Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

Cowles family deserves our thanks

I am a clergyman, which, I suppose, will prompt many to dismiss what I have to say about public life. What is more, I am old and retired, which in the minds of many makes me even more irrelevant. I do not care about all that.

What I do care about is the city of Spokane, in which I have lived for nearly 50 years and made my home. During all that time I have observed what is happening and have participated in much of it. I have known most of those who have made the decisions affecting our city.

I have also known personally (some more closely than others) every member of the Cowles “dynasty” for four generations. Today, I am greatly distressed as I read and listen to what is being written and spoken about them, and further, what is imagined but not verbalized. I have heard much of it over the years, for it is not new. But never before, in my memory, has it been quite as loud, crass and cruel. Most, perhaps all, is untrue and comes from those who neither know nor understand. I know that because I have known some of them, also.

I urge that the mayor and City Council set aside and arrange a day when the citizens of Spokane can confirm the truth by joining together to give thanks to the Cowles family for all the leadership, gifts and distinction they have given our city over the past 100 years. No family in our history deserves such so much. The Very Rev. Richard Coombs emeritus dean, Saint John’s Cathedral, Spokane

Job 1: intensive development

Concerning street repair, how about caviar for every man, woman and child?

We need to do something about Spokane’s economy first. Spokane’s economy is virtually stagnant. Spokane has renovated its streets numerous times but I’ve yet to see street repair bring in significant new business and jobs.

The city doesn’t have the tax base to support the amount of road surface in its city limits. The miles of road needed to drive to Avista are a prime example of the importance of locating businesses in centralized areas. The less road development, the less repair will be needed in the future.

This community needs to focus on economic efforts and responsible development that will create a tax base that can support the luxury of perfect streets.

Home prices are way off highs, 25 percent of the city’s population lives in poverty, there’s no new significant business in Spokane and the inept city government is destroying the region’s business climate.

Instead of new streets, the city must offer incentives - give tax breaks and seek state tax reductions on certain types of businesses and construction projects, to encourage development and sustainable growth. Change zoning to encourage dense development of business and residential areas. Citizens and businesses must concentrate on improving the terrible reputation this community is getting because of its poor government.

Bond issues that support education and community development are much needed. Bond issues to repair streets are a luxury we cannot afford. Robert C. Brewster, Jr. Spokane

A little wrap music, maestro

Doug Floyd’s June 26 editorial about safety first on Trent Avenue and taking care of billboards later is right on but the billboards eventually must go.

But oops! On the same day, on page A6, staff writer Mike Prager writes that “STA buses prove to be a perfect vehicle for advertisers.” Wonderful! Billboards should be banned in the county because they’re eyesores but city buses, described by some as “rolling dungeons” and I think of as glaring graffiti, are perfectly fine for our city? I think not.

Here’s a positive thought: If our well-funded transit system expects to take in $2 million over five years from the ads, Ill bet it will reduce the fees back to a nickel, don’t you think?

I have an idea. One side of our house has no windows on it and could use a paint job. Maybe Mueselix would pay us to “wrap” our house with an ad. We’d save the cost of painting and it would pay for our next trip! Better yet - someone dented and chipped the paint on our beautiful, plum-colored car in a parking lot. Maybe Dole prunes would dole us some dollars to “wrap” our car door with an ad.

Now I’m on a roll! I have several age spots that my Mary Kay Day Radiance no longer conceals and a big wrinkle shaped like an A. How about it, Avista? How much would you pay me to place a “wrap” ad on my forehead?

This is great, a body wrap! Hey, Weight Watchers, if you “wrap” me tight enough, I’d look really thin … Eleanor D. Laubach Spokane

Someone knows who stole bikes

Do parents question their children when they come home with an $85 bike or money from no apparent source? This question bothered me after our grandson had his bike stolen for the second time.

The first one was taken from his back porch. The new bike was taken from the front yard while he visited a friend, between 2 and 3 p.m. on June 22.

He helped raise money to buy the first one. His dad bought the last one. This doesn’t mean he has extra money, only that he loves his son and hates to see him hurt. It has been a financially hard year, so it will be a while before we can get another bike.

If you are the person who took the bike, or if you know of someone who took it, please realize, or help that person realize, what they have done.

If you are a parent who finds your child has acquired a new bike or extra money, please, for their future, question them! Ella J. Quinn Spokane

Let’s have more fitness-type events

Congratulations to Hoopfest organizers and participants!

As a recent resident of Spokane, I was delighted to see all the excitement and support that Hoopfest received over the past weekend. Kudos to all the business people in the downtown area who, I am sure, suffered some loss in revenue due to the streets being closed off.

At a time like this in the United States, when too many Americans are significantly overweight (estimates are that a full 55 percent of all Americans are overweight to the point of being at risk from health problems associated with the lack of fitness), it was great to see an activity sanctioned by the community that encouraged people to get out and do some exercise. Like the Bloomsday run, Hoopfest seemed to have the support of a large part of the community.

It would be wonderful to have even more events like these to encourage, especially youths, to get out and enjoy physical fitness activities. Perhaps, at least in Spokane, we could help lower the U.S. national average for obesity.

I would strongly support using our tax dollars to support more of these types of activities. Harry Davis Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

End highest-bidder government

I saw on network TV that the “mystery” senator who introduced a bill extending the patents on the allergy drug Clariton was none other than Orrin Hatch of Utah. I think it’s a big wake-up call when a respected senator with Hatch’s stature chooses the welfare of his cash cow over the best interest of his constituents and the rest of the country as well.

Ending this patent will mean a savings of about $350 per year from our family. Excuse me, senator, but that’s my money you’re trying to give away.

As a result of the legalized bribery inherent in our political campaign system, the people we are sending to Washington, D.C., have become far more concerned with the bottom line of the corporations that fund their careers than they are with our needs. It’s time to seriously consider public campaign financing.

We are not going to get a government that is truly “for the people” until the people become the only ones paying for it. Thomas Osowski Rathdrum

Flynn works hard, keeps his word

I write as a citizen concerned about the people of Eastern Washington’s 5th District and the need to replace our current representative, George Nethercutt. There are several challengers, some lesser evils than he is. But only one is clearly the best choice: Democrat Tom Flynn.

Flynn has lived in this district for nearly 20 years and has raised a family here. He has spent that time fighting for the issues that need to be addressed in Congress: livable wages, affordable health care and a secure retirement. He has gone to Washington, D.C., and has toured this district to identify all the issues, meet the citizens and come up with solutions for people such as our farmers, low-wage workers and senior citizens.

Flynn is not a slick talker who tells the voters what they want to hear. He is an honest, hard-working man who has spent many years working to improve the lives of thousands of people. He is not a well-rehearsed politician who makes promises and then breaks them. If Flynn says he’ll do something, he delivers. That would be a nice change for all of us. Jeff R. Bunch Spokane

Ah, yes, those good old days

David Wordinger (Letters, June 27) wants to make Social Security voluntary. I recall when there was no Social Security. In Portland, Maine, at the end of the streetcar line, the city poorhouse was on the right side of the road and on the left side, there was the city hospital.

When you retired, they gave you a gold watch, which you hocked and you moved into the poorhouse. You raised vegetables, pigs, chickens, dairy cows and beef cattle. This food fed the patients in the city hospital and individuals in the jails and poorhouse. If you were married, you were separated. When you became ill, you moved into the hospital and then were buried in Potter’s Field.

Social Security changed all that. Does Wordinger want us to go back to the poorhouse? Walter A. Becker Pullman

Genius of Gore’s plan escapes me

I think I just might consider voting for al Gore if somehow I can get in on his giveaway retirement program. On the other hand, I have to wonder how he can use taxpayer money to match funds invested by folks on a three-dollars-for-every-dollar-invested basis.

This does nothing to help those of us who are low income retired folks. Maybe he should just send each of us a check for $250 per month instead and we can save broker’s fees as well.

Gore must not understand that our taxes are not the same as corporate earnings. If a business wants to match funds put into a 401(k) by employees from their corporate earnings, that is commendable. To take tax money from some of us to give away to others so they can have more money at retirement is nonsense.

I don’t wholeheartedly subscribe to the Bush proposal, but at least the funds he intends to use originate with the future retiree. William H. Allison Medical Lake