Letters To The Editor

IDAHO VIEWPOINTS

Servick experienced, committed

In the Coeur d’Alene City Council election on Nov. 4, I urge voters to mark their ballot for Sue Servick.

Servick brings a unique set of credentials, qualifications and experience to this position. She was born and raised here and returned to Coeur d’Alene after graduating from law school.

Servick has demonstrated an excellent understanding of the wide range of issues facing the city, having served on the Tubbs Hill committee, the City Library committee, as a member of the board of the Lake City Senior Center and as a member of the Association of Idaho Cities.

A primary goal for Servick is to continue to hold the line on tax increases and privatize certain city functions, such as code enforcement and parking in order to save money and generate revenue.

Her committee work and familiarity with Coeur d’Alene over the last 30 years has been invaluable in developing an understanding of how government can work with private industry to increase jobs, reduce taxes and provide for key revitalization of business in Coeur d’Alene.

More than anything, Servick brings a dedication and commitment to the citizens of Coeur d’Alene.

Please join with me and vote for Servick for Coeur d’Alene City Council. David A. Saraceno Coeur d’Alene

Elect Servick to the City Council

I urge Coeur d’Alene residents to support Sue Servick’s candidacy for the City Council.

Servick grew up in Coeur d’Alene and has been involved in our community for years. She has devoted long hours to community service including the library board and the Tubbs Hill committee. I wish every elected official had the integrity and commitment Servick has demonstrated in our community. Brian T. Watkins Coeur d’Alene

Halloween ban keeps things separate

I want to put into context some statements I made at the Lakeland School Board Meeting on Oct. 13.

The debate was over setting new guidelines that will allow parties and costumes but won’t allow certain types of costumes and activities. The debate drifted into the question of church and state - their point being that I was trying to write a policy that would conform to my Christian beliefs.

The following analogy will set the record straight:

If I voted to set a policy that once a year children could dress up as their favorite Bible character and the Christian teacher could read stories about heaven and hell, angels and demons, and Jesus being raised from the dead, the public outcry would be tremendous. I have not proposed this.

However, some in our district have no problem with teachers and students dressing up once a year as ghosts, vampires, witches, goblins and the Grim Reaper. Some have read stories about death and the supernatural. It is then justified by a “the kids just want to have fun” mentality.

I believe that in this day and age, desensitizing death and glorifying gore and violent acts are not viable options.

Having a board policy limiting this type of activity is actually separating church and state. Those who want to teach their children about the supernatural must do so in their own home or at their own religious gathering. William R. Reese Rathdrum

Patano deserves plenty of credit

In response to the “I’ll buy an A for academics” article on Oct. 17, I need to add some clarification.

I really value and appreciate staff writer Cynthia Taggart’s enthusiastic support of Renaissance in our high schools. We need her. We also need to recognize that Renaissance is about our students, the committee members who do the work, the citizens and businesses that financially support it and, most of all, Fred Patano, who pours his heart and soul into Renaissance.

He is there for students on a daily basis and sets up Academic Day’s incentives.

Last year, Patano collected names for the drawing for the car giveaway, secured a car and decided who should draw the winning name from the barrel. He makes arrangements for T-shirt design and printing, does all the detail work connected with Renaissance and pours his energy into collecting prizes and money for the game show.

Patano and I work as a team, each of us focusing on different areas. It really takes two strong chairmen with a common vision to make an impact.

Our community has many talented parents who could fill the role of parent chairman. But Patano, as staff chairman, is the heart of the Renaissance at Lake City High School. And, from my perspective, he is irreplaceable. Together, we have learned how to dream big for our students. We invite you to work with us in promoting our young people through Renaissance. Jennifer L. Johnson Couer d’Alene

Send Paquin to Congress

I have known Tony Paquin for quite a while and believe that he would make an excellent congressman.

Paquin is a strong Christian and has been active in the church for more than 20 years. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Lorrie, and has a fine young son, Anthony.

I believe he is motivated to run for Congress because of his concern for the future of the country and how that will affect his family. The way things look now, Social Security won’t be able to meet Anthony’s retirement needs, Medicare will be long since bankrupt before he will ever be able to use it and his tax rate will be over 80 percent by the time he enters the work force.

I can understand why Paquin is so motivated to try to make some changes. The future looks pretty bleak for our young people. According to a recent survey, a greater majority of young people believe in UFOs than believe they will ever receive Social Security. Unfortunately, they probably are right.

I urge every voter to actively back Paquin for a change in Congress. Dawna M. Scott Coeur d’Alene

Few salmon, many gill nets get it?

OK, neo-journalists, let’s play connect the logic dots.

A recent Associated Press story in The Spokesman-Review revealed how citizens of the Northwest are being pressured to give up hydroelectric dams because salmon are not surviving the journey through the Columbia Basin to Idaho’s Redfish Lake.

In another article in the same edition, it was noted that local Indian tribes are using 500 gill nets to snag salmon as the fish migrate up the Columbia. See a connection?

In another issue, the front page article bemoaned the fact that Idaho is third from the bottom in per-student spending, at $3,500 per child. However, buried in the same issue was an article about Cleveland, Ohio, inner-city residents (read people of color) who demanded $2,400-per-child vouchers so they could send their children to private enterprise schools and were extremely happy with the results.

Here’s math even a journalist can do: $3,500 minus $2,400 equals an $1,100-per-student savings.

I find that journalists use the terms “unemployed itinerants” or “transients” when referring to the homeless, murderers, rapists and other sociopaths. But simply “homeless” if the individual is the subject of a whine-and-snivel article in which the journalist is striving for some cheesy award. Is this in the AP Stylebook? Work at connecting the dots and make your “good” paper better. R.G. LeFrancis Jr Coeur d’Alene