Letters To The Editor
SPOKANE MATTERS
Talbott lacks commitment
John Talbott wants a four-year term on the City Council. Incumbent Orville Barnes does as well. Voters would be wise to question the commitment of each candidate.
The record shows that John Talbott failed to complete his term on the Community Development Board and the Community Centers Advisory Board. He walked away from the Indian Trail Neighborhood Task Force and fueled the demise of the Council of Allied Neighborhoods. Is this how he deals with adversity? Is this how he demonstrates his leadership and consensus building, by bailing out?
Barnes, on the other hand, can boast years of service as a member of the state Board of Education, District 81 School Board, the Spokane City Council, president of the Spokane Taxpayers Association and SEACAB board.
Citizens want a leader who will stay on board and offer positive solutions to difficult situations. Cast your vote for Orville Barnes. Bonnie Barbour Spokane
Keep Barnes on City Council
I’ve known Orville Barnes for over 25 years and have observed him up close as a public and private person. He loves his Lord, his church, his family and friends, and this city. He’s conservative, both politically and fiscally.
Barnes is a team player who, when elected to the City Council, learned to temper his opinions with balanced, on-the-record decisions that affect all the citizens of our community, whatever their political persuasion.
It’s easy to stand before the City Council on Monday evening and criticize. It’s another thing to govern. Barnes has learned to be about the governing process. He deserves our support for re-election. Don Gilmore Spokane
JUDICIARY
Dellwo dedicated, hard-working
I give my endorsement to Dennis Dellwo for Spokane County Superior Court judge.
I have known Dellwo for many years and have worked with him on many important issues. He’s extremely dedicated and hard-working, and I’ve always found him easy to work with.
He is always thoughtful in his considerations. His ability and willingness to work issues for bipartisanship have always been evident. I believe he would make every attempt to ensure his decisions would be fair and reasonable.
Dennis Dellwo would make an excellent judge. Eugene A. Prince, state senator 9th Legislative District
Rielly can make tough decisions
Superior Court Judge Neil Q. Rielly deserves your vote on Nov. 7. For four years, I represented the interests of children who had suffered from abuse and neglect. Judge Rielly always put the needs of the children as his first priority. His ability to make tough decisions in the most difficult cases is without question.
There is a personal side to my support as well. When faced with a traumatic medical situation, Neal and his wonderful wife, Barb, were consistently by my side through a tough ordeal. I shall always be grateful.
Neal Q. Rielly is more than a great judge. Neal is a great person. We need him on the Superior Court bench. Brian L. Ernst Deer Park
Dellwo knows the law
Knowing the laws is important. If you’re a Superior Court judge, knowing the intent and spirit of the laws is certainly an advantage when interpreting those laws. That advantage is found in Dennis Dellwo.
Dellwo has served as representative for Spokane in the 3rd District since 1983. Combining that with his 24 years as an exceptional attorney here in Spokane, Dellwo has a uniqueness that warrants great consideration in his seeking election as Spokane County court judge.
Dellwo has vowed to be tough, and as a lawmaker, he has received endorsements from the sheriffs, deputies and police officers associations.
He would not only be tough, he would be fair, honest, sincere and reasonable in serving as a Superior Court judge.
I’m voting for Dellwo for superior court judge because judges need his kind of knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the laws affecting me as a resident in Spokane County. Loretta Tuter Deer Park
Rielly qualified, experienced
Re: Karin Lounsbury’s Nov. 1 letter, wherein she suggested supporters of Judge Neal Rielly have bashed his opponent: We have not seen or heard opponent-bashing in this judicial race, other than Lounsbury’s suggestion that perhaps Rielly’s merits and capabilities are few and far between. Obviously, Lounsbury is not familiar with either candidate’s capabilities.
Rielly served as a Superior Court commissioner for seven years. Now he is serving as a Superior Court judge. He is known for his thorough preparation prior to hearing a case, his integrity and well-reasoned decision making. Additionally, he has shown he is tough on crime.
The difficult decisions made by a Superior Court judge impact people’s lives. Rielly recognizes the effect his decisions have and that his job is challenging. Dellwo, when asked what challenges he would face if elected judge, said he could not think of any. This is frightening. David D. and Melanie Bot Spokane
Rielly well worth keeping on bench
I have been a lawyer for over 15 years. For the last 14 years I have had the privilege of representing the fine men and women of Spokane County who volunteer their time to represent the interests of abused and neglected children in Juvenile Court. Consequently, I have appeared before almost every Spokane County Superior Court judge and court commissioner on numerous occasions. This includes Judge Neal Q. Rielly.
Rielly is an outstanding jurist. Over the last six and a half years, while a court commissioner, he earned the respect of the many lawyers who have appeared before him. If you want a bright, compassionate, hard-working judge, vote to retain Judge Rielly. Frank R. Hoover Spokane
Rielly is an outstanding judge
When Judge Harold D. Clarke retired from the Superior Court bench, his absence created a void that could be filled only by an individual possessing a strong conviction and dedication to the fair and just application of the law.
We believe Gov. Mike Lowry made an excellent choice when he appointed Neal Q. Rielly to complete Judge Clarke’s unexpired term. We have known Rielly for more than eight years as a colleague and friend. He clearly possesses the temperament, skills and qualifications to serve as a Superior Court judge. We have observed him treat all parties in cases before him with fairness, dignity and respect.
His service as a Spokane County Superior Court commissioner for the past seven years has been commendable and has provided him with the requisite training to hit the road running as a Superior Court judge. He will not only carry out his responsibility with honor and integrity, but also fulfill his obligation and commitment to the public.
Come Nov. 7, we will vote for Rielly for Spokane County Superior Court judge, Department 2. Art and Lynda Hayashi Spokane
REFERENDUM 48
Questions on R-48 unanswered
A few things puzzle me about Referendum 48.
Backers claim that it will not wipe out existing restrictions or zoning laws. Where does it say that?
Backers claim that existing restrictions are excessive. Then why is there so much residential and commercial development going on?
In addition to other costs to taxpayers, Referendum 48 will damage the bond rating of Washington cities. City governments will have trouble borrowing money to purchase rights of way, build schools and improve or expand infrastructure to accommodate new growth. Who will pay? The developer? How will this affect affordable housing? Is this terrible law backfiring already? Vote to reject R-48. Gene Artz Medical Lake
Prioritize against R-48 at polls
Referendum 48 says the government must compensate property owners for any government-caused loss. Who is the government? You and me, the taxpayers. People who own and use land that could be used as a buffer zone, a wetland, etc., may misuse it - or not use it at all - thereby affecting wildlife or environment affecting all of us. In effect, they detract from the value of our national environment. They take from us instead of us taking from them, as the proponents contend. What is fair market value? This depends on whether you are buying or selling, as well as the results of lots of litigation. Almost everything that happens affects everyone’s property values somewhat. Roads, streets, sewers, clean air and shopping malls affect everyone in varying degrees, depending on proximity. Some values increase and some decrease. If we as taxpayers are to be assessed some intangible value for hypothetical decreases in someone’s property values, isn’t it reasonable to assume that we taxpayers must be paid for any hypothetical increases in value?
Substitute “government/taxpayers” for the emotionally negative “bureaucrats” that is being used and you get a better picture.
I believe the prioritization that proponents talk about would prioritize most environmental benefits, as well as much development, out of existence. The far-reaching value effects would be impossible to determine. Let’s defeat Referendum 48. Bob Grant Spokane
With this enemy, I’ve got it made
Rich Landers’ (Oct. 26) story, “Big business trying to loot public lands,” described the Fourth District Republican Action Club discussion of R-48, dealing with private land. Environmentalists don’t distinguish between private and public. They want government to control it all.
About me, Landers wrote, “I don’t want to pick on Davis, even though he’s a local ultra-right-wing propagandist for the corporate ideals of chewing up the country’s land, water, and wildlife - and spitting them out. He’s just one snorting bull in a stampede of environmental terrorists charging across this land.” Whew! I wonder what he’d say if he meant to pick on me?
He’s called me names before, “anti-natural resources,” for instance, because I believe dead timber ought to be salvaged instead of left to burn or breed insects and diseases which kill healthy forests. See how it works? Those who believe in stewardship and democracy are “environmental terrorists,” not the Unabomber and tree-spiking Earth First! members.
Landers said he learned little at the meeting - not from the handout about the couple who lost their nest egg when water in a ditch backed up and their few acres were declared wetlands; not from the colloquy by Reps. Dale Foreman and Mike Padden, or from the Pacific Legal Foundation opinions. He left as biased and ignorant as he came.
Oct. 26 was my birthday, and Landers’ attack was a great present. A man is known by his enemies as much as by his friends. Edwin G. Davis Citizens for Property Rights, Spokane
R-48 would not be retroactive
I am responding to Terrence V. Sawyer’s claim that Referendum 48 would nullify the 1961 Highway Advertising Control Act (Letters, Oct. 20).
Voters should understand that R-48 would not be retroactive. This means it would not affect existing laws or zoning codes. In fact, the government will still retain its full and current police powers to regulate private property for health, safety, welfare and public nuisances without providing compensation. But, if the government decides to pass a regulation for the “public benefit,” which will in effect take all or part of a parcel of private property away from the rightful owners, the government would have to compensate for this loss.
I agree with Sawyer’s assertion that we need to retain our ability to govern in the public interest. I cannot believe it is in our best interest to literally steal land from our neighbors without providing fair compensation. I hope my neighbors and friends would treat me with the same fairness. Vote to approve R- 48. Lynn M. Curtis Garfield, Wash.
Send them a message: No on R-48 Oops! I signed the petition for Initiative 164 - the “property rights” initiative. While I didn’t agree with this legislation, I thought that we, the voters, (all of us) should have the right to decide. I thought my signature would merely help place it on the ballot. I was wrong.
Lawmakers, their greed fueled by big business interests, signed this initiative into law without letting the voters speak. Thanks to a citizen-led petition drive, we now have the opportunity to vote on I-164, now known as R-48.
I urge voters to vote against R-48. Let’s show our representatives that even though they deprived us of our vote, they’re still answerable to us. We shouldn’t have to pay their friends (corporate fat cats) not to pollute. John Griffith Spokane
OTHER RACES, ISSUES
Mitchell seeks self-sufficiency
Thirty-seven years ago, the Port of Whitman was established as a county agency apart from the rest of the county government to pursue certain projects to benefit the county. These included developing industrial sites along the Snake River at Central Ferry, Almota and Wilma, as well as north of Pullman.
Throughout this, these projects were funded by a 45 cents-per-$1,000 levy on taxpayers which this year brought in $517,000. As industrial areas have developed, they too have generated income for the port district - about $607,000 this year. The port now maintains a cozy bank account of our money that generally contains about $1 million.
Another goal of the three port commissioners was to sometime become self-sufficient and no longer depend on taxpayer support.
The time is now. The port’s strong financial position and already paid for but far from fully occupied industrial sites, combined with the hiring of a new manager and election of a new port commissioner, make this an ideal time to start the Port of Whitman on the road to being self-supporting and out of the tax-to-the-max mode it has been in for all these years.
Port self-sufficiency is a plan in only one port commissioner candidate’s platform. That candidate is Mary Ann Mitchell of Steptoe. Mitchell’s belief that selfsufficiency can be reached is realistic.
That, combined with her 16 years of experience with the port, will benefit us all. All Mitchell needs is our votes to get things started. Bob Hagman LaCrosse, Wash.
Article, as predicted, inaccurate
In the Oct. 29 Regional section of the Review under Campaign 95, Candidate Q&A, the following question was asked. “What city department or office can most stand a reduction next year if the city must reduce its spending?”
I’m quoted as saying “I’d start with an across-the-board reduction in every department. Then I’d look at the departments that could be absorbed by the private sector - International Development, Sister Cities and Historic Preservation.”
As I recall, I said exactly that, with the exception that I qualified (several times with emphasis) the across-the-board portion limiting it to senior management and staff personnel.
My wife was listening and she accurately predicted that the paper would get the quote wrong.
I really believe that the city could manage its affairs better if The Spokesman-Review would limit its reporting to food and sports and keep its mismanaging and creation of local news to itself and continue to focus its leadership on its own demise. No wonder people all over the Inland Empire are stopping their subscriptions. John Talbott Spokane
Correction
A typographical error changed the message in Robert D. Panther’s Wednesday letter about Washington state Referendum 45. In actuality, he wrote that morale issues erupted after former Gov. Booth Gardner “bought the right to appoint the director” of the fish and wildlife department.