Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

Group’s impact countywide

As we at the Spokane County Domestic Violence Consortium (SCDVC) shout our hoorays because of Sen. Patty Murray’s intervention and getting our funding reinstated, I see a need for explaining.

The SCDVC was considered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) among projects of its kind as the most deserving to get its grant renewal.

Why didn’t it? The CDC hired independent reviewers who took an entirely different tack. When reviewed, our project filled every proviso of the original prevention terms entirely. This is no small accomplishment. The project’s own auditors found no case of misspent dollars. Our evaluations were completed on schedule. The committees and sub-committees all designed and implemented work to decrease intimate partner violence (IPV) in our community that has been successful and fit the prevention model of the grant completely.

Since the SCDVC has been in our community with 200 members and seven board members, the issue of intimate partner violence has a much greater awareness among the population.

Also, hundreds of referrals are made to services for abuse and:

Child witnesses to IPV can be treated, possibly preventing their becoming batterers.

Healthy dating without violence is being taught for teens.

Projects to give services for minority populations are being put in place.

Public service announcements have had a deep effect in awareness of the signs of IPV.

Animal cruelty as a sign of emotional or physical battering in later years is a uniquely successful campaign.

Batterers’ treatment is provided by certified treatment providers.

We are deeply indebted to Murray and U.S. Attorney Jim Connelly for their intervention. Marcia Black-Gallucci, board member Spokane County Domestic Violence Consortium

Professionalism shines in courtroom

I would like to inform the citizens of Spokane County of the excellent job Tari S. Eitzen, Spokane County judge of the Superior Court, is doing. I was recently selected to serve jury duty and saw firsthand the professional and courteous manner in which she administers her courtroom. Her assistants within the courtroom are to be commended also.

While this letter may only be addressed from myself, I am certain the other jurors selected along with me felt the same. Many comments were made regarding this very subject.

Spokane County is lucky to have professionals such as these representing our judicial system. Jo Lynne Seufer Liberty Lake

STA has become a bureaucracy

Our transit has evolved from a failed bus company to a government-supported bureaucracy. Therefore with taxpayer funding it has no reason to even strive to become self-supporting. They could run sufficient numbers of buses during peak hours utilizing full- and part-time employees; during the rest of day smaller and more efficient buses could be used. This would save a fortune on salaries and fuel, and the expensive equipment would last longer. Extra buses for things like Bloomsday could be rented as needed. The transit buses could also haul older schoolchildren who live far enough away to bus as in other parts of the country, which would increase their income and decrease the number of buses required by the school district. William H. Frey Spokane

Traffic revisions suggested

I think we need a traffic pattern review done in our city. It seems to me we are trying to move traffic with the same grid we did 30 years ago. We’ve had a great increase in the number of vehicles on our roads, and very few changes to our lane system. Here’s what I suggest:

At Second and Browne, make a left-turn lane at the curb turning south on Browne and a left turn/through next to it. The same at Fourth Avenue and Thor; a right-turn lane at the curb, and a right-turn/through lane next to it. Cross over the freeway and do the same thing for a left on Third at Thor at the curb, and a left/through next to it. This could be done at many intersections in town, as we have nice wide streets, but we are not utilizing them.

Grand Boulevard dead-ends at High Drive, but the traffic on High Drive has to stop. At Havana and Hartson, Havana dead-ends, but the through traffic on Hartson has to stop. What’s with that?

We need a north-south freeway,. We need to move our increased traffic more efficiently. Believe it or not, this would get us more jobs that will pay a living wage in this town if our streets were user-friendly.

These are just a few examples of what could be done. I’d hope for some changes next spring. Let’s see if we can grow a little. Norm Ellefson Cheney

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Go ahead, send that extra money in

It amazes me that so many people have lined up to declare how stupid the residents of Washington are for approving Initiative 695. If we had only known this, or if we had only known that, we would have never passed such a measure that, if we believe what we hear, will result in something close to the end of the world.

Well, my anti-695 friends, I have finally seen the light. Down with demanding fiscal responsibility. Down with requiring government to ask permission before getting into my pocketbook for things it thinks I need. I encourage all of my fellow anti-695 brethren to do as I will. I for one will continue to pay my $450 car tabs. I will send the difference directly to the state’s general fund.

Come on now, we must unite. You all are behind me, aren’t you? Each of you who has declared our combined stupidity will join me, won’t you?

I didn’t think so. Seems as if there is a bit of hypocrisy here. Don Poffenroth Spokane

Time just ran out for Locke

Re: Ernest J. Chamberlain’s letter of Nov. 16: Because Gov. Gary Locke and others didn’t deal with the matter of a fair and responsible change in car tab fees prior to the election, that is no reason to vote to enact a fiscally irresponsible means of dealing with the problem.

State government deals with an enormous variety of issues. The budget is complex. By the time Locke focused on the car tab fee problem out of the many problems that he could have been addressing, the best he could do was to promise to deal with it after the election. Because of the attention given statewide to the problem, I have no doubt that that’s what he would’ve done if he had been given the opportunity. Sharon K. Leon Spokane

Who will be the voice of the people?

I have a few questions about Initiative 695. The people of the state have sent a message to those who are elected that we are tired of their waste. The question now is what are they going to do about it?

Are the City Council members, county commissioners, state representatives and senators going to dig in and find unnecessary expenditures and waste and eliminate them, or are they going to play the spoiled child, have a tantrum and spank us for daring to speak out?

Who among our elected representatives is going to have enough spine to stand up, speak out and insist that the will of the people be done?

It is certainly going to be an interesting journey these next few months. John May Chewelah, Wash.

Two percent goes a long way

We taxpayers missed out on a great deal. We should have gotten rid of the 98 percent taxes, since it seems that everything is paid for by the 2 percent taxes.

The city government is bound and determined to make everything hard for us taxpayers, but not for themselves.

People, grow up or get out of government work. We taxpayers want some fairness. We are being taxed to death. Rebecca L. Griffith Spokane

Time to cut those salaries

Re: “City could lose officers to I-695” (Nov. 17):

We keep hearing about all the services that will be cut by Initiative 695. Much of this money should never have been allocated to these things in the first place.

Arts? Libraries? Paid for on my car tabs? It’s surreal. What part of government ate pounds of LSD in the ‘60s?

Whack all non-roads spending and the impact is nothing.

There is another concrete solution. I suggest we enact a 2 percent cut on all spending and salaries in government. The numbers work.

Sorry guys, you overspent. The check is here. Pay it. Ed Easley Spokane

Politicians missed voters’ message

Re: “City could lose officers to I-695” (Nov. 17):

I find it more than a little ironic that the city of Spokane finds it necessary to make its budget cuts in areas involving the public’s safety and health, while in the same day’s paper the mayor wants to have another study done on the construction of an $85 million Convention Center expansion.

It seems the politicians throughout the state are out to punish the voters for passing Initiative 695. By cutting programs such as police and fire protection, they believe they can make us regret having passed it.

I don’t think they got the message of I-695. If the politicians think they can balance the budget by cutting programs the public deems necessary, while at the same time protecting programs and projects that benefit only the few, the rich and the special interests, then maybe they had better remember there are elections coming. Lewis Capaul Spokane

Truth must be in the confusion

I am confused! Each morning, lately, The Spokesman-Review details additional programs and projects to be curtailed due to the passage of Initiative 695.

I understand that revenue from license tabs is 2.5 percent of the state budget, and it flows to the general fund. Apparently, these monies are then arbitrarily allocated to various activities of state and local government. As an aside, we are told that taxpayers have otherwise provided a budget surplus, due to an expanding economy.

My confusion is this:

If the 2.5 percent shortfall covers so many important programs, what does the 97.5 percent pay for?

Can the Legislature, or allocator, simply reallocate the general fund to distribute the monies fairly?

If the taxpayers have indeed provided a surplus - and it is taxpayers’ money - can that money be used to protect the important programs? In reality, is there a shortfall of available funds at all?

Should Washington voters be punished for providing a wake-up call to spendthrift politicians, or will stalwart representatives of government (patriotic music, please) stand up to face the music and solve the problem?

The purveyors of doom and gloom, talk show hosts and media, add to my confusion. Where is the truth? Gerald D. Marsh Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

`Health Nazis’ actions inexcusable

Re: “Protesting teens clear restaurant’s air” (Handle, Nov. 12):

I was appalled by this article. A group fostered by Joanna Adams and Cheryl McCain-Holst forced those who enjoy smoking out of a restaurant smoking section.

This action by the “Health Nazis” is inexcusable. Most think it’s terrific that half the restaurants are non-smoking and half provide small smoking sections.

The “Health Nazis” have taken a large blow having their “secondhand smoke cancer research” exposed as bogus. Are you going to ban cars and trucks for the stink and carcinogens from exhaust? Smokers are their chosen minority to oppress for now.

The “Gestapo mentality” refuses to recognize that cancer is now known to be largely preventable even among smokers with the ingestion of anti-oxidants and ancillary supplements. (Why hasn’t the American Cancer Society published this widely?) The nation of Turkey proclaims it has identified the oldest living human at age 135. He is healthy and mobile and is a cigarette smoker.

What of the 93-year-old smoking great-grandmother? The “Health Nazis” would like to have her go outside in a blizzard to smoke when she goes to a restaurant or mall. They are gleeful about sending smokers outside to catch pneumonia. Those guys are nearly as barbaric as Mengele.

It’s embarrassing to explain our inconsiderate, even barbaric culture to visitors from around the world. It’s obvious they’re appalled by our inconsiderate rules that make life difficult for smokers.

No one wants to encourage young people to choose to smoke but we want to give truthful information and preserve the rights of adult choices, even if they are those of a minority. Leighton McClaskey Post Falls

Bravo to adults of the future

Joe Robinson (Letters, Nov. 17) doesn’t seem to understand that the teenagers who took a stand against smoking are the adults of the future - our future, our children’s and grandchildren’s future, the planet’s future. These may be the individuals who will be the movers and the shakers, taking on tough issues for the good of our environment, health and the nation’s strength.

Yes, I understand how teenagers can seem to be intimidating in their zest for life, for their adolescence. Bless them and their zeal. Maybe Robinson doesn’t remember the energy and “I can make a difference” attitude of those teen years.

I applaud these youths for being bold and taking a stand, for being involved rather than being at the mall or in front of the TV. Bravo! Mary A. Wells Granite, Wash.

ENVIRONMENT

Common-sense alternative

About the breaching of dams on the lower Snake River: About 40 years ago, I spent many hours helping relocate the railroad grade on the south side of the river.

My belief is, with some imagination and ingenuity, a small stream or creek can be built alongside the railroad grade to bypass all of these dams.

It doesn’t have to be on any set grade such as a railroad grade. Some places steeper, some shallower, some wider, some narrower. Ponds at various locations on the side for fish to rest.

This doesn’t need any million dollars or more surveys. Just common sense. William R. Brown Post Falls

Technology offers quicker action

The myth is that the science is in on saving the salmon, that no more studies are needed and that breaching the four lower Snake River dams is the only thing that will work. The truth is a little more complicated.

The “science” is based on a computer model called the PATH report. A computer model’s answer depends on the assumptions and data it’s given to work with. The data that went into the PATH report were nearly all assumed. Real, factual, up-to-date data were available, but they weren’t used because they wouldn’t have yielded the answer the “scientists” wanted.

Dam breaching is a measure that would take decades to accomplish, when nearly everyone agrees the fish don’t have that much time. There are such new technologies as improved screening methods to keep spawners out of diversions, engineered streams to carry smolts past dams - countless other systems, all of which show promise. Focusing on the fantasy of breaching only diverts our attention from doable actions that can have positive effects. Lori A. Weller Lewiston

Time for concerned citizens to unite

There is a local organization opposed to Environmental Protection Agency efforts to correct ALL of the damage done to our waterways incurred after years of unregulated businesses doing as they please to our environment.

This small group of business and government leaders, who choose to keep our dirty little secret under the rug, so to speak, ironically call themselves CLEAN, of all things. (And I always thought clean meant … well clean). In response, I have decided to organize my own concerned citizens group. Not wanting to be out of fashion with the latest trend toward double-speak in politics - helps keep those few voters confused.

I’m calling my organization POLLUTE (People Opposing Ludicrous Lying Ultimatists Tainting Environments) If you’re in agreement, write your comments to The Spokesman, and try to remember - don’t be CLEAN, POLLUTE. Well, what are you waiting for? Get the lead out! Thomas D. Keenan Coeur d’Alene