Letters To The Editor

WASHINGTON STATE

Sure, Prince, why hinder STA?

I see in the newspaper that Sen. Jim West is sponsoring Senate Bill 5430, which would allow public transit systems to spend reserve account money for general street repair. Sounds reasonable enough.

But Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Eugene Prince, R-Thornton, thinks otherwise. He seems to think Spokane Transit Authority should be commended for being so prudent and saving money. After all, the money is for self-insurance, equipment replacement and conversion to alternative fuels.

Besides, STA’s surplus is only $40 million. It is still $20 million short for building another $60 million terminal. Robert Sprint Spokane

We should elect assessor, auditor

This isn’t written in defense of any elected official but in defense of our rights to elect whoever we wish to represent us.

State Sens. Jim West and Bob McCaslin would take this right away from us by having our Legislature mandate that county auditors and assessors be appointed by the county commission, not elected by the people. It is a recipe for disaster to have a minimum of two people decide who will fill offices that serve 400,000. We have already lost one elected position in Spokane but that was through a vote of the people.

Where will it end? Will the commissioners appoint all the district court judges? Will they appoint the sheriff and the prosecutor?

We have three commissioners representing a county of almost half a million people. They have considerable trouble governing their districts now. To say they are overworked is not an exaggeration. We should not add to their burden by requiring them to appoint other county officers.

The senators’ idea is one of those whose time should not come. Our other representatives should be made aware of our opposition to it. Kathy Reid Spokane

Diabetes legislation worth passing

We have a 13-year-old son with diabetes and we worry about his future medical needs. Right now, insurance coverage for supplies and self-management education classes is spotty across Washington state. If the Diabetes Cost Reduction Act, SB5178 passes, coverage for those necessities will be guaranteed by health insurance providers.

Right now, many insurance companies leave people with diabetes to fend for themselves. Some companies will pay for insulin but not the syringes to inject the insulin. Nearly all insurance companies will pay for kidney dialysis ($37,000) or amputation ($29,000), but many will not cover the cost of self-management education classes that teach people with diabetes how to take care of themselves and avoid complications.

In Washington, 320,000 people have diabetes. One in every seven health care dollars spent is attributed to diabetes and its complications, making diabetes more costly than cancer, heart disease and HIV-AIDS.

Nine other states that have already enacted this legislation have shown almost immediate savings. Studies show it is cost effective for insurance companies to provide these necessities and insurance premiums do not go up. Instead, people on a limited budget take better care of themselves and are more likely to stay out of hospitals.

The bill will provide for health insurance coverage for diabetes-related equipment, supplies and self-management education to prevent or delay complications of diabetes and its related costs. It’s time for Washington to take care of its citizens with diabetes.

For more information, call the American Diabetes Foundation hotline, (800) 628-8808, ext. 27. Jim and Kris Desmond Airway Heights

Tax businesses? Think again

Let us think this property tax thing through. Our state and local governments need taxes to provide us with the services we demand. They may privatize some services to reduce costs but they still need tax revenue.

So, we can either tax the voters or tax businesses - which do not vote.

Business property taxes are worse than federal taxes, which all (unless a lobbyist pulls a fast one) businesses must pay. In reality, the consumer pays these federal taxes as business profit margins call for price increases to pay taxes, and market competition allows it when similar businesses are taxed equally.

Conversely, business property taxes, like all state and local taxes, are taxes on some businesses. This increased cost on local businesses maybe passed on to the consumer, may force the business to relocate in order to reduce the tax burden or may cause the business to fail. In any case, the consumer always pays with price increases or lost jobs and a weakened local economy.

In the end, a business is not a taxpayer. Only people pay taxes. To tax a business is to tax the people without representation, for which we once threw a tea party in a bay. Don’t be fooled.

Demand that taxes be disclosed for what they are and that services be provided by competent organizations with fiscal responsibility, often our own local businesses. R. Dee Black Spokane

One language is all we need

An article attributed to Secretary of State Ralph Munro appeared on page B6 of Feb. 5 Spokesman-Review. It concerned a constitutional amendment that would make English the state’s “official language.” This does not exclude other languages to be used in commerce, work or any other situation.

Why should the state print ballots, election materials, laws and other state information in any other language? Munro states that the use of “official English” makes us appear racist. How totally ridiculous.

We do not need a divided country, as has happened in Canada with two separate languages. E.D. Scamahorn Colville, Wash.

State should tend to Spokane needs

Sen. Jim West has the helm of the state’s budget writing committee.

As quoted in editor Chris Peck’s Feb. 2 column, West says, “They both make very good cases” (referring to a health sciences building in Riverpoint Higher Education Park and expansion of the Cheney Cowles Museum).

With a $1 billion surplus, our elected representatives ought to attend to the needs of Spokane (i.e. potholes, health care and education) and bring our tax dollars home. Judy Personett Spokane

IN THE REGION

Hastings out of touch on Reach

On Jan. 30, Rep. Doc Hastings held a town hall meeting. When asked about the Hanford Reach, he presented the weak argument that recent elections of county officials represented some kind of endorsement against federal wild and scenic designation for the Hanford Reach.

Hastings, you know the elections simply showed that Republicans voted for Republicans in this, the most Republican area of Washington.

The congressman would do better basing his positions on fact rather than concocting phantom support for his pre-decided positions. The facts are these:

Local polls show continued overwhelming bipartisan support for a wild and scenic Reach. The Northwest Power Planning Council and governors of Washington, Oregon and Alaska unanimously endorse a wild and scenic Reach. The Tri-City Herald has published 141 letters in support of wild and scenic and 42 against it.

The 1996 report, “Return to the River,” by scientific advisers on salmon recovery recommend the Reach as a salmon preserve from which to restock Columbia and Snake river fisheries. Is this a responsibility local government should undertake? Should the counties assume responsibility for international salmon treaty obligations?

It’s time for Hastings to bring more fact and less fiction to his position on this critical issue. Bob Wilson Richland

GAMBLING

Batt set to engineer no-win situation

Yep, the powers that be have noticed a real trouble spot that’s been overlooked by the disposable income police. Some people are spending some of their money in Indian casinos.

Those who enter these dens of sin need to be protected from themselves. How dare adults spend recreational dollars in a manner that offends the personal sensibilities of the governor of Idaho?

State lotteries, bingo games and pulltabs will be tolerated. After all, the state gets a chunk of their revenues. But Indian poker machines are a no no. Gambling is bad because some people get addicted, so no one must be allowed to gamble - unless it’s a state-sponsored game.

Some people speed but we don’t outlaw cars. Some people have heart attacks but we don’t outlaw megaburgers and fries. Some people die in plane crashes but we don’t outlaw airplanes.

After I pay taxes and provide for my family, I do have a couple of bucks left each month that I thought I could spend as I wish. I’ve never asked the government to support me so why should the big G dictate how I spend my “allowance”? I suppose I could make a donation to the national debt or a charity but I enjoy dropping nickels into a video poker machine.

If it helps justify my hobby, I could call it my donation to lowering Indian unemployment. Perhaps couched in politically correct verbiage, my personal spending habits won’t offend the powers that be. Or, maybe I’ll be forced to spend my recreational dollars in Las Vegas, instead of locally. Sharon Traber Nine Mile Falls

OTHER TOPICS

Big brothers gain as they give

I am a single mom raising two boys without their father actively participating in their lives. But I am one of the luckiest moms in Spokane. Why? Because my boys have been matched with men from the Big Brothers and Sisters organization. Unfortunately, not all boys are as lucky.

Robert Aitken has been a big brother to my youngest son, Michael, since June 1996. During this time, Aitken has attended Michael’s soccer and baseball games, taken him to movies and out to lunch, ridden bikes on the Centennial Trails and just done “guy stuff.”

I’ve seen a big difference in Michael since Aitken has come into his life. His self-esteem has improved and he looks forward to their time together. Jeff Costello and my oldest son, Tony, were matched in October 1996. Costello and Tony share the same interest in music so they like to go shopping for CDs, look at their sports cards and they went to the Monster Truck Show. Tony has someone with the same interests with whom he can share his fears and joys. Tony has found a trusted friend.

The goals that the Big Brothers and Sisters organization encourage are: develop trust and friendship, provide a positive role model, broaden interests and horizons and improve self-esteem. Although Aitken and Costello have families of their own, they make time for my boys.

I am asking men to think about this wonderful opportunity. Not only do the boys reap the benefits for a lifetime, the big brothers do, too. Alice Polignoni Spokane

Fosseen Award activity gratifying

This letter is a follow-up to the article of Feb. 7 regarding the awards banquet held at Fairchild Air Force Base Thursday night. Thank you for doing the article.

I had the privilege of attending that banquet and of being one of the judges to determine the winner of the Neal Fosseen Award, a task I have done before on numerous occasions. This award is given annually to the squadron/unit judged the most involved in community activities. This was started by Fosseen and his wife many years ago.

A very small percentage of Spokane-area residents really know how involved the personnel at Fairchild and the Survival School are in our communities. I am active in an international service club. We are proud of what this service club accomplishes locally and internationally - as we should be. But, the personnel at Fairchild and the Survival School need not take a back seat to anyone.

The judging is difficult. It is almost a situation where you could select blindly from among two or three of the entrants and not be disappointed. All entrants are to be congratulated.

This is the best of the best. W.J. Hiatt Spokane

Sprint PCS a long-haul technology

Phillip Sandiford’s Feb. 1 letter, “Sprint PCS only for the short run,” contained multiple gross inaccuracies.

The digital technology being deployed by Sprint PCS does not “piggyback” on older, analog cellular systems. We are building a nationwide 100 percent digital wireless network from the ground up, utilizing state-of-the-art Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology.

Sprint PCS phones sold in Spokane will not become obsolete, nor will they only be usable locally. Network technology deployed in Spokane is the same digital technology we are deploying in every major city across the United States - including New York, Los Angeles and Seattle.

Not only will our phones be fully compatible, but future network upgrades such a numeric paging and short message service are already built into our phones.

Digital technology utilized by our affiliate in Baltimore-Washington, D.C., will be upgraded to CDMA technology later this year, also making that market fully compatible with our phones.

Contrary to Sandiford’s assertion, Sprint PCS is not just a “bridge to true digital communications.” We are investing several billion dollars to build a nationwide, fully digital wireless network with the potential to connect 260 million consumers. By midyear, Sprint PCS will provide service in 65 major U.S. cities.

Spokane was our first step, not an interim step. Mike Smith, district manager Sprint PCS, Spokane

Schulke visit appreciated

Thank you, Spokesman-Review, for using your resources to bring photographer Flip Schulke to Spokane recently.

Schulke’s personal documentation of Martin Luther King’s work was poignantly illustrated by his beautiful slides. His stories and pictures brought Dr. King’s legacy to life for my 10-year-old son. Seeing firsthand the atrocities fueled by fear, ignorance and intolerance will make, I hope, a lasting impression on him. Susan Hammond Spokane

One Bible quote calls for another

Re: Christopher Lawrence quoting Ephesians 5:22, “Wives be subject to your husbands.” He needs to take it one step further and read Ephesians 5:25, where it says, “Husbands love your wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it.” When you put it in context, this tells husbands to love their wives. Bill Guglielmetti Spokane

Then, of course, there’s adoption

L.L. Stone’s simple solution for abortion (Letters, Feb. 2) has been in practice for thousands of years. It is called adoption, and on any given day there are ads in The Spokesman-Review classified section from couples practically begging for the privilege of loving and raising a child.

Certainly, those who choose abortion in cases of severe health risks for mother and child must have our sympathy. However, they are in the minority. Most who choose abortion do so because a child would be inconvenient for them.

I suggest that these people exercise their right to effective birth control (readily available) and/or abstinence if they are unprepared to accept the responsibilities associated with their behavior, rather than choosing convenience at the expense of a life. Janet Robel Spokane

Time to refill the cookie jar

Regarding Social Security going broke, what a joke!

If the federal government would pay back all the money taken out of Social Security, it would be fine. The rest of us have to pay our debts, so should the federal government. If the government would worry about paying back Social Security, no one would have to worry about getting it.

It’s time for people to take a stand. We need to let our representatives know we’re sick of hearing about Social Security going broke and tell them that it’s payback time now. Marie VanSickle Spokane