Editorial

Thirty-seven years ago, outdoor recreationists in the outdoor recreation mecca known as Idaho accepted a bargain with the state. Because their boats, snowmobiles and the like didn’t operate on state highways, they had been receiving a refund on their gas taxes. But under the 1972 plan they would forgo the refund if that money were diverted to pay for trails, boat launches and other off-road amenities. It was a fair deal. It was responsible. Just like motorists whose gas taxes pay for construction and upkeep of the highways they wear out, the trail riders would be taxed to pay for the public facilities they use.

Graduation is a time of reflection, but it can be difficult for Old School thinkers to plug into the mindset of 18-year-olds – and vice-versa. For grads, there’s always been the Web and e-mail. Text-messaging is the norm.

Spokane Mayor Mary Verner will soon name the city’s first ombudsman for the Police Department. When she does, the public deserves a detailed explanation for why she chose one candidate over the other two. The three candidates were announced May 18, and they all seem well-qualified to sit in judgment of police work.

Why go there? That’s the question on the minds of many supporters of gay rights, as they ponder the news that some opponents of Referendum 71 have put up a Web site that will publish all the names and addresses of people who sign petitions for a ballot measure that seeks to overturn the “everything but marriage” law.

What if there were jet fuels that delivered better mileage and left a smaller carbon footprint? Fill ’er up!

In the past month, many readers have contacted me about several topics, so here are the answers to some of the questions. Why wasn't my letter to the editor published?

Don't worry, the soap police will not appear at your door July 1. That's the date Spokane County will become the first and only Washington county to require ultra-low phosphate dishwasher detergent. By 2010, every Washington county will follow Spokane County's lead under a new state law prohibiting the sale of dishwasher detergents with phosphorus contents higher than one-half of 1 percent.

So difference does it make if a truck loaded with cargo for Canada can't glide off of Interstate 90 east of Spokane and wind up 12 efficient minutes later merging onto U.S. 395 at Wandermere to the north? That question ought to be put to the morning rush-hour motorists somewhere on North Freya, waiting through two or three green-light cycles for the semi ahead of them to negotiate a tricky turn. If their voices – not to mention the trucker's – had been heard and heeded over the years, the Spokane region might have more to show for 60 years of discussion about a north-south highway corridor.

Call me old-fashioned, but I miss discussion about school goals that included the words, "Love of Learning." I miss the expectation that schools will broaden children's experience and actually work to educate, and not just school, a child. I know the words used about schools today. The usual ones are "testing," "standards" and "accountability." I hope these will be useful in educating children. We don't know yet. In any event, we can't forget that they are at best just a means to an end, not the true goal of education itself.

Jim Reierson and Bob Caruso don't agree on much, but they're in accord about this: Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney Steve Tucker needs to be replaced. They make a compelling argument. Tucker has been practically invisible during his four years in office. He's reputed to spend lots of time on the golf course, but little in the courtroom. He doesn't account for himself to the public and rarely talks to the media. On his watch, a firehouse sex scandal went unpursued, even after two police officers directed the firefighter involved to destroy video recordings that might have been valuable evidence in a criminal investigation.

Move along. Nothing to see. That's apparently been the motto at the Spokane Police Department for some time when it comes to police misconduct. And City Hall has been fine with it. The latest example to come to light – after 15 months of wrangling over The Spokesman-Review's public records request – is the rehiring of a police sergeant who was dumped for an unwarranted kick to the chest of a man in January 2004.

Whenever a law enforcement officer embarrasses the profession with an indiscretion, apologists say an isolated incident shouldn't reflect on all cops. Most of them honor the badge, they just don't get much credit for it. Point noted.

Over the proud history of the United States of America, the use of the nation's military has produced a long string of public debates going back to the Revolutionary War itself. What we recognize today as a courageous battle for liberty and self-government, many colonists called treason.

The races for statewide judicial races always pose challenges for voters. Who are these people? What do they believe? And how are we to determine who is best-qualified? For even the best-informed voters, the judicial races can be difficult to follow. For one thing, the contests are nonpartisan. For another, the candidates are generally tight-lipped about their views on current controversies. They might talk about the legal intricacies of decided cases, but they are bound by ethical considerations and tradition to steer clear of general discussions about hot issues, such as gay rights, the environment and property rights.

It won't be long until the transformation of Blackwell Island begins. For decades, the island at the confluence of Lake Coeur d'Alene and the Spokane River has been ill-treated or underutilized. For awhile, it served as a dump for the city of Coeur d'Alene. Periodically, it has been saturated by flooding. In recent years, an RV park has been added to one end of the island by the family that formerly owned the yacht club at the other end.