Letters

As the former chair of Spokane City Council Public Safety Committee, I was very disturbed to hear of Republican mayoral candidate Nadine Woodward's endorsement by the Police Guild and her comments dismissing the police ombudsman. Ben Stuckart is the only candidate for mayor who has taken hard votes to add more money and staff to the Police Department and uphold strong police accountability. This makes him the best choice for mayor.

My fellow Spokane community, I implore upon you to please do your research, and submit your votes. You have before you a candidate who supersedes your preconceived notions of politicians: Mr. Jerrall Haynes.

With all due respect to Mr. Schauble ("Respect our national anthem," July 17) and Mr. Decker ("The genuine American way," July 28), you are missing the point.

You might have noticed that the local sales tax was recently increased again 0.1%, to 8.9% by the Spokane Transit Authority. Taxes, permits, utility bills and license fees are increasing locally and statewide.

According to my research, hemp plants are one remedy to many ills that have befallen our society. Many folks think that the hemp plant is connected to the cannabis industry, but in reality, the hemp plant is not for smoking and getting a buzz.

It's funny (but not ha-ha funny) how I often hear the word socialism spat out like a dirty epithet when discussing the ideas of progressive Democrats like Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, among others. There is an easily seen hypocrisy on the part of the detractors of these representatives who actually represent their constituents, unlike the bought and owned by private interest representatives, such as Pelosi, Schumer, O'Connell and Graham to name a few.

Nadine Woodward has a lot to learn about our city before she can even think about becoming our mayor. Woodard stated in the July 23 Spokesman that she has one issue with the ombudsman situation: "I think the disciplinary measures need to come from the police chief." Guess what Nadine? Our police chief does do the discipline. The Office of Police Ombudsman (OPO) cannot discipline!

If you were to listen to the president the night of July 24, you might get the idea that you needed to choose between a quiet, bumbling, very reserved and somewhat halting speaker who goes entirely by the book ... or a clearly put-upon, mistreated, and no doubt best-ever leader of our country.

While reading a story in the July 23 paper regarding the mayoral race, I came across a statement by candidate Stuckart regarding an endorsement by the Police Union. Their position is to support Nadine Woodward for the Mayor's job. Stuckart's response to the police endorsement was: "I've never asked for their endorsement and I never will."

Confused about how to vote responsibly for Spokane Public Schools district candidates? First, this is an unpaid, six-year term, policy governance board with four key responsibilities: Vision, Structure, Accountability and Advocacy.

Walter Cronkite, famously called the "most trusted man in America," once said, "Whatever the cost is for our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation."

I did not think much of John Scott Hannon's political beliefs. However, I felt his pain when addressing the panel on hearings for the 9/11 victims of the chemicals they breathed in and for their valor got cancer.

If the inmates volunteer to clean up the river or the disdaining effects of the homeless, more power to them and they will enjoy the time outside and the pittance they are paid ($1.50 - $2.50), however they are putting their life on the line fighting fire as much or more (due to little training) as the firefighters.

In response to "Respect our national anthem" (Joe Schauble, July 17), I am a USAF veteran of 35 years (seven years Reserve and 28 years Active - of which I spent about three years in bits and pieces in the U.S.). My experiences taught me that my government did not care about me, or any of our troops.

So in order to "fix" the housing crisis which is gripping Spokane as it is nearly most of the nation, the Realtors are "... playing big this year" pouring over three quarters of a million dollars into the mayoral and City Council candidates of their choice ("Realtors are buying a voice in Spokane primary elections," July 21).

The Apollo moon accomplishments were fifty years ago. If JFK was alive and our president today, to borrow from his words about the Apollo mission, he might say: "We choose to deal effectively with the man-made climate crisis, not because it's easy, but because it's hard and necessary."

A recent letter to the editor by John Van Dalen ("Bills behind closed doors," July 3) summarized our state's legislative session as "... majority Democrats and governor - behind closed doors, without voters' input, and very little transparency to the taxpayer - continue to take your money. Why do you keep voting for them?"

I am glad to see that there are folks who are willing to call into question the ridiculous extremes to which our country is being subjected. The recent letter by S. Smith Warner ("Everything's upside down," July 14) is, I am sure, a reflection of the great majority of citizens' mindset. The foolish adherence to political correctness, and the attempt to satisfy everyone, has created a divide in the media, in Congress, and, indeed, in the entire country.

At my job I have been navigating my way through the myriad number of state payroll taxes due each quarter. The state of Washington has added a new one this year to take money from all working people to fund paid family leave. This has been on my mind as I have been campaigning for Tim Benn for City Council, Mike Fagan for council president, and Jonathan Bingle for mayor. Taking back our government and limiting it to its constitutional functions has to start at the local level.