City’s Logic Hard To Follow
It’s easy to see why Police Chief Terry Mangan wants to transfer into a pension program that was capped off 20 years ago because of the enormous cost its generous benefits posed to state taxpayers.
The mystery is why Spokane city officials, whose constituents would pick up Mangan’s basic medical costs for life, are backing him. Thoughts?
Knowledge is a dangerous thing
School officials in Spokane are watching their step as they introduce public school students to the Internet. Now that all schools in District 81 have computer terminals where students can go on-line, there is the potential that some of them might stumble into (or seek out) sites that feature porn and smut.
(Of course that’s pretty much the same risk you run when you teach youngsters to read.)
So, with a wary public peering over their shoulders, District 81 officials are requiring parents to give signed permission before youngsters are allowed to use the new capacity.
Does turning kids loose on the Internet truly warrant such anxiety? Should parents be worried about this new dimension of learning, or excited?
Is the right to die an equal right
If euthanasia backers manage to win legislative or judicial approval of mercy killing for terminally ill patients - and they seem to be making headway - will people who have non-medical reasons for wanting someone to kill them have grounds for a discrimination suit?
Capital ideas
What would your instructions be to a newly elected, or re-elected, state legislator, if one were to come around after the election asking what you, the constituent, wanted to happen in Olympia?
Said James Nelson, Spokane: “I would tell the representative headed for Olympia, ‘Vote the issues the way you said you would during your campaign and, above all, remain idealistic. You can make a difference. Remember, we voted for you and your ideas, not the good old boys who are already over there.”’
Bonita Lawhead, Tekoa, said she would say:
“Please, please don’t think government has to, or even should try to, fix everything. Please, set some priorities and make some plans. Try to use our money as efficiently as you can. Government already takes huge chunks of our income and yet more and more funds seem to be needed. Somewhere there has to be an end to the tax burden. Government can provide certain services better than any other entity, but it can’t do everything.”
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