Put power in more hands

In Shawn Vestal’s “Voters capable of weighing merits of pesky bill of rights” (Aug. 17), he described how the city’s larger business interests went to City Council to oppose the Community Bill of Rights citizens initiative.

Vestal writes that lobbyists, representing the largest developers and corporate interests in the city, were essentially saying that they’re unable to conduct their business “without polluting the river and trampling on workers’ rights.”

Indeed, the business community has repeatedly argued against cleaning up the river, worker rights, or even giving some authority to residents to decide what happens in their own neighborhood.

Business interests have long and successfully concentrated decision making power into fewer and fewer hands – hands that they can control.

Voters in Spokane will have an opportunity this fall – with Proposition 1, the Community Bill of Rights – to change how those decisions are made and who makes them.

Mari Margil

Spokane