Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

Vote down lose-lose court measure

Why has a local accounting firm estimated the city will save $218,000 a year by breaking up Spokane District Court?

And why have some Washington cities established a stand-alone municipal court, rather than have a cooperative agreement such as Spokane’s?

The answer to the first question: garbage in, garbage out.

The accountants answered this question, What would happen if we cut judges’ salaries in half and have three doing the work of five? with this answer, You’d save $218,000 per year. Duh!

The question should have been: What would the total costs to the city taxpayers be for courtrooms, security, prisoner transport, etc.? The answer: $3 million and $700,000 more per year.

Comparing municipal courts in some other cities with the establishment of a brand new court system here requires a comparison of many factors such as location, security, efficiency and history.

This boondoggle is the brainchild of angry West Side union leaders, who failed to compare our court system with other cities’ experience for convenience, costeffectiveness and safety. Yet they’ve spent their members’ hard-earned dues money on a campaign filled with wildly inaccurate information.

Passage of Proposition 1 would be bad for the public, bad for the workers and bad for the taxpayers. Vote no on this lose-lose proposition. Leanne C. Biggs Spokane

Proposition 1 change costly, wasteful

The group promoting Proposition 1, to break the municipal court away from the 27-year consolidated city-county court contract, say it will save tax dollars. They are being dishonest with taxpayers.

They say there is no need for a new building. Reality: the Board of County Commissioners has notified the City Council, in writing, that if Proposition 1 passes, the city will have to find other facilities. The county needs the space.

They say the city will save $218,000 per year, according to the report of a respected accounting firm. Reality: The report that the proponents rely on states, “This proposal includes rental costs as they were budgeted for by the 1998 Municipal Court budget… Actual facility costs may increase … and (are) therefore not included as a reduction of projected savings.” So, their own study excluded consideration of costs of a new court building. Nor did it consider the required transportation of over 6,000 inmates per year between the jail and the new court facilities. This will take seven city police officers from other assignments.

The City Council’s own staff report states that under the proposal, initial start-up costs, including a new building, will be $4.3 million, plus an additional annual expenditure of $700,000. That’s $5 million the first year! The county’s annual additional costs: $500,000. This is a tax savings? Looks like a big tax increase to me. Makes one wonder about the motives of the proponents, doesn’t it?

Vote no on Proposition 1. Richard J. Richard retired District Court judge, Spokane

Why boost Seattle employment?

We received our monthly sewer charge statement a few days ago. Looking over the new format of the bill, we noticed we are to send the payment to Spokane County Utilities, Seattle. This change is to be “more efficient and cost-effective.”

I called the utilities department for an explanation. I was told Spokane County would need to hire two more people to process the bills due to the increase in sewer customers. Seems to me that it would take two people in Seattle to do the same. Is Spokane County paying the salary for these processors to do Spokane County work? Or are workers in King County doing this for us out of the kindness of their hearts?

I would think that with the unemployment rate in Spokane County at 5.9 percent compared to 2.9 in King County, Spokane County would want to provide jobs for their own. Tammy L. Fountaine Veradale

Thought, care went into LC decision

After months of study and review, the staff of Lewis and Clark High School looks forward to the renovation of our building. We eagerly anticipate a building which meets the educational needs of the 21st century while reflecting its historical tradition.

As a staff, we have worked long and hard with a number of expert consultants on many issues. We have had to make numerous compromises to enable us to remain at our existing site and to protect as much of the historical character of the building as possible. One of the important decisions we faced concerned the 1908 building, commonly known as the annex, adjacent to the main 1912 building.

After studying nine plans regarding the annex, we chose the plan which best protects the integrity of the educational programs offered students at LC. Last September, when a staff vote was taken, we voted overwhelmingly for a replacement addition, rather than remodeling the existing annex, because that would provide desperately needed additional classrooms, improved security and traffic flow with the main building, savings to taxpayers of more than $650,000, and an attractive east side view of the main building.

We hope the citizens will realize the thoughtful consideration we have given to our deliberations and will understand that our primary concern has always involved the best educational interests of our students. We further appreciate the Spokane School District 81’s Board of Directors’ decision to support the faculty’s recommendation for what we believe will be best for kids. Barbara A. Slaughter and staff Lewis and Clark High School

Angle parking hazardous, obstructive

I’ve been reading about the proposal to the Spokane City Council to change parking on Riverside and Main avenues from parallel to angle parking. As a resident who’s lived with angle parking in the business district for many years, I’d like to make the following observations.

Right of way of 100 feet, less 12 feet on each side for sidewalk, equals 76 feet curb to curb; minus fog line of 20 feet each side leaves 36 feet for a two-lane road.

Parallel parking uses eight feet on each side, leaving a 50-foot roadway for four lanes.

A standard pickup is 18 feet long; stretch cabs, vans and Suburbans are longer. Angle parking places these vehicles right at the fog line. The height of most of these units is approximately six to seven feet, which makes it difficult to watch for oncoming traffic when backing out. When leaving a parking place, a vehicle blocks the entire lane, stopping traffic. Visibility on the corners is cut down, both for vehicles and pedestrians. Since Spokane has a problem with red light running, this would create a more dangerous situation.

Anyone who thinks angle parking is great, come to Davenport during heavy-traffic periods and park and shop in our stores. You will need insurance, as the vehicle backing is always in the wrong. Walk across the highway so you can enjoy the full effect. When a vehicle backs into the roadway, I’ve seen traffic backed up for three blocks.

This seems like a great way to increase air pollution and the number of irritable drivers on the road. Elvin R. “Bud” Shaw Davenport, Wash.

IN THE REGION

Hospital remodeling too much trouble

Don’t be misled about remodeling Pullman Memorial Hospital. Are you aware of these problems?

Asbestos and lead paint are everywhere and by law must be removed.

To remodel, walls are demolished, ceilings torn down, heating and ventilation systems removed, electrical distribution taken out, windows removed, etc.

Bearing walls removed will require temporary shoring (to be removed later). A contractor must schedule work around surgeries, recoveries and emergencies. Hospital functions must relocate from area to area.

Taxpayers will bear additional cost to upgrade campus utilities that supply the hospital.

These nonproductive costs for major remodeling of the hospital can conservatively approach $1 million.

Where will the patients be while this is going on? What about noise, dust, etc., to which both staff and patients will be exposed?

And in the end, Washington State University will still own the building. Michael A. Gallardo Pullman

Hospital upgrade affordable, wise

Property taxes in Pullman for the years 1994 through 1998 were $1,539, $1,660, $1,785, $1,723, respectively and $1,431 per $100,000 assessed value. In 1999, the amount will be $1,402, including all bonds passed previously in Pullman. The $131 per year for the hospital would start in 2000.

Why are the 1999 taxes lowest of the past five years? Assessed value of property in Pullman was $594 million in 1998 and is $692 million in 1999.

Reassessing to “fair market value” accounted for $76 million and new construction accounted for $26 million of the increase. Reassessment means taxes are more equitable and sudden increases less likely in the future. In 2000, taxes will be less than the average of the past five years, $1,628, even with the addition of the $131 for the hospital.

Taxes will go down as Pullman grows. With improvements in the quality and support of living here, modest growth will occur and taxes will remain reasonable. The hospital will help keep retirees in Pullman.

Retirees pay taxes and continue to spend, and the vacated jobs will bring new persons to Pullman. Improve Pullman as a community in which to live by voting yes on Tuesday. Harold W. Dodgen Pullman

Vote yes, for better emergency response

In Washington state, hospitals have trauma level designations. There is only one hospital with a No. 1 trauma level designation: Harbor View in Seattle.

Deaconess and Sacred Heart medical centers in Spokane, plus others throughout the state, are designated level 2. Gritman Hospital in Moscow is trauma level 3 and Pullman Memorial Hospital is level 4.

If a member of our community sustains a certain type of trauma, it is mandated that the person be taken to Gritman Hospital in Moscow. If that person needs to go to Spokane by helicopter, the helicopter must land at the Kibbie Dome for transport to Spokane.

In the event of another type of emergency, requiring transport to Spokane, the police in Pullman must cordon off an area in the street in order for the helicopter to land near the hospital. There have been times when the helicopter had to turn back.

The new hospital will have an FAA-approved helicopter landing pad, contrary to what you may have heard. Further, we are not attempting to be a trauma level 2 designation hospital, as the opposition has led you to believe. All we want is to be equivalent to Gritman Hospital.

Vote yes on Feb. 2. Harriet K. Dodgen Pullman

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

Don’t tolerate bigots’ high-placed allies

In his Jan. 26 column (Opinion), “Hangin’ with Jim Crow and friends,” Leonard Pitts outlined the purpose and character of the Council of Conservative Citizens, a Mississippi-based hate group which includes in its membership and/or sympathizers such high-ranked politicians as these esteemed(?) members of our national legislature: Sen. Jesse Helms, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott and Rep. Robert Barr, along with a myriad of other powerful men whose concept of “liberty and justice for all” includes only those people whose ancestors migrated here from Europe!

These politicians pander to this group of paranoid mossbacks who violate the most important principle for which our country stands: the right of each individual, regardless of race, creed or color, to be given the dignity and freedom for which many of our citizens have died.

How dare they! They stand before us with solemn mien, prating about defending our Constitution by prosecuting and attempting to remove from office a president whose sins are solely based on his unfortunate sexual addictions and his vain attempt to hide from the consequences of his addiction. Anyone who would agree with calling children of mixed race marriages “slimy brown glop” has no right to represent our country and no moral right to judge Clinton.

If you support the American concept of liberty and justice for all, please stand up against this moral cancer in our midst. Tell the politicians that we will not accept anyone in high office who does not stand for the best of America, rather than the rancid underbelly of old hatreds and fears.

Get angry! Do something! Harriett D. Jacobson Spokane

Private life is measure of a person

I find it hard to believe the American people truly believe you can separate one’s private life from their public life. If a man is honorable in his private life, he will likely be honorable in his public life. If a man lies and cheats in his private life, he likely will do so in his public life. The president and all Americans would do well to remember the old saying, “Honor is a gift man gives himself.” Janet E. Carpenter Coeur d’Alene