope you will address the fact that probably half these people have never even had the luxury of a flush toilet.

Please tell us where we’ll obtain the mineral resources to provide these people with the most basic sanitation facilities, to say nothing of a refrigerator or a telephone, without mining. Should we tell these people to stop wanting these things because we must dig holes in the ground to produce them?

The problem here is vastly more complex than Priggee’s cartoon suggests. We’re all aware mining impacts our environment and work hard to minimize that impact. What he and others seem to have lost sight of is the fundamental role mining plays in mankind’s ability to develop and maintain civilizations.

I’ve seen him do some great things with his pen and wit. I hope in the future he’ll explore this issue more thoughtfully before taking the easy, popular approach of simply castigating us miners.

By the way, did he walk or drive to work today? Otto L. Schumacher Spokane