Letters To The Editor
INITIATIVE 695
I-695 the right idea
Having recently returned from a five-week trip to southeastern Michigan, I have to draw some parallels to Spokane. I felt at home because their roads and highways are as bad or worse than ours.
License fees in Michigan used to be based on the weight of the vehicle. The assumption was the heavier the vehicle, the more damage it did to the roadways. Michigan did away with this backward thinking and taxed vehicles based on the value of the vehicle. Soon after this change a state income tax was instituted to keep the state solvent. Their elected officials have not yet learned to only spend what they have. Is that where Spokane is heading? Instead of asking “how will we replace the $1.2 billion that will be lost over two years?”, we should be asking “where does the current license tax money go if our roads are in this bad shape?” Do we really have any say regarding where and how our money is spent?
I like I-695 because of the idea that our representatives should ask us, the taxpayers, before they are able to implement a new tax law. They should also be held accountable for how the money is spent. What a concept! Leo Ohanesian Veradale
Look carefully at consequences
Recent articles about I-695 reveal shortcomings in the initiative and in author Tim Eyman’s thinking. Eyman says the initiative will “Give people more money to buy newer cars.” The average motorist will save $142. Eyman’s suggestion people will take this financial cloudburst and scurry out to buy a new car is not just ridiculous, it is stupid.
The initiative process in Washington is a wonderful method for bringing important issues before the public. As the rhetoric surrounding this initiative escalates, voters should look carefully at its consequences.
Will this initiative give our cities and our state better roads? Will I-695 increase public safety in our communities? Will our children receive a better education? Will our colleges and universities increase their reputations for excellence? Will local and state officials be able to properly maintain public facilities? Will the initiative give us better parks? Will it improve our ability to provide care for invalids and the elderly? The answer to each question is no.
Eyman is not pursuing this initiative to improve our communities or our state. He is pushing it because he thinks it is winnable. Eyman is just a flimflam man and I-695 is clearly not in the public interest.
I have no sympathy for the motorhome crowd. Anyone driving one of those park road clogging behemoths should suffer as much financial pain and suffering as is legally permissible. Consider it payback for the aggraviation you inflict on the rest of us. Thomas L. McArthur Spokane
OTHER TOPICS
Dr. Laura speaks for many
I want to lend my support to Lisa Gooch, whose letter regarding Dr. Laura Slessinger was published Aug. 10.
Dr. Laura speaks for many of us who would like a return to traditional values of decency, marriage, chastity and all the things we are seeing our society now throw into the wind. She is brave enough to speak out against the masses of people who want to do what feels good and to heck with the consequences.
God bless Dr. Laura and The Spokesman-Review for carrying her column. Jean Stabben Spokane
`Basket’ has more than one area star
Re: “Teen’s talent finds stage in `The Basket”’ (Handle, Sep. 5)
Cynthia Taggart is in error when she states that there is only one Inland Northwest kid with a speaking role in the movie.
Our son, Elwon Bakly, is in the movie and plays the part of Ben, the son who comes home from the war with one leg. Although it’s a short part, a lot of the feelings in the movie stem from what happened to him.
Elwon has performed in many productions in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene summer theater. He has had lead roles in several of those productions including “Buried Child” at the Civic Theate, the genie in Aladdin at Gonzaga university, the lead in “Buyers and Sellers” at Spokane Falls Community College, and much more.
We appreciate North by Northwest for giving him an opportunity to show his acting abilities. We hope we’ll be seeing more movies of this kind put out by North by Northwest. We were proud to tell our friends and neighbors about the movie. The number of people going to it shows it is the kind of movie people want to see. Edward and Harriet Bakly Spokane
Who can explain it to a child?
As a fourth grade teacher I tried to explain to my students the dangers of smoking and why cigarettes are addictive. I felt like a I was in a no-win situation considering that 19 out of my 22 students have one or more parent who smokes! It’s time for my generation to say “No” to smoking in public areas, “No” to advertising of any kind and to support those who do!
Thank you commissioners for banning smoking this year at the Interstate Fair! When I take my fourth graders to the fair next week that will be one less influence they will see! To all those smokers (and nonsmokers) that are complaining, will you please come to my classroom and help me answer one of my students who asked me in tears, “My mom is pregnant and she smokes. How do I get her to stop?” Jenny J. Egly Spokane
Support will go to another fair
What if scrawny men escorting large women offends some people…should we ban them?
What if animals relieving themselves offends some people…should we ban them?
What if people gnawing on an ear of corn with butter dripping from their chins offends some people…should we ban them?
What if groups of two or more offend some people…should we ban them?
What if tall, brown eyed men selling hot tubs offend some people…should we ban them?
What if people wearing white sneakers with blue denim jeans offend some people…should we ban them?
What if vendors are peddling wares that some people don’t want to buy…should we ban them?
What if people who spend less than $20 or more than $50 while visiting the fair offend some people…should we ban them?
What if John Roskelley, Kate McCaslin and Penny Lancaster (this is true!) offend some people…should we ban them or push them off their soapbox?
This year we’ll support the Puyallup Fair. Scott D. and Lynn M. Messmer Spokane