Letters To The Editor

INCORPORATION LETTERS

Valley is vulnerable to takeover by Spokane

It’s hard to believe, but the total indiffedrence to the implications of the state Growth Management Act by 60 percent of Valley citizens has left the Valley vulnerable to takeover by the city of Spokane at a pace of Spokane’s own choosing.

The last obstacle will be removed by acceptance of the draft “Interlocal Agreement - Joint Planning Growth Areas” by the county commissioners. This draft was drawn up by the City of Spokane, Oct. 30, 1996, and submitted to the commissioners by the county Planning Department on Dec. 6, 1996.

The lucrative tax base of the Valley could very well be a source to help pay for the “redevelopment” of downtown Spokane. Vern Slichter Spokane

Taxes would rise in and out of cities

Incorporation of Opportunity and Evergreen will splinter the Spokane Valley. Arne Woodard, in a meeting a couple of weeks ago, replied that he had not formulate a “what if” budget yet. How can he make statements that everyone will be better off when obviously has no idea of what it will cost to run the city of Evergreen?

The new proposed cities will not have a road department, for maintenance and road construction, or police protection, or various other community services. They say they will contract the Spokane County for these and other services.

Do you suppose supporters of incorporation believe that Spokane County commissioners will provide these services for the new cities for less money than they do now?

Incorporation supporters also propose to contract our fire protection and paramedic services to the Valley Fire District. I do not see how the fire commissioners, in good conscience, could provide this service at less cost then they do now.

In my view, those who reside in unincorporated areas will see their taxes increase because of lost revenue. Those who reside in the incorporated areas will see their taxes increase because of the higher cost of services. John Bording Spokane

Promises, promises

At first, I thought incorporation was a good thing. But after it was voted down three times and Mr. Woodard was quoted as saying anyone opposing it was an idiot, I have changed my vote.

Sixty thousand dollars down the drain already and the dead horse is being beat again!

We are promised the same police department, the same fire department, the same road and street department so everything will be the same except a couple of big fat jobs created for someone’s friends.

Will the fire department have a quicker response time? Will the Sheriff’s Department patrol more often? Will the speed limits be enforced better? Will the sidewalks around Progress School be shoveled so kids don’t have to walk in the street? Will we be safer crossing the streets at a light and at a crosswalk? Vi Coutts Veradale

Foes are outsiders

I can’t understand why businessmen whose businesses and residences are outside the boundaries of Opportunity would have such a desire to thwart the efforts of those of us who do live within the boundaries and wish to lower our taxes and have some choice in the management of our community.

Why would Spokane Recycling Inc., whose offices are at 3407 E. Main, contribute $1,000 to defeat the incorporation of Opportunity?

Why would Dan Murphy, president of Central Premix, whose business is in Yardley, donate $500 to defeat the incorporation of Opportunity?

Mike Senske owns the Painted Hills Golf Course, which is a mile south of Opportunity and lives near or in the Glenrose area. Mr. Senske was a freeholder who fought very hard to give Spokane Valley to the city of Spokane last year. He is no friend of our Valley. He recently donated $500 to defeat us. Why did he do this?

I think I know why. These people are just parts of the downtown power structure and their overriding interest is the enrichment of Spokane at the expense of the Valley.

That’s another reason why I’m voting for incorporation next Tuesday. Doris Holten Opportunity

Don’t be steamrolled

The day of reckoning is near. On Tuesday, Feb. 4, Valley voters will have an opportunity to stop the incorporation efforts again.

The proponents have set up a special election in hope of a low voter turn-out at the polls to gain victory. Let’s not wake up on Feb. 5 and hear that we’ve been steamrolled over because we let just a handful of voters control the outcome.

As registered voters, it’s our civic responsibility to get out and vote. It’s time we send a loud, clear message to the “incorporation die-hards” that when we say no, we mean no! Warren Coutts Veradale

Learn meaning of ‘yes’

In the Valley Voice (Thursday, Jan. 23), Bob Walker tried to explain the meaning of the word “no.” I would like to ask him and other doubters a few questions, such as:

Has he ever gone to any of the several informational meetings to find out what the proposed cities were all about? No! Has he ever gone to any of the Boundary Review Board meetings to express his opinion? No!

Has he ever attended any of the Growth Management meetings to find out what is going to happen to his and everyone else’s property over the next 20 years? No!

Has he ever gone to any of the meetings relative to the light rail system which is proposed to be shoved down our throats up the center of our Valley? No!

Does he know about the proposed inter-local agreement which will transfer several areas of the county to Spokane without the people effected having a voice or vote? No!

Is he aware that over $300,000 was spent by the money brokers to attempt to put us all in Spokane via the city-county charter, primarily to bail out Spokane? No!

It would appear that Mr. Walker is not very well informed and that he should attempt to learn what the word “yes” means.

People who are informed and are forward thinking enough to plan for a better future for our children and grandchildren here in this Valley will vote yes for the new cities. Loyd Petersen Otis Orchards

Bogus budget figures

It’s too bad that members of Citizens Against Incorporation are so bent on stopping incorporation that they have to use inaccurate proposed budget figures in their ignorant and malicious efforts to deprive the citizens of Opportunity of their right to manage their own affairs and to lower their taxes.

The budget suggested by Doug Rider, in cooperation with Dewey Strauss and others who can gain only if Opportunity is defeated, is so bogus that I must respond. To conserve space, I offer the following major items that prove just how bad it actually is:

CAI’s sales tax revenue estimate is $2.24 million. By Spokane County Boundary Review Board’s estimate, our sales tax will be between $3.5 million and $4.4 million.

CAI’s estimate of shared revenues is $704,000. Actual shared revenue is closer to $800,000.

These two items alone would increase the revenue estimate by $1.856 million.

Fire and library districts are separate taxing districts, as are schools, and do not appear in any city’s budget. CAI has included these levys as an expense to the city. Eliminate these costs and you reduce expenses by $825,400.

In summary, CAI’s budget revenues should be increased to $7.564 million and its budget expenses should be decreased to $5.749 million, which gives a budget surplus of $1.815 million. Bob Graham Opportunity

Utilities would be taxed

I’m disturbed by an additional type of tax which could be imposed if our Valley becomes incorporated.

The proponents have projected the amount of services the new cities will provide based upon, to a large extent, the amount of sales tax generated. If the economy slows and we have a recession, the new cities will have to look for additional means to increase revenue to provide the same level of services.

Currently, any utility that does business within the city of Spokane is charged a utility tax. The utilities include: water, gas, electricity, sewer, refuse, telephone, cable television, and telegraph services.

The utilities pass this cost on to the consumer. For example, citizens living within the city of Spokane pay an additional 20.5 percent tax on water, sewer, and refuse service. The utility taxes generate the largest source of revenue for the City of Spokane’s general fund.

In additional, nearly all cities within Washington state have utility taxes and there is no limit on what a city may decide to charge.

Currently, citizens living in the Valley pay no utility taxes. Let’s keep it that way and vote no on incorporation on Tuesday. Neil Strauss Spokane Valley

Elections ludicrous

The proponents of another incorporation effort have insulted the Valley voters’ intelligence.

How many times do we have to say no?

Do they think we are so ignorant that we can’t figure out the way they are so blatantly manipulating the system?

It’s ludicrous to continue having costly elections for new cities based solely upon precinct results from previously defeated elections.

Furthermore, I’m appalled that incorporation zealots from California possess such an infatuation of having to tell us again and again what is food for us in the Valley.

It makes my blood boil knowing that if incorporation does pass, God forbid, it won’t be long before the zealots are on the city payroll padding their pocketbooks by raising taxes from our hard-earned money.

Once again, let’s send a strong message by having a landslide decision against incorporation on Feb. 4. Your no vote is of vital importance to stop ‘em again. Robert Potratz Spokane

Plan divides region

I admit I cannot for the life of me figure out why a few people insist on forming little towns out of one big entity which has voted down other proposals in the past five years. They remind me of little boys playing games while not knowing the rules.

Their plan is to divide a community into small groups. This would be very divisive for the community as a whole. The Valley needs to pull together to make one united front in order to have a stronger government to be heard not only in the county but in Olympia, too.

The cities of Opportunity and Evergreen would necessarily have to pay more taxes as they feed the city coffers and also the county coffers. It will cost them more money, there’s no doubt about that. They do not intend to include the normal boundaries to participate in their cities, however, they will expect the areas just outside of their jurisdiction to help pay their bills.

They admit no concrete plans as to how to pay for all of the amenities or even the necessities that would be required for improved living conditions.

The paper stated the outlying areas will have to wait to see how revenue losses affect services and if incorporation will affect the amount of money budgeted for parks and maintaining roads in those areas.

Isn’t that putting the cart before the horse?

These issues and many more must be addressed before voting! LaNice Korus Spokane