Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

STA-bashing much too divisive

As a resident of Spokane County and an employee of Spokane Transit, I have a vested interest in this community and STA. It is high time someone to cry enough is enough regarding the wanton attack on STA and its downtown plaza project.

It seems that everyone who sees an opportunity to exploit the issue for a little mileage for their own agenda has climbed on the bandwagon. Even drivers are being singled out as villains in this drama. The issue has taken an ugly turn that threatens to divide elements of this community permanently.

Granted, the plaza project has its difficulties; that’s to be expected. To expect adherence to the original cost projections was probably unrealistic. However, this campaign of negative rhetoric is totally destructive to the project and to the community itself.

The plaza represents much more than just a transit center. It’s a symbol of the vision and commitment of a few individuals who realize that we need change to move efficiently and effectively into the next century. The plaza can provide that opportunity while meeting what is sure to be a growing dependence on public transportation in the future.

The negative rhetoric of the critics of STA and the plaza is tearing the heart and soul out of our community. We simply cannot afford this kind of adversity. In the plaza is our chance to breathe new life into our city and stand proud as an example of what civic cooperation and dedication can accomplish. Let’s not let this opportunity slip by. George T. Kettenton Spokane

What’s right about youth there to see

An evening with a respected music director, a visiting conductor, dedicated musicians, wonderful music and standing ovations; a night at the Opera House with the Spokane Symphony? No, it was the Lewis and Clark High School band concert.

Many are concerned about our youths. While no one can deny there are serious problems faced by and caused by some young people in Spokane, there are also reasons for hope.

We are fortunate to be involved with a group of young people who are committed to excellence. Guided by their band director, Larry Jay, the Lewis and Clark bands are made up of young people dedicated to music.

At 6:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, we hear, “Hurry, Mom, I can’t be late for band!” She and the other band members have learned self-discipline, gained a feeling of belonging to a positive peer group and been a part of beautiful music-making. While it’s true few will become professional musicians, they all have gained by being a part of this program. All of Spokane gains from their involvement in such programs.

At the end of the Lewis and Clark concert, all in the audience felt they had been invited to share in the band’s sense of community. If you’d like to find out what is right about public education in Spokane, attend a school concert, science or math Olympiad, sporting event, etc. Meet Spokane’s youths and the pubic educators who help them strive toward their best. Support and share in their promise. You will have a great time, too. Susan C. Adams and Peter G. Pauw Spokane

Dog rescue aftermath troubling

I couldn’t believe what I was reading in the Feb. 7 article, “Owners won’t get bill for rescue of disobedient dog.” I was happy to hear the dog had been rescued, but at what cost?

When I came across the Monroe Street Bridge and noticed the crowds of people on the bridge and around the river, I parked and walked back to see what was happening. I saw five fire trucks, a paramedic vehicle and a SpokAnimal C.A.R.E. vehicle parked on Ide Avenue, along with a number of firefighters attempting to rescue the dog. I don’t know how many emergency vehicles were involved.

According to the article, Fire Chief Bobby Williams said it cost $300 for a rope and $150 for a battalion chief. Can the Fire Department use the rope again? Do we buy a new $300 rope for every dog rescue? It seems to be implied that all the other firefighters, five engines, etc., are free. How much does paramedic service normally cost? How many fire trucks and firefighters does it take to rescue one dog?

Gail Mackie, executive director of SpokAnimal C.A.R.E., says the owners won’t be fined for violating the city’s leash law. Why not? She seems to imply that if your dog is disobedient and you are violating the leash law, you won’t get fined because you are being taught a “tough lesson.”

If one of the rescuers had gotten hurt or been killed, would that justify sending a bill to the owners or at least a fine? Rosemary Hart Spokane

Angove a good, effective manager

Having read the recent Spokesman-Review article regarding (Spokane County Parks Director) Sam Angove’s gruff manner, I say hooray! Maybe Mr. Angove should teach a class on how to be an efficient boss. He makes sure things are done quickly and efficiently and less costly to the taxpayers.

My view of county employees is that about 90 percent of them are without proper leadership. Most managers do not have any proper leadership abilities; they are just a bunch of do-nothings who look for a way to pass the buc and who don’t do efficient work. For example, three people in one pickup with one shovel, slowly and inefficiently filling potholes. The county should look for more leaders like Sam Angove. Edward G. Ranninger, Jr. Spokane

Storm water fee unfair to public

From your Feb. 2 article, “Storm water fee won’t go before voters,” I agree with County Commissioner Steve Hasson that the storm water utility tax is “a public scam.”

Why should the public have to subsidize developers? Instead of the government making me pay for what private industry has caused, developers should be held to strict storm water control standards, which would prevent their developments from increasing the rate and amount of storm water coming off their developments.

Better yet, new developments should be required to protect natural drainages and wetlands, which act as natural sponges that hold storm water and then slowly release it to the aquifer and streams.

The storm water utility tax is truly a public scam on the part of the development community and the county. Make private businesses pay the real cost of development.

There’s been a lot of talk lately about private property rights. The storm water tax is a good example of public property rights - or should it be termed property wrongs? Dennis Beich Otis Orchards

No local control? Look around

(Managing Editor) Chris Peck could be a prophet for divining that the cost of urban services will increase (after all, they always have), but he tried to assign a reason for the increase. He says Valley incorporation is why the cost of urban services will increase, but goes on to describe causes that aren’t connected with incorporation.

He says property values will go up and therefore so will taxes. That’s a non-sequitur. Taxes can go up even if property values go down and vice versa. Taxes go up because governments spend more money.

He says that if you buy a more-expensive car, you will pay more sales tax. What has that to do with incorporation?

Then he makes two contradictory statements: “… there isn’t any such thing as local control.” and “If residents of a new city want more books in the library, quicker response from the Fire Department or smoother streets, they can get it, but their taxes will go up.” That’s just about the best definition of local control I’ve ever heard.

Valley folks, if you want to decide how your tax dollars will be spent, incorporate the Valley and get local control over those decisions. And don’t forget that $10 million of local tax money the county has left over each year after paying for all the services they provide for us.

Peck’s right, there’s “no such thing as a `free’ city.” But he’s wrong when he says there’s no such thing as local control. Eleven incorporated cities in Spokane County now enjoy that control. Joe McKinnon Spokane

Put tenants on shorter leash

In regard to your article in Sunday’s paper about the rental business turning ugly, I have a few comments.

First, I don’t believe there are enough evictions. Evictions shouldn’t cost as much as $700 or take as long as they do.

I also believe that surrounding property owners should have some say as to what is going on at a rental unit and get help when the landlord ignores a problem.

My husband and I rented for 17 years before we bought our first house. In all those years we never once trashed a place or treated the neighborhood with disrespect. We also paid our rent first and kept the place up. We never had any problems with any of the landlords we rented from.

Then we bought our first house and, lo and behold, it was next door to a rental property. The landlord did not insist that the tenants keep up the property, didn’t seem to care that they had many animals. Nor did he care what these people did to the neighborhood. They not only trashed the rental house but attempted to trash other people’s yards and property.

That house is for rent again and we sincerely hope the new tenants will be responsible people.

I say hooray to Baker and Associates for not allowing bad tenants to get away with being bad neighbors. Maybe if bad tenants wouldn’t tear up places, landlords wouldn’t have to charge so much. Rosey Deal Spokane

LAW AND JUSTICE

Need stricter juvenile laws now

In the last several days, KXLY-News 4 has done an indepth story on violence in juveniles. I applaud KXLY’s efforts in hopes it will open somebody’s eyes to the fact that there is a real problem. I believe it will take years before stricter laws ever come into effect to stop this insanity.

Meanwhile, my 13-year-old daughter is an example of daily assaults, harassment, stalking and phone calls that seem to be taken very lightly by school and law authorities. School officials have encouraged us to continue to report these violent acts to the sheriff’s department. The sheriff’s department says to continue reporting it.

It could take up to six weeks before a detective takes the case and it’s up to the prosecutor to decide if they should prosecute. Meanwhile, my daughter continues to be someone’s punching bag.

My daughter wants to know what happened to her right to be protected by law. What happened to her right to protect herself and her property? Her body is her property but she is told to turn the other cheek. Unfortunately, her cheek was slammed into a locker the other day by the juvenile perpetrator.

Is it going to take another report of a juvenile stabbing or seriously maiming another youth? Personally, I would like to prevent this.

Take your heads out of your hands and admit there is a problem. Do something. It could be your child you end up planning funeral services for. Take a stand and stop this insanity. Lobby for stricter juvenile laws. Teresa Gibson Spokane

Good fathers should get custody

In the recent discussions on welfare reform, the only mention of fathers has been to make sure they pay child support. There are fathers who work, pay child support and visit their children. They love their children and would raise them if allowed to. Why can’t these fathers raise their children?

The children, through visits, know their fathers. The children could grow up with the work ethic. The cycle of welfare would be broken. The mother would be free to obtain training and get a job.

This solution would not cause an expense for the taxpayers; the opposite is true. The welfare benefit would not be needed. Personnel used to administer the welfare benefits could be reduced. The welfare situation for such families would be ended.

The criteria should be: 1) the father holding a job for six or more months; 2) regular, full payment of child support; 3) regular visitation; and 4) the father’s desire to make a home for his children.

Children helped in this way may not be many, but every little bit helps. Fathers should have a chance.

This solution would help the children, the fathers, the mothers and the taxpayers. Lennie Yarber Newport, Wash.

THE MEDIA

Review should work on own bias

I was pleased to find myself in agreement with John Webster’s Jan. 31 editorial, “Media have plenty of improving to do.”

Its summary proclaims, “The national press corps is so busy with shallow personality journalism that it is missing the big story. There’s a revolution afoot in Washington, D.C.” This is true, fortunately.

Ironically, The Spokesman-Review itself is guilty of the same preoccupation with the same resulting bias. Two items demonstrate this fact.

On Sept. 28, using a one-column Associated Press dispatch, the Spokesman presented its version of the issuance of the Republican “Contract with America.” The subhead read, “Republicans sign pledge, seek money.” Below that it said, “Slam special interests, dine with lobbyists.” The remainder of the story dealt in detail with a dinner held that same evening, listing a number of major corporations attending the affair.

The story was on page A8. Did it explain the contract? No. Did it reflect the significance, in perspective, of such a step? No. Was the intent to demean the contract? Obviously.

But on Jan. 28, in a Knight-Ridder dispatch, The Spokesman informed us, on page one, that “Name-calling suggests House is not in order.” “Majority Leader Armey calls homosexual lawmaker a fag.” An entire column on page five carried a detailed, pejorative assessment of the incident.

In all fairness, does not placing these two stories in juxtaposition demonstrate both an anti-Republican bias - pages A1 and 5 vs. page A8 - and a badly distorted sense of perspective? Bernard E. Bobb Pullman

Improving can start on Op-Ed pages

Thank you for John Webster’s Jan. 31 editorial, “Media have plenty of improving to do.” I agree completely. I turn to the Opinion pages first, and since the election they have indulged in a real temper tantrum, especially in the selection of letters to the editor and (Staff cartoonist) Milt Priggee’s cartoons.

Bill Quinn’s Feb. 4 letter is a case in point. The only thing he failed to blame on the Republicans in general and President Reagan in particular was the recent earthquake in Japan. And Republicans are meanspirited?

And Milt Priggee needs a good therapist to learn to “deal with it.” His obsessing over House Speaker Newt Gingrich is getting tiresome. Myra Franks Coeur d’Alene

Biased, yes, but not as whiners say

(Syndicated columnists) John Leo and Cal Thomas make a point of whining about “media bias,” but these two esteemed apologists also exclude a few truths.

The news media do not act like pit bulls. The better description is a terrier - a dog famous for grabbing onto its prey and never letting go. Ronald Reagan is proof of it. George Bush is proof and so is Bill Clinton.

Every president from Washington on down had his own character flaws but only recently have such character flaws become the news media’s stock in trade.

The interesting part is, Cal Thomas doesn’t mind if it’s the Democrats in general or Clinton in particular who get bashed by the press. In fact, he gleans his factoids on Clinton from the same source that previously bashed Reagan and Bush.

But let House Speaker Newt Gingrich or Rep. Dick Armey make asses out of themselves in public view and it’s presented immediately. In Mr. Thomas’ view, this is bashing the GOP.

The truth that Mr. Thomas excluded? When the news media fixated on Jimmy Carter, the Republicans and Ronald Reagan enjoyed a sudden surge of success. When the media focused on Reagan, Republicans lost ground. When the media focused on Bush, the Republicans changed tactics so they wouldn’t lose too heavily in the election, even if it did mean abandoning Bush.

Now, the news media focus on Clinton and Republicans enjoy a sweeping victory. See the pattern yet?

Now, the unfriendly eye of the terrier news reporter has focused on the GOP. Joan E. Harman Coeur d’Alene