Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

City needs new, better manager

I am convinced Roger Crum is a very pleasant person and that he has managed Spokane to the very best of his ability.

However, during his tenure serious crime has increased unbelievably in spite of hiring scores of additional police officers. The growth in both frequency and seriousness of juvenile crime is phenomenal and our streets and sidewalks have deteriorated so that they would be an embarrassment to some Third World countries.

Two of our major stores have left downtown, followed by numerous smaller retail outlets, and our most rapid business expansion seems to be in drug dealing and prostitution.

During the years Mr. Crum has managed Spokane, significant gains have been made only in the salaries and benefits of the 2,000 or so people on our city’s payroll.

Albert Einstein observed that we are fools to try to solve big problems with the same kind of thinking that caused them.

Now is the time for a different kind of thinking to solve the problems that plague our city. For $90,000 a year plus benefits, surely the city can find a replacement for Mr. Crum with the ability and dedication to properly manage Spokane. Ray O’Keefe Spokane

Pols belong with Garfield, Bizarro

I must commend The Spokesman-Review for its new comics throughout the paper. After reading about the candidates for school board, I laughed for hours. That was almost as good as your ongoing comics/articles about our county commissioners, where I can always count on a good laugh.

One suggestion: Wouldn’t it be appropriate to put these and similar comics/articles on the comics page, where they belong? Perhaps a new section just for our local politicians?

Thanks for the laughs and keep up the good work. Scott H. Rasmussen Spokane

Harris’ concern carries price tag

I’m one of the many taxpaying, voting residents of Spokane who have health problems during the time the grass fields are aflame. I guess, according to Spokane County Commissioner Phil Harris, I am part of the “hate campaign against grass growers.”

What I find curious is, who does Commissioner Harris think he is? He is an elected official who receives campaign contributions. Seems like he is as much of a politician as Rep. Lisa Brown.

An important difference, however, is that Rep. Brown is concerned about the health of the citizens of Spokane and Commissioner Harris is more concerned about his next campaign contribution from the grass growers.

Flora Goldstein Spokane Let’s all wave ‘bye to Hasson I read with surprise and disappointment Todd Foster’s Sept. 9 article indicating that Commissioner Steve Hasson intends to run for a third term. This guy just doesn’t get it! This announcement alone will most likely guarantee passage of the joint city-county charter.

This is the commissioner who has already had two terms to “make a difference” for Spokane County. However, due to his inability to build consensus and work constructively, responsibly and effectively within the existing political structure, our county government is now facing serious financial, organizational and managerial problems.

The organizational “imprint” that he is so proud of making on our county is one which clearly demonstrates irresponsibility, lack of vision, poor management skills and disregard for professionalism. It will literally take years for this county to recover from his egocentric decision making and desire to be a bit different from the average bear.

He just doesn’t understand that while his Hassonism antics may not hurt anybody, he has become an embarrassment and political liability. The most distressing aspect of this mess is that we have two other commissioners - a majority vote - who either do not have the ability to see what is happening or choose to allow this commissioner to lead this county down a path of potential destruction.

The best thing that we can do for Spokane County is to wave goodbye to this commissioner and make more responsible decisions in the coming elections. Bess Shively Spokane

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

Weaver author of his own tragedy

I think Milt Priggee is right-on in his Sept. 5 cartoon. Randy Weaver brought this on himself by ignoring the laws everyone else has to pay attention to. He himself put his wife and children at risk.

The way it turned out is a shame, but he asked for it. Tina Johnson Coeur d’Alene

Ripken, keep a sense of proportion

Sept. 6 will go down in baseball history. I congratulate Cal Ripken on his achievement.

He saluted Lou Gehrig, saluted his family, saluted his teammates, but he did not salute the millions of Americans who go to work every day for less compensation than he receives.

I have worked with individuals who would put his record to shame.

Again, congratulations Cal Ripken. Just remember, in spite of the media notoriety, you are one of us, even though you are paid more. Timothy D. Choiniere Spokane

IN THE PAPER

Don’t endorse, just give news

My wife had to throw a cold pitcher of water on me recently to neutralize my hysteria as I rolled on the floor, laughing uncontrollably. I’d just finished reading Editor Chris Peck’s column extolling the virtues of The Spokesman-Review and its right to opine, endorse and criticize anybody and anything in the name of news.

Although these few pages in The Spokesman-Review are dedicated to opinions and appreciated for same, I’ve always recognized that the majority of the pages allocated for supposed news are more opinion than reporting. I know I’m not alone in this observation.

I could go on at great length about this but want to focus on the elections.

In a city in which the political leaders are so scrutinized, criticized and even publicly abused, it would benefit all of us if we could simply pick up our newspapers and be blessed with factual, accurate, informative and researched information about our political candidates. Don’t endorse anybody!

Since The Spokesman-Review, its reporters and its owners are not responsible for the performance of any elected official, why should it assume the privilege of using its awesome and usually biased influence to sway voters? Objectively inform us and we can decide for ourselves.

If the citizens of Spokane aren’t mature or conscientious enough to handle the responsibility of electing our leaders without this paper’s self-appointed shepherding, we have no room to complain.

Maybe the result would be a little more respect for our officials, this newspaper and each other. God knows, we could sure use it. David Bray Spokane

Free spenders will Review’s downfall

I must respond to staff writer William Miller’s front page article of Sept. 10, on prices at the Spokane Interstate Fair.

First, I was repulsed by Miller’s what-the-heck insouciance toward the mindless spending of $122.75 of expense money for a payrolled employee and his family’s profligate romp. Wouldn’t it have been more accurate than specious (not to mention cost-effective) to let a real family using real money keep and submit a tab of realistic, budget-conscious spending? Better yet, shine a little light on the lives of some underprivileged children.

Then, in an unrelated article but adding insult to injury, you have reporter John Craig gloating about whether or not to spend $149 for some type of messager contraption. This was in an article supposedly slanted for “free stuff ” the fair has to offer.

I’m lost. Was Miller’s article supposed to be entertaining, investigative or both? It was certainly neither.

The ultimate insult, however, is how both reporters referred to The Spokesman-Review’s expense account money with such frivolity - the first sign of corporate financial mismanagement and subsequent collapse. Jeff Wark Spokane

So much for that one saving grace

Milt Priggee, you’re a wet blanket. On Sept. 7 there was only one headline on the front page that could make us feel good, and you had to trash it. Pat Head Spokane

Reporter was more than megaphone

In the front page article of Sept. 7, “Weaver seeks reckoning for Ruby Ridge,” I notice Bill Morlin interjects his own opinion throughout.

The statement, “The six Republicans on the Senate subcommittee fawned over the wiry, graying Weaver, tossing aside tough questions about his racist and extremist social and religious views,” was most obviously opinion as there was no specific inference drawn.

I wish to refer Bill Morlin to a remark made by Hillary Clinton in her address to the women’s conference in China: “Freedom means the right of the people to assemble, organize, debate openly. No one should be forced to remain silent for fear of religious or political persecution, arrest or torture.” Not even in the United States of America. Cherie Graves Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Help set worthy priorities

With little public participation, the revivalists in Congress are about to enact generous tax cuts and lavish defense contracts while simultaneously bemoaning the federal deficit and proposing to fix it, in part, by cutting Medicare and Medicaid benefits for middle class and the elderly poor.

The amount Congress thinks it can save through cutting Medicare and Medicaid roughly equals the revenue our government will lose through proposed tax breaks. How will this balance our budget?

Add the tremendous increase in proposed spending for defense programs such as Star Wars and it becomes obvious the plan from proponents of the “Contract with America” does not pass the smell test.

The proposals in Congress will hurt individuals by limiting access. The problem is not caused by the number of people who need Medicare and Medicaid. At least equally important is the cost of medical care that continues to increase every year at a rate far greater than the inflation rate.

How we respect and honor our elders is a better measure of a good society than is the number of wealthy people we have or the size and sophistication of our military weapons. There has been little public dialogue about the massive cuts proposed in Medicare and Medicaid. Please take time to study the issues immediately, and let your voice be heard.

What is really important to us? David Hellenthal Spokane

Prolific poor should pay own way

I’ve been reading all the arguments pro and con about welfare for unwed mothers who continue to have children.

Why are we compelled to give them anything? We have been supporting this kind of alternative lifestyle for years and what has it gotten us?

Well, we have an alarming increase in teenage pregnancy, and the rate of child abuse has increased.

How about this alternative: You choose to have babies, you are responsible. If you can’t make it, give the baby up for adoption. Period.

Your choice, your responsibility.

The working poor must live with their decisions. Why should the non-self-supporting be treated to a free ride on anyone’s back? Nancy Parker Walla Walla

Put professionals back in charge

It’s often been said that if you allow politicians to take charge of anything, they will find a way to mess it up. This is what has happened to our state Fish and Wildlife Department.

In November of this year, we will be given a chance to rectify that mistake by voting yes on Referendum 45.

The people of this state, along with many other states, realized that wildlife departments would operate more efficiently if professionals were allowed to manage the fish and game departments instead of politicians, and made this change in 1933.

We had a well-managed department until 1987, when the then-governor Boothe Gardner wanted money generated by the Wildlife Department in his general fund. He made the change. Now we have the opportunity to decide if we want the fish and game department managed by politicians or the professionals, people who’ve spent their entire working lives in that field. Paul W. Butler Cheney

OTHER TOPICS

Abortion policy right for China

Ethnocentrism means judging others from your own cultural viewpoint. Hillary Clinton has spoken as an American in judgment of China’s one-child policy. The Chinese mentality, however, views the situation differently.

In their awareness that the rights of the group come before the rights of the individual, China is in fact practicing a human rights policy that is far more mature and altruistic than is comfortable for most Americans.

Yes, repeated abortions are emotionally, psychologically and physically damaging. There is no doubt that China’s main method of birth control should be replaced with safer methods.

There is also no doubt in the mind of any Chinese person, male or female, that the quality of their own life is impaired by the extreme excess of people living in their country. As President Jiang told President Clinton at the APEC conference two years ago, protecting human rights in China has to do with how to adequately feed and house that many people.

While it breaks their hearts to have abortions and they wish other birth control were available, most Chinese couples recognize that not adding to the population is the kindest and most responsible thing they can do for their fellow countryfolk. That is called humanism.

Hillary should step back and understand that, in the big picture, China’s one-child policy is about protecting human rights. Susanne Croft Spokane

Ad pulls no wool over these eyes

Re: Boise Cascade’s large ad, “Circuit breakers and fire prevention.”

For 20 years we’ve seen a Forest Service-industry mentality that would rather screw a penny behind the fuse than look for the problem that overloaded the circuit in the first place. Lots of catchy words in the latest ad: insight, science, long-term needs, forest ecosystem. But it’s missing the words that should be of concern: responsibility, commitment, honesty, privilege and integrity.

The latest legislation in forest management reminds me of the fellow who thought it OK to wire around the meter, not at all concerned about how he affected his neighbor or about how he endangered his family.

Just like bloodletting and amputation have not been appropriate substitutes for antiseptic solutions, circuit breakers are virtually worthless if the real intent is to bypass circuits (recissions legislation), undersize the wiring (eliminate public participation), cross circuits (disseminate half-fact information) or deliberately short viable circuits (ESA).

You say most of the right things, Boise-Cascade, but why should we trust you or any other timber corporation?

I personally don’t think you can walk the talk. Bob Zimmerman Libby, Mont.