Letters To The Editor

Wed., Aug. 14, 1996

SPOKANE MATTERS

Keep Health District, fire Hasson

In the interest of all community members in Spokane, it is imperative that the Spokane County Health District remain a district and not become a county department. Public health must remain an independent entity apart from political mood swings.

We urge all voters to get all the facts. Keep our community on the right track. We must protect our water supply and we must keep the jurisdiction of our water supply in the hands of public health professionals, not builders, contractors and politicians.

Public health work is mostly preventative. Our current district is highly esteemed throughout Washington state and the nation. Let’s keep it this way.

County Commissioner Steve Hasson is the force behind the hostile takeover. He has made this a political issue; therefore, we ought to consider voting him out.

Our whole community needs to be protected from political influences in public health issues. Linda Owen, chairwoman Integrated Service Providers of Spokane

Bad-tenant ouster right on

Congratulations to the north Normandie neighborhood for standing up and using the Safe Streets program effectively (“Neighbors sue, oust tenants,”Aug. 6).

Our neighborhood recently had a similar situation with some tenants in an apartment building. Using our Logan COPS and working with the Spokane Police Department, we were able to negotiate with the landlord to resolve the problems.

The comment in the article that struck a nerve was that landlords are not responsible for tenants’ activities as long as the tenants are paying their rent and utilities. As the owner of a rental property, I disagree. I believe every landlord has a moral obligation to monitor tenants’ actions and take appropriate measures to ensure the safety and serenity of the neighborhood in which the landlord has chosen to own property.

I hope the recent victory in court is a wake-up call for landlords who choose not to deal with problem tenants. I also hope neighborhoods are more aware that there are steps they can utilize to regain the safety and serenity that can be displaced when rental properties are occupied by problem tenants.

The time and energy our neighborhood spent in working with the police and landlord were worth the peace of mind we can now enjoy. Peg McEwen Spokane

Instead of griping, go see Plaza

I am responding to Robert Sprint’s Aug. 7 letter regarding the Spokane Transit Authority Plaza.

If STA had built a barn downtown for bus passengers, there would have been endless complaints about it. Downtown merchants complained endlessly about bus passengers standing on the streets. Complaining is what people in Spokane do best.

STA built a beautiful facility we can be proud of.

All you people should get out of your gas-guzzling cars, go inside and take a look at it. But no, you’re too busy sticking up your nose at people who look different than you do but who aren’t polluting the air with cars or making our streets increasingly unsafe to walk or drive on. You can’t even walk two blocks to a grocery store to buy a loaf of bread - you have to put the pedal to the metal. Dorothy E. Carter Spokane

Good people have my admiration

I was refreshed by Teresa Brooks’ success story on the front page of the Aug. 5 Spokesman-Review (“Teenager on track to success.”)

Being a friend and student of Teresa’s teacher, Amy Kim, I realize what a difficult year it was for both of them and would like to voice my admiration for Teresa for her determination, my gratitude toward Kim for her many sacrifices and my thankfulness toward Jesus Christ for the work he did through Kim. Danielle Davey Spokane

Pulltab donations story appreciated

As a member of the Ronald McDonald House board of directors and volunteer coordinator, I thank Norma Ponsness for her article on collecting pulltabs (“Pulling tabs an exercise in charity and compassion,” “Your turn,” Aug. 7).

The Ronald McDonald House collects pulltabs to offset the cost of lodging for families unable to pay the $10 per night room rental fee. Granted, pulltabs seem insignificant, but each tab adds up and does make a difference. Twenty pounds of pulltabs pays for one night’s stay at our house.

Thanks to Spokane and outlying communities, our house averages $400-$500 per month from recycling pulltabs. Every day, our staff and volunteers greet people at our doors who bring their tabs to our house at 1015 W. Fifth.

Thanks to Spokane Recycling and you, we can pull it off - when we pull together. Sharon O’Connell Ronald McDonald House board of directors

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Don’t sully supply side’s reputation

I am appalled by the misinformation being spread about supply-side economics.

Supply side is not the claim that tax cuts “pay for themselves” and need not be accompanied by spending cuts to reduce the deficit. There is absolutely no evidence that President Reagan or his economic advisers made this claim.

Supply-side theory holds that tax cuts, by increasing after-tax returns to workers, increasing savings and investment, will generate more goods, services and, therefore, faster economic growth.

The result of supply-side policies in the 1980s was eight years of growth averaging 3.5 percent (compared with 2.5 percent for the current expansion).

The most thorough study of the revenue effect of the Reagan tax cut (as outlined in Harvard economics Professor Lawrence Lindsey’s book, “The Growth Experiment”) shows that after accounting for the greater economic growth and the shift of money out of tax shelters, the Reagan tax cut cost the Treasury only $33 billion per year. Most of the rise in the deficit came from the spending side.

Do not be surprised when liberals, when they cannot refute these facts, must resort to misinformation to further their case. Chris Cathcart Spokane

Foot to the floor, going wrong way

“Study shows support for Social Security change” (news, Aug. 7) quoted a recent poll, “two-thirds of American voters support ‘privatizing’ Social Security.” The libertarian Cato Institute suggests that we invest the system’s funds in high-risk stocks - basically, the ‘90s version of junk bonds.

Do Americans really care so little about the security of our elderly?

Perhaps as we righteously encourage politicians to cut the safety net from under single mothers (who head about a third of U.S. families), we might also look at how we, by de-investing in a secure future for the elderly, eventually will cut the legs out from under ourselves.

Those “others” House Speaker Newt Gingrich and his ilk blame for sucking the country dry inevitably become “ourselves,” as more and more public assistance programs are slashed and burned.

By cutting off public assistance programs, government is relieving itself of any civil or social responsibility to the people. The really scary part is that the people are loving it. While it’s downright un-American to question continued defense spending, we are creating our own enemies from within. Social welfare does not create desperation - poverty does.

Have we become so selfish that we would deny aid to our most needy? Or have we simply become so foolish that we would put our hard-earned dollars into subsidizing Wall Street insiders and multinational corporations, rather than our own American people?

It appears we not only no longer love our neighbor, but also would just as soon throw our own parents to the wolves. George Monacelli Spokane

Appeal to selfishness is appalling

Janice Moerschel’s Aug. 8 letter (“Bishop shouldn’t advocate stealing”) is not the first one I have read in Roundtable that calls taxes “theft.”

America’s government is of, for and by the people. Taxes levied are the people paying themselves.

Aid to Families with Dependent Children, which costs only one penny of each tax dollar spent, is an investment in the future. It’s hardly income redistribution, and it’s insufficient. There are 14 million children living below the poverty line. Recent “reform” will only add millions more.

Child poverty statistics are an embarrassment for this, the wealthiest nation on the planet. I’d hate to add to that shame by writing to the paper griping about how, God forbid, a tiny little bit of the plenty I have been given is used in my name to lend a helping hand and how I’d rather that poor children starve to death, naked and homeless.

You don’t have to pay taxes, Moerschel. Why don’t you just renounce your citizenship and leave? You do not belong in a society. Go live on a rock somewhere. See how much it resembles your cold, selfish heart. Jitske Hart Spokane

Bishop’s critic wholly off-base

It sounds to me as if Janice Moerschel (“Bishop shouldn’t advocate stealing,” Letters, Aug. 8) has a persecution complex. Not only is the tone of her letter irreverent, condescending and insulting toward Bishop William Skylstad, who has devoted his life to helping others, but her argument also is flawed and tangential.

What does the church or the Ten Commandments have to do with taxation? Is she attacking the bishop, the church, the Internal Revenue Service or the poor?

In one sentence she piously speaks of God’s work and good deeds. Then she goes on to attack the bishop’s morals and questions the motives of the church.

It is apparent from her hard-line attitude that she herself possesses very little compassion and no sense of reason. In a perfect world, no one would need help to provide food, shelter or medical care for their family.

Instead of accusatory and paranoid finger-pointing, we all should get involved in any way we can to better our own lives and those of the less fortunate. I realize that this is an election year, Moerschel, but there are plenty of wasted tax dollars in government that are more worthy of getting your hackles up over. Kelli Mead Elk

Republicans right about abortion

I agree with the Republicans’ idea of having a constitutional amendment banning abortion.

Some say, “What about cases of rape and incest?” These are tragic things, but think of which is the lesser of the two evils. God has a plan for each of us. If you have an abortion, you aren’t allowing the plan to be carried out.

Abortion is murder. Rape isn’t as bad as murder. If you are considering an abortion, please don’t do it. I guarantee you’ll regret it later. Marcia Rolland Spokane

FEMA plays into the rough

Thank you, Federal Emergency Management Administration. My tax dollars and those of Pine Creek and other North Idaho flood victims and residents are helping repair golf courses?

Hello? Is anyone awake yet?

According to the July 31 article, “Damaged golf courses get bailout,” $300,000 is going for repair of Spokane golf courses. On the same day, same paper, front page, it was reported that “North Idaho flood repair work lagging.” That’s right, our federal government has, in its allknowing, superior intelligence, failed to get the lead out, so to speak.

As a North Idaho native and new business owner, my taxes are above average. I applied for and was refused money, as were many other local flood victims.

Well, if the Cataldo dike goes out and Interstate 90 ends up in Harrison, all you government bureaucrats come on up Pine Creek. I am sure we can find some sticks and round rocks you can bat around. Cliff Anderson Pine Creek, Idaho

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