Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

Bill new renters, buyers for streets

Re: “Street repair, for a price” (The Region, July 21).

The so-called three packages outlined fail entirely to address the source that should be tapped, one that could rightly pay for most of the road repair costs: infrastructure fees from all recent and newly constructed homes and apartments. (Units constructed since the time our streets have exceeded their comfortable or reasonable carrying capacity, which is roughly since the mid- to late 1980s.)

Fees currently collected by the city and/or county run $3,000 to $5,000 per housing unit, while the actual cost of supporting their infrastructure impacts run $15,000 to $25,000 per unit. Why does our city and county consistently fail to address this causal source instead of laying this burden on the general taxpayer through this unofficial subsidy of builder profits? Could it be that builders and promoters have such undue influence that they can continue to maintain this unofficial subsidy?

By the way, who is on this so-called citizens committee and who has or might have influence over these citizens? Or is this just simply ignorance or even stupidity on the part of those who are supposed to act in the best interests of the greatest number of taxpayers? Donald O. Capstick Spokane

WASHINGTON STATE

Check lawmakers’ vote records

Corruption of our elected officials by monied interests is a major problem. Nowhere is this more evident than in the field of environmental protection.

As the League of Conservation Voters puts it, “Over 80 percent of all Americans say they want tougher laws to protect our air, water, wildlife and wilderness…” yet “… only one in four members of Congress votes for our environmental best interest at least 80 percent of the time.” They rate Sen. Patty Murray at 100 percent, Sen. Slade Gorton at 11 percent and Rep. George Nethercutt at 13 percent.

At state level, Washington Conservation Voters provides a environmental scorecard. In the House it shows Jeff Gombosky with 82 percent and Alex Wood with 73 percent for the 3rd District. 4th District Rep. Lynn Schindler has 40 percent. Larry Crouse gets 36 percent. In the 6th District, Brad Benson garnered 55 percent, while Duane Sommers ranked 46 percent. The 7th’s Bob Sump has 46 percent and Cathy McMorris 36 percent. In the 9th, Mark Schoesler and Don Cox earned 36 percent.

The WCV ratings for our State senators are: 100 percent for Lisa Brown, 3rd District; 36 percent for James West, 6th; 27 percent for Bob Morton, 7th; 25 percent for Bob McCaslin, 4th); and the lowest in our area, 22 percent, for Larry Sheahan, 9th.

Are you getting the representation you voted for? Sens. West, Morton, McCaslin and Sheahan even voted, in a minority of 10, to cut about half the funds from the wildlife and recreation program. For more details see the WCV scorecard online at www.callclickvote.com/ statehouse/scorecard.asp. Richard D. Reed Spokane

Appearance is all that matters? Ugh

Re: “Superfund label worries Washington.” (July 19)

This article states, “Spokane city and county officials say they fear Superfund designations for the Spokane River would bring economic stigma to the already struggling area.”

This is the most pathetic line of thought I have ever heard. It is a travesty that these self-centered yuppies are more concerned about stature and eminence then they are about solving a pollution problem. They would rather sweep the ugly pollution under the carpet and hide from the problem than face reality and solve it.

How pitiful can self-centered politicians be? Bud L. Zimmerman Spokane

Fleming’s nonsense will backfire

Re: “Resolution would end tribal sovereignty” (July 3).

Along with hundreds of other indigenous native North American Indians (“people,” in my language), I volunteered over 20 years as a human rights activist working to educate in order to build bridges of better communications and understanding between our people and the rest of humankind. We have raised the consciousness of countless individuals and engendered much support.

Comes now one John Fleming. I have to honor his ignorance, for in spite of himself, Fleming has created a spark that will bring my people and our supporters closer together. it also gives us a chance to educate further. Europeans, mostly men, used the sword, rifle and now, the pen, to try to wipe us off the face of Mother Earth. But they didn’t succeed and never will. Our sovereign right to govern ourselves cannot be abolished by man-made law because this right came from the Great Creator.

One other great teaching that I’d like Fleming to study is that we indigenous nations of the Western Hemisphere and the land are one. Yvonne Swan, Sinixt-Arrow Lakes Nation Member of the Colville Confederated Tribes

Whatever GOP is up to, beware

I wonder if the voters of our state realize the far-reaching consequences of voting down the sovereignty of Indian nations would be.

The Constitution of the United States provides that: “a treaty with a sovereign nation is the law of the land, local rules and regulations notwithstanding.”

If John Fleming and some like-minded Republicans were to succeed in voting down our sovereignty, it could nullify all treaties signed with the original Americans. What would be next? A land grab like we had in Oklahoma?

The rhetoric expounded by the state Republican Party chairman, Sen. Don Benton of Vancouver, in trying to explain the resolution that was “rushed through” the convention almost seems like an attempt to hide the real meaning so it can be rushed through the national convention, as it is written.

We have fought for and died for our land for hundreds of years. Perhaps Fleming would like us to take up arms once again, knowing full well that we as a people would be completely obliterated.

Voters, beware! Patrick Hollywood Spokane

BUSINESS AND LABOR

Cleared for maintenance, too

Re: “Cleared for takeoff” (Business, July 16).

As I read this article, I was reminded that we here in the Inland Northwest have some of the best air service in the country . Few areas in the U.S. with a population base the size of Spokane-Coeur d’Alene have nonstop flights to more than 12 cities and connecting service to hundreds more.

This level of service has contributed to the success of the region’s businesses and added convenience for leisure travelers. The regular support provided by the airlines of community events only adds to their value to the Inland Northwest.

Among the long-term supporters of Spokane and this region are Horizon and Alaska airlines. I was thus disappointed to read the paragraph highlighting the problems Alaska has had in 2000. Not only were the comments out of context of the article, the story was incomplete. When the reporter mentioned the FAA investigation of Alaska’s maintenance practices, she failed to mention the FAA approved Alaska’s plan on June 29 to continue conducting heavy aircraft maintenance. Fairness dictates that readers see the rest of the story.

What relevance did this have to the story’s subject, anyway? According to the article, zero tax dollars were used for the airport expansion because of the revenues obtained from passenger facility taxes that are primarily driven by Alaska and Horizon’s 40 percent passenger share at Spokane International. David J. Vahala Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

`Key Moments’ a wonderful series

Thank you very much for your “Key Moments” series about street people, people with AIDS and those who have “made it.” It was wonderful, even though I missed the one on seventh grade.

I only wish to say I thank God every day to have had such normal children as Betsy and Thom. Thom was a handful, and I thought I had trouble until I read about Jody in Last Sunday’s paper.

How sad; and to think there are 200 of them running around our city. I wish I could help them somehow . Kudos to those who run Crosswalk. Pat Head Spokane

`Forbidden Planet’ a must-see show

Not to take umbrage with Jim Kershner’s review of the opening night of the Civic Theatre’s latest offering, but I caught the second night of “Return to the Forbidden Planet” and can assure him that any and all soft spots he noted had been totally eliminated. A fast-paced, very upbeat performance by the entire ensemble had the house on its feet at curtain call and most deservedly so.

This is a “must see” show. Barrie K. MacConnell Coeur d’Alene