Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

We can easily achieve mediocrity Spokane residents should quit feeling bad about how we are perceived by West Siders i.e. as hicks because, on average, maybe that’s what we are.

I refer to citizens of a city and county who won’t pay a few extra dollars a year to pave their own streets (many of which are quite visible from Interstate 90), or resurface the worn out ones. Or pay a few cents a year to support a science museum to educate our own. People who would rather support a suburban shopping mall owned by outsiders than take a minimal risk to support the heart of their own city, downtown.

Gee, what great civilization ever took a risk to improve itself? So relax, frequent the strip malls and quit worrying about our image, because it might cost us a few cents to improve it. R.L. Donaldson Spokane

Generic malls not my style

I love shopping downtown. To me, the 75 cents I might have to pay for parking well overrides a 10-mile drive through traffic to NorthTown Mall.

Downtown has character, scenic quality and is a treasure that we, as citizens, need to support and keep vibrant. I have no interest in shopping at a mall that could be anywhere in any American city.

I wish Sabey Corp. would quit complaining. It makes its people sound petty and as though they are actually worried about the competition from a downtown that would have class and personality. Penny Schwyn Spokane

A proper use for parking revenue

Re: Laurent Poole’s comments about parking meter money in the Jan. 24 article by staff writer Alison Boggs, “NorthTown officials blast downtown mall”:

When the concept of parking meters was introduced to the public in the 1950s, part of the sales pitch was that the money collected would be used for purchasing or building parking facilities. This approach appealed to the public logic. Citizens who benefited, the users of on-street parking, would pay for the evolving need for off-street parking downtown.

In many American cities that is exactly what happened. For some reason, municipal Spokane failed to reinvest this income stream as promised. The money now goes into the street repair fund.

It seems fair that these dollars be pledged to guarantee funding for a parking garage since the meters were originally established for a similar purpose. Edward A. “Al” Payne Spokane

Sabey not out to lose money

I respectfully disagree with letter writer Ed Clark’s picture of Dave Sabey as someone who plays elaborate real estate games with Spokane’s downtown (“Be mindful of differing agendas,” Jan. 23).

Does anyone really believe that Sabey deliberately arranged to lose as much money as he did over the Frederick & Nelson debacle? As for J.C. Penney, the company has been moving its stores from downtowns all over the country. It seems that Penney understand something about retail trends that our City Council members don’t.

As for a negative campaign ad, the developers of River Park Square have been running their own campaign for two years. Bob Hilton Spokane

Courtyard makes hospitality real

During my husband’s cancer treatments, we were told the American Cancer Society would put us up in a motel, as we live north of Kettle Falls. They got us a room in the Marriott Courtyard. After we were staying there, we found out the motel donated the room.

Several motels in the Spokane area do this. We just want to say a big thank you to all of them, especially the Courtyard, for the three weeks it donated to us and for the special caring its people showed us.

We also thank the American Cancer Society for finding motel rooms and for all the other services they provide. Jim and Marge Stanton Kettle Falls

Restrict chief’s car use

Re: “Mangan hits car in parking lot” (Region, Jan. 21):

The chief of police should have a car to drive back and forth to work, and have it available for police-related travel at all hours. But the chief should not be driving a city car to do his shopping and personal business.

It’s not the citizens’ responsibility to pick up the tab for non-job-related fender benders, gasoline, insurance and unlimited access to parking spots for his convenience.

Maybe we could fix some potholes with the money we could save from not paying for 24-hour-a-day car services and repairs for the police chief. Kaye Morehouse Spokane

BONNER COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Give people the credit they’re due

The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

Oops, wrong tale. It’s not the sky, it’s the roofs that are going to fall in Bonner County.

The county commissioners there have abolished the building department, so expect to see roofs collapse, buildings spontaneously burst into flame and tidal waves swamp Sandpoint - or something like that.

Wait a minute. Cities in Flathead County, Mont., have had a permit and inspection system for decades. The county has not. Three years ago, the commissioners created a county building department. The people circulated petitions, forced a special election and abolished the new department. Today, if you build in Kalispell, Columbia Falls or Whitefish, you buy a permit and get inspected. Outside the cites there are no building codes, permits or inspections, other than the state plumbing and electrical codes.

My family has been part of the Flathead building industry for 40 years. I grew up there. I know of no evidence that buildings in the county are less safe than buildings in town. Quality happens when builders and customers demand it.

The little things that destroy quality cannot be uncovered in a 10-minute framing inspection by a government inspector who doesn’t go onto the roof or into the crawl space.

We have this myth that people are stupid and government is smart. The myth is wrong. People make excellent decisions when the government is not watching. I hope the Bonner County department stays abolished, and that, eventually, the Chicken Littles will admit they were wrong. Jim Shamp Cheney

Kitchen’s going to be hot; expect it

Run for your lives! The sky is falling! Innocent children are going to die by the thousands! Man the barricades, socialism is being attacked!

Headlines from the National Enquirer, you ask? No, but from the tone of the editorial and letters concerning Bonner County lately, I would have expected to see them in The Spokesman-Review.

I have news for those who think they have just stepped into the black abyss. The uniform building code still exists and those who feel they need the benefit of a building inspector should do what corporations, industry, business and - gasp - even government agencies do. Hire a qualified inspector and or inspection company. The private sector provides a whole range of services from A to Z. Private building inspection is just one of them.

And guess what? If a private sector agency makes a mistake or gives you some bad information, it can be held accountable. Try that with a government agency some time.

I would, however, offer a word of caution to the two new Bonner County commissioners. Don’t develop a bunker mentality. Don’t evade the media just because they aren’t favorable to you.

What did you expect? If you didn’t realize the buzzsaw you were about to run into, you never should have run for office. Don’t forget, you now represent all the citizens of Bonner County, not just the ones who voted for you. So stand up, do what’s right and be prepared to take your lumps. Not everyone is going to love you. Douglas Gallaher Sandpoint

Mueller, Allen not fringers

The Jan. 24 article (“Crowd rallies behind Bonner commissioners,” News) unfairly depicts Bonner County commissioners Bud Mueller and Larry Allen as being closely associated with anti-Semitic and patriot groups.

The article implies that local businessmen are all opposed to ridding the county of its building department and that harm to homeowners will occur because safety cannot be assured without codes.

None of this could be further from the truth.

The mere presence of two people in a large crowd of supporters who have radical views should not be journalistically presented to imply the new commissioners support or are aligned with these views.

Reporting unsupported statements as apparently factual (home safety cannot be assured without codes) amounts to the journalistic equivalent of yelling “fire” in a crowded theater. Surely the writer is aware of state building code requirements.

The Jan. 27 editorial implies radical change in jail plans are afoot. Let’s have factual reporting of actual plan changes instead of unnecessarily fueling fires of anger and resentment against the commissioners.

Small wonder Mueller and Allen are restricting comment to irresponsible media representatives. Robert E. Rust Jr. Sandpoint

Editorial so much obnoxiousness

D.F. Oliveria’s Jan. 18 editorial is an excellent example of opinion based on emotional rhetoric which does little to solve problems but does much to fan the flames of discontent.

Specifically, his references to “craziest of times,” “lopping off heads,” “axings,” calling names “Tweedledee and Tweedledum,” quoting someone who compared the meeting to the Rodney King beating. These do not qualify as rational discourse.

There was no looking at the other side. There was no mention that the new commissioners had campaigned on those actions for the better part of a year, promising to eliminate unnecessary functions of county government.

Oliveria also characterized the commissioners’ actions as, “If we agree with you, speak up; otherwise, shut up.” The meeting was opened for discussion. Opponents of the action were shouting uncomplimentary and unnecessary comments. The first speaker made a cogent argument, but the second speaker did not address the commissioner but instead attempted to incite the audience, some members of which were shouting comments out of order. Mueller put a stop to a possibly inflammatory problem.

The only statements made by Oliveria that were of any value were those about pending inspections and lawsuits. They were obscured by his attempt to appeal to the readers’ emotions. Each of them has another side, which he also ignored.

Bonner County government isn’t getting “curiouser and curiouser.” Editorials are getting shallower and shallower. Ed Bangle Sagle

Seek and ye shall find truth

Re: “The voters have spoken on jail” (Our View, Jan. 27) by D.F. Oliveria:

I do not have high blood pressure, however, if I keep reading this rag I will develop it.

Oliveria’s opinions have been reached without the help of a conversation with anyone but himself. He never once requested an interview with commissioners Bud Mueller or Larry Allen. How does he know they won’t talk to him? If he really wanted to report the truth, they would be delighted to talk to him.

As for the jail situation, the people of Bonner County approved a jail bond. They did not approve jail plans and design. The plans and design are being left up to the jail committee appointed to approve and oversee the adoption of plans and design. The committee members are the ones who do not like the existing plans and have asked for a review with the commissioners and Sheriff Chip Roos, who, by the way has not attended the last two meetings of the committee.

Get your facts straight before you report. Shirley Hethorn Old town

OTHER TOPICS

Foremost creditors resolute

Re: “Foremost creditors withdraw opposition,” News, Jan. 24.

Having been featured in the Wall Street Journal, mentioned in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle Times and written of extensively in The Spokesman-Review, as well as having testified before Congress, I take exception to recent report in this newspaper that dairy farmers have “withdrawn their opposition” to U.S. Bank of Washington and its seizure of their income.

This is untrue.

Not a chance, no way, not on your life. Never in this newspapers’ wildest imagination have the Foremost Farmers given up pursuit of their income.

This newspaper reported in the Jan. 24 business section that we have “withdrawn.” A glance at the court file reveals a different set of facts.

Foremost Farmers have petitioned their government. Appeals are at the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, House Ethics Committee, GOPAC investigation arm, (independent and committee counsel) and the Clinton Administration.

In addition, the facts have bee filed with the judge in the case. In fact, House Whip David Bonior has been apprised and the Foremost Farmers would point out that this newspaper does not hold lock and key on democracy, nor does U.S. Bank of Washington.

This paper reported not one word I said to the subcommittee about U.S. Bank of Washington’s actions in the seizure. How incredibly fitting. Michael Yeager Deer Park

Some kids do need firmer hand

After reading Bob Vernard’s Jan. 13 letter, “Spanking is beating and is wrong,” I was compelled to share my experience with childhood and my family’s discipline values.

I am the oldest of eight children. It was difficult, as a youngster living in the country, to find creative, fun things to do without some form of mischief attached. My minor mischief of letting out our farm animals to create a state of emergency would always get me a free ride to school in the car instead of on the bus. Entering my teens, drug and alcohol experimentation came with new kinds of mischief.

Hooky, theft and disobedience were under way until I would receive a harsh scolding from my mother, who I heard but didn’t listen to.

My father would come home and hear the stories of his disobedient son, who was the “example” for his kin. Frustrated, he spanked, slapped and fed soap anytime it was deserved.

I’m now 25, carry an honorable discharge from the military, hold a stable job and own my own home. Had my father been a soft man without giving physical punishment, I would have run over his authority, as I did my mother’s. I was an individual child who needed special direction. My brothers and sisters have never felt father’s hand because, as a whole, they didn’t have the same problems I did.

Vernard is right. Children are individuals who need respect at all ages. But because children are individuals, sometime, just scolding and talking doesn’t cut it. Aaron C. Bryant Spokane

PE didn’t thrill me - at first

When I entered high school my primary goal was to excel in academics. I had no interest in taking a course in physical education. But when I studied the course requirements, there it was - two years of PE would be required in order to graduate.

I enjoyed sports but was not particularly good at them. My attitude was that if I needed PE to graduate, I’d take the classes and get them over with. While I was pretending not to care about the class something happened. I discovered I actually enjoyed PE. This course gave my brain a rest and let me have a bit of freedom outside, when the weather cooperated.

Then I discovered something else. It wasn’t a class just for jocks. I actually learned some valuable skills - teamwork, leadership and the benefits of regular exercise.

Years later I am still exercising. I’d like to believe that two years of required PE was the spark I needed to discover that a healthy body is just as important as a healthy mind. Colleen Lippert Spokane