Letters To The Editor

People deprived of their say

“M’s (Mariners) promised ballpark by 1999.” That was the headline on the sports page of the Dec. 16 Spokesman-Review. Since this issue has a potential impact on all Washington taxpayers, including non-sports types, that story should have been on the front page of the paper.

According to the story, “… the region’s top political leaders united Sunday to promise a new ballpark would open on time in 1999.” Those political leaders included Slade Gorton, Gary Locke, Norm Rice and Norm Maleng.

And “we the people” thought we had some say on these issues.

Those top political leaders “all said they were ready to give the Mariners’ owners everything they asked for in order to get them back to the negotiating table.”

And “we the people” thought those elected officials were there to govern with the consent of the governed.

Perhaps “we the people” should remind those top political leaders of the words of another political leader, Abraham Lincoln, “The people are the masters of both Congress and courts, not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert it!” Bob Blum Spokane

Let athletes pay for stadiums

Play is the operative word.

Some overage juveniles want to play games, so they ask me to pay a million dollars to build them a new stadium. A place they can play.

These vastly overpaid boys can just as well have their pay reduced by $900,000 per year, and still be overpaid for playing. The owners could then take that money and build their own stadium. C.F. Brenton Spokane

Let those who’d benefit, build

In my opinion, the owners of these two franchises (Seattle Mariners and Seahawks) are trying to leverage the state Legislature just before the biennial budget process begins Jan. 8.

With (lame-duck Gov. Mike) Lowry on the skids and the second year of the biennium, there was no leverage. You just watch the spin doctors massaging this one!

I really like the Mariners. I lost my interest in the Seahawks some time ago. But I don’t feel I should pay $100 a year in extra taxes PLUS inflated ticket prices. When I take the two boys to a Mariners game, it’s $100 before we get through. (Add it up, you’d be astonished. And believe me, at $4.50 a pop, I’m not going to get sloshed on Kingdome beers, either.)

The people who derive the most benefit from the teams being there should be the ones who “invest” in retaining them. What would Spokane benefit from their presence monetarily? Let’s talk bottom line. Jack D. Guske Washtucna

Taxpayers have no obligation

I have been a holder of five Seattle Seahawks season tickets for more than 15 years. I am a fanatic Seahawks and Seattle Mariners fan. I would do anything in my power to ensure both remain in Seattle.

However, in my opinion, taxpayers of the city of Seattle and state of Washington should not be obligated in any way for stadiums that would benefit a private enterprise. Profits from both go to owners and players, not the public. The majority of this state’s citizens are not Hawks or Mariners fans and are opposed to any subsidizing of what are supposed to be profit-making businesses.

The high costs of operation for both franchises is not the fault of the average taxpayer, but the fault of the players, the owners, and, yes, the fans. Greedy players demand outrageously high salaries. Owners demand ever-higher prices for seats. Fans shell out the high costs of tickets and hence exacerbate the upward escalation of salaries, operation costs and ticket prices.

I wonder how long any franchise would last if fans said “No more!” and refused to pay increased ticket prices? Would owners then have to reduce player’s wages? Most players earn more in five years than the majority of their fans earn in a lifetime. Yet fans and taxpayers are expected to keep shelling out to support the players’ luxurious and often-disgusting lifestyles and the owners’ increased demands for multi-million dollar luxury facilities.

I love the Hawks and the Mariners, and will probably continue to purchase season tickets, though I can ill-afford it. However, I would sure vote against any non-fan’s obligation to share the costs of subsidizing new stadiums for either team. Bennie Benson Elk, Wash.

A case for the Vandals

Don Clifton was, of course, correct in his letter to the editor (Dec. 15). Texas, with a record of 8-4, in the bowl alliance? Why not Idaho instead! Here’s why Idaho belongs:

Idaho beat Nevada 24-15,

Nevada beat UNLV 54-17

UNLV beat San Diego State 44-42

San Diego State beat Oklahoma 51-31

Oklahoma beat Texas 30-27

Obviously, comparative scores prove Idaho, not Texas, belongs in an Alliance Bowl. Bob Kirlin Spokane

Officials let down Cyclones

Spokane’s reputation as a “quality” sports town suffered serious damage the weekend of Dec. 14. Compounding our embarrassment, the damage was self-inflicted.

The Spokane Cyclones, members of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association, hosted the Seattle Wheelchair Sonics (affiliates of the NBA team). With five regular-season games remaining, the Cyclones entered the weekend in sole possession of the Northwest Conference lead. Our one-game advantage over arch-rival Portland should have been secure. Based on past performance, we looked to close out the season with consecutive wins.

With pride, we anticipated bringing Spokane its first outright division title in wheelchair ball. With considerable disgust, we were forced to take a forfeit loss Saturday night because our local referee’s association neglected its commitment to supply game referees.

Ten wheelchair athletes made the 300-mile trip from Seattle, yet two local referees were absent because of a “scheduling conflict.” An unfortunate fact since we schedule with the referees’ association well in advance and had made a confirmation call that afternoon.

That championships often hinge on a referee’s call is a part of the game. Sportsmanship and fair play guide players’ and fans’ acceptance of this fact, given the call is made on the court. Our referees’ association made a call off the court that cost the Cyclones, and Spokane, a championship. It decided not to honor its commitment, a decision the players and fans involved consider the worst form of discrimination. Indifference.

Wheelchair athletics have made significant strides toward gaining acceptance in the sport’s community. Spokane’s commitment should have been shown by the 2,000 miles the Cyclones will travel this season representing our area.

Instead, the relatively short distance our referees’ association could not cover speaks much louder. The Spokane referees’ association blew the call. Paul Hill Spokane

Burning timber no solution

In his Dec. 8 column, Spokesman-Review Outdoors Editor Rich Landers unintentionally made a good case for logging and thinning the 24,000 acre Mill Creek Watershed east of Walla Walla, now closed to most human activity. He quotes a wildlife biologist as saying, “The habitat is deteriorating because of fire suppression.”

Without fire or logging and thinning, overstockage of timber always reduces the amount of forage for wildlife. In the Mill Creek Watershed, overgrazing of the remaining open areas seems to have produced a risk of erosion, also.

Allowing the timber to burn is no solution. Aside from polluting the air and water, and wasting valuable wood, the fuel buildup from years of fire suppression can produce enough heat to fuse the clay in the soil into a ceramic-like material that won’t even absorb water, much less grow forage. That happened during the 1994 fires in several places, causing floods and massive erosion that destroyed fisheries in 1995.

An article in a recent issue of “Bugle,” published by The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, advocated more logging in our public forests as a remedy for declining elk habitat, a result of years of fire suppression and the lack of logging because of rabid opposition by the environmental industry.

Modern logging can protect water quality as well as enhance wildlife habitat. Mindless opposition to it harms habitat, hunters, and almost everyone except those within hidden agendas or who are paid to oppose it. Edwin G. Davis Spokane