Letters To The Editor

FROM LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (Friday, February 14, 1997): Correction In Suzann O’Sullivan’s Feb. 12 letter, the second paragraph’s last sentence should have read, “Should we feel honored that proponents of this totally insane idea tell us there is the possibility of putting in lights at Ramsey Play Field?”

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Hagadone’s great idea - do it

How can any Coeur d’Alene resident in his or her right mind have negative opinions about the proposed public library and botanical gardens? Duane Hagadone’s past contributions to this community are synonymous with quality and innovation, and have bestowed national recognition on Coeur d’Alene.

We all benefit from this man’s belief in community. That he’s savvy enough to profit from his investments is to his credit.

What will this project provide for us?

A cultural oasis for winter weary souls who long for greenery, gardens and food for our souls.

A haven for lovers of the written word who seek a quiet place for solace and to search for books, magazines, and videos to enrich our minds.

A diversion for young people who, on weekends, lament, “Nothing to do and no place to go.”

Even for tourists, who shop till they drop or hate shopping altogether, this would provide alternative entertainment.

The library and botanical gardens would be a beacon to welcome us into the new millennium.

The downside? There is none, other than small, narrow minds who will nibble away our special opportunity if caring and concerned residents don’t get involved. We must be heard.

Like the ad says, “Just do it!” Faith Langstaff Coeur d’Alene

Idea has merit, however …

Duane Hagadone’s recent proposals would certainly create a new image for downtown. How could anyone be against a better library or botanical gardens? It is not ideas that bring opposition but the location.

McEuen already is part of our city’s small park system. Replacing it with play fields to the north or west would not be an adequate substitution. Playfield and parkland are not synonymous.

Being shaded much of the day, McEuen would not be a suitable site for these gardens because it limits types of plants. While a botanical garden would be an asset and the idea should be explored, it is the most intensive park the city could manage. It would take the knowledge and planning of a professional, whose salary would be the city’s responsibility.

With the high maintenance required and the recent cuts in the parks department work force, the gardens would suffer. To expect summer help to have the skill or local garden clubs to volunteer their help to keep the park beautiful is not reasonable.

A modern library already should be part of our community. The current facility has been inadequate in size almost from the beginning. Remodeling and expanding the existing library would be possible by purchasing adjacent property. If Hagadone would like to donate $2 million toward that, a wing could be added in honor of his parents.

Neither botanical gardens nor a new library downtown will serve the citizenry better than what we already have. Nor will they solve downtown’s problems. If downtown is looking for someone to come to its rescue, maybe it should form a citizens council to advise it. Nancy Hehter Coeur d’Alene

Whole proposal is a non-starter

I am against the flower garden and library in downtown Coeur d’Alene. The playfield and boat launch should be left alone.

If Duane Hagadone wants to plant flowers, let him go out to Silver Beach. Downtown Coeur d’Alene is not the place for a library. It should be in the northern part of town, where the people are.

The McEuen family did more for Coeur d’Alene than any other family I know of. Some people are taking our land inch by inch. Pretty soon, they will want Tubbs Hill. What they need downtown is a store for local people, where they don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for a pair of jeans or shoes. Oscar S. Peterson Coeur d’Alene

Enhance the library we have

The recent generous offer by Duane Hagadone to donate $2 million toward a new library demonstrates wonderful community spirit. But one has to wonder if the money might not be better spent improving the existing library.

Its present location would seem more appropriate for a library - in a neighborhood, rather than situated beside a resort on the lake. Also, the historically heavy community use of McEuen Playfield and the boat launch would be difficult, if not impossible, to accommodate elsewhere. Local people have played at McEuen Playfield for many years and to put an end to that would be very sad for working people. I’m sure Hagadone would agree that the park system is a critical part of our community.

Even proponents of the new library and gardens admit that funding the project would be a formidable task. Let Hagadone honor his parents in a more fitting way, by preserving a piece of Coeur d’Alene that truly reflects our way of life, donating the money toward improving the existing library where it stands or in another location that doesn’t compromise our park system. Teresa Gray Coeur d’Alene

Pass on the largess from on high

Who died and left Duane Hagadone king of Coeur d’Alene and able to dictate to the City Council and citizens where a new library should be built?

McEuen Playfield has been a mainstay of the downtown landscape for many years. In summer, spring, and fall, entire neighborhoods congregate to picnic, play ball or just relax. Should we feel honored that proponents of this totally insane idea tell us there is the possibility of putting in lights at McEuen Playfield? Definitely not within walking distance.

The botanical garden idea will only put money in Hagadone’s pocket; everything he touches is intended to cater to his precious tourists. I’m sure the gardens would not be free, and most likely overpriced, leaving Kootenai County residents unable to take advantage due to near poverty-level wages earned.

If Hagadone would like to help, that’s fine. He could make an unequivocal donation like everyone else. But he shouldn’t make demands that will benefit only his business. He’s shunned the good people of Kootenai County long enough. Suzann O’Sullivan Hayden

Deal is just a pig in a poke

I oppose the plan to turn McEuen Playfield into a botanical garden. If Duane Hagadone wants to make a true gift to the library, it should be with no strings attached.

The $2 million will pay for the cost of the gardens, which he will control, and part of cost of relocating facilities. It does not appear that any money will really go to the library.

I support our libraries but our parks should not be for sale at any price. Anne Solomon Coeur d’Alene

Keep what’s public for the public

Recreational parks are vital to our community. McEuen Playfield is a Coeur d’Alene treasure and thousands of locals enjoy this park each year.

The proposed use change to a flower garden is a land grab for enhancement of the Coeur d’Alene Resort and is not beneficial to the residents who own this property and have cared for and developed it for years. Toddlers, children, teens, and adults enjoy the ball fields, playgrounds, picnic area and tennis courts. Boaters need the lake access. The garden would benefit tourists and may cause tax burdens on local residents.

Let the City Council know you want public parks to be used for the public good! Steve Ruppel Coeur d’Alene

BUSINESS AND LABOR

Banks seek protection from competitors

The excellent column by Fred Davis regarding banks (“Bank legislation is anything but consumer-friendly,” Roundtable, Jan. 28) as well as the Jan. 29 Your Turn by George Goss (“Credit cards hurt businesses,” Opinion) were most informative. They just didn’t go far enough.

Banks are attacking credit unions, filing more than a dozen anti-consumer lawsuits nationwide, teaming up with savings and loans to force Americans out of their credit unions. If they have their way, more than 10 million Americans will be forced to give up their credit union membership, look for higher-priced loans and pay more fees, as well as earn less on their deposits.

Credit unions charge fewer and lower fees than banks do for the same services because credit unions price services to cover costs. Banks charge fees to cover costs plus extra to make a profit.

Banks would like you to believe that credit unions are the next S&L-type crisis. Wrong! Credit unions are healthier than ever.

Bankers have even taken out ads, “Are your credit union deposits insured by the FDIC? No way.” That is true. Credit unions’ deposits are covered from the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF). It’s a self-sustaining fund that is so strong that it paid dividends back to its depositors twice.

Has your bank paid any dividends to you on your deposits?

Bankers’ ideas of fair competition is to get a competitive edge by getting judges to rule limits on credit unions (a small fraction of the financial system) while banks are attempting to broaden their business ventures to include areas considered off limits in the past.

Let consumers, not bankers, choose where we can go for financial services. Patricia Wilson Mead

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION

Recent incidents raise questions

Recently, a child with a toy gun about an inch-and-a-half long was thrown out of school on the no-firearms rule. After the teacher and principal realized that they made such a big mistake, they changed the reason that he was thrown out to try to make themselves sound less dumb. It didn’t work.

Is this what our teachers and educators are coming to? The ones who educate are the stupidest of all if they believe that an inch-and-a-half toy gun is dangerous, and that a first grade boy giving a little peck to a first grade girl is sexual harassment. Travis Hogan Worley

Vote down any levy or bond measures

As surely as early February brings speculation as to whether the groundhog will see his shadow, it also brings a number of special levy and bond requests.

Many special levy requests are for two years, while bond requests are for up to 20 years. Most requests are worded to make you think they are a bargain compared to previous years or to neighboring districts. This is quite misleading to many taxpayers, as they have not received their 1997 tax statement and time has dulled the harsh reality of what they paid in 1996.

Many bond levy requests have been defeated several times in previous years. I guess administrators and school boards figure voters will eventually be worn down, so they can sneak their levy through. It certainly worked for the Spokane Arena.

The Washington Education Association is constantly blowing its horn and trying to convince voters that education in Washington is great. The truth is that, statewide, only 80 percent of students graduate and many graduates lack basic skills.

Test scores are up in some schools but, overall, they are not. Nationwide, 30 percent of incoming freshman college students are required to take some remedial noncredit courses.

It’s time to decide the difference between wants and needs. Make that determination before voting.

Please, exercise your right to vote. You can be sure that taxing districts will do anything to get to the polls people they believe will vote yes. Gerald Ray Spokane School levy bar set unfairly high

I cannot believe that it takes only a simple majority plus one and no validation for voters to approve forming a new city, yet it takes a supermajority plus a 40 percent validation from the previous general election for voters to pass a bond election to build a new school. Where is the equity in this?

Children are our future. We need to make it as easy to build a school as it is to form a city. Please contact your local legislators and urge them to change this injustice to our future. Cheryl Knighton Spokane

IN THE PAPER

King had nine-member band

I hope that staff writer/reviewer Jim Kershner wasn’t in the little boy’s room when the keyboardist played his magnificent piano solo during B.B. King’s show. That’s the only reason I could think of for Kerhsner not including him in King’s band of nine, not eight, accompanying musicians.

Other than that slight inconsistency, I couldn’t agree with Kershner more. It was a wonderful, sold-out concert that left all of us wondering how Spokane could have been so lucky to be included in his tour.

Long live rock, but the blues and B.B. King, the king of the blues, rules. Donna Lee Spokane

Let’s see a few good words, too

I am writing in regard to the number of negatively-oriented letters I’ve recently seen in this newspaper. I can understand that a few events could get people steamed, but it seems that most letters are negative.

This might be a warning to us all of the status of our society. Why is it that most people write when they see something they feel is wrong, not when they see goodness? The good in our world is certainly no less important than the bad. But it seems that there has been a shift of values, from praising the commendable to pointing out the “blasphemies” in the world around us.

I issue a challenge to Spokane. Those of you reading the paper today, write a letter telling about how much you liked Doug Clark’s column. Or how well you thought a positive view was expressed on the Roundtable page. Or maybe a thank you note to a writer whose article made you think differently about a certain topic. Write a complimentary letter or one that expresses your good feelings on a subject.

To practice what I preach, I’d like to applaud Kim Barker’s “Surgeon gets a hearty thank-you” (Feb. 6). This touching article illustrated a thankful man and his family, showing their deep gratitude to Dr. Icenogle and the staff at CICU North. I’m sure that if my life was saved by someone, I would want to share my feeling of appreciation with the whole world. Kris Yirak Spokane

Errant dog not a Rottweiler

Re: “Examiner finds dog ‘dangerous,”’ Region, Feb. 5), about a dog that had attacked a jogger in Lincoln Park.

I have been following this story closely since Axel, the dog, is a neighbor of mine. As a matter of fact, he threatened me in my driveway a week or so ago.

I honestly don’t know whether he is a dangerous dog. But I do know he is not a Rottweiler. I am a big fan of the Rottweiler breed and am angered by the frequent mislabeling of mutts as Rottweilers. While Axel might have some Rottweiler in him, he looks more like a shepherd-terrier mix that got its tail caught in a door.

Rottweilers get enough bad press when people don’t breed, treat and train them properly. They don’t need the added burden of being held responsible for the actions of every nasty mutt that happens to be black and tan. Jeff Knox Spokane

Editor’s note: At the hearing, the victim and animal control officer referred to the dog as a Rottweiler, staff writer Janice Podsada says. However, she has since learned that Axel may be of mixed breed.