Letters To The Editor

OVER THE LINE

Club not the source of trouble in town

Since the opening of Stateline Showgirls, the crime rate in State Line, Idaho, has been virtually nill.

When state Rep. Jeff Alltus and the protesters showed up, the crime rate skyrocketed. A felony arson has occurred, also numerous trespasses by the protesters, parking their autos on private property without permission.

Feeling that there should be a balance between the First Amendment and the right of the city of State Line to protect its citizens, State Line City Council formulated and passed an ordinance covering adult entertainment.

There are no lap dances, nor is physical contact between employees and patrons of Stateline Showgirls allowed. There is no simulation of sexual acts.

No alcoholic beverages are served on the premises and the business has been extremely vigilant in keeping drugs off of its property.

Property values are up, not down, and four more business have recently opened in State Line.

The city would appreciate Alltus or any protester to come forward with any knowledge they may have to help solve the felony arson that recently occurred. Fred W. Gabourie Jr. city attorney for State Line, Idaho

Lame lead in to a bad call

The pitifully inept statement by Kootenai County Commissioner Dick Compton supporting his motion to approve the Burlington Northern fuel depot clearly demonstrates that he ignored vital arguments against the depot and documents validating the testimony.

Two of many examples: Compton dismissed the precautionary principle as a device of extreme environmentalists to impede progress, and attacked the credibility of Hearing Examiner Jean DeBarbieris for considering it. If Compton had listened to Julian Powers’ statement and scanned the documents Powers submitted, he would have learned the precautionary principle was an essential, integral part of the 1992 Rio conference on the environment and the Biosafety Protocol signed Jan. 29 in Montreal by 130 nations. The precautionary principle provides that scientific certainty is not required to deny an action if it poses any threat of environmental degradation. Imagine that - 130 nations controlled by environmental extremists!

Compton cited testimony of a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks agent that BNSF received a Montana environmental award for cleaning up a corn spill near Glacier Park. He ignored the affidavit of biologist Dr. Charles Jonkel of the Great Bear Foundation joining in court action with the National Wildlife Federation against BNSF for failure to clean up spills of 104 cars of corn in 1989-90. In Jonkel’s judgment, the four-year cleanup delay would cause the death of 40 to 60 grizzlies. BNSF did not challenge Jonkel’s affidavit or verbal reference to it.

Compton and sidekick Commissioner Dick Panabaker have thumbed their noses at the public and joined in singing their theme song, “I’ve been working for the railroad.” Buell Hollister Post Falls

DOE, Grover just doing a good job

Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s attempt to discredit the Washington Department of Ecology, and Tony Grover specifically, by saying that they “unfairly tried to sway public and official opinion” is absurd, if not slanderous. Grover is ethical, educated, responsible, and dedicated.

The fact that he and the Department of Ecology thought it would be environmentally responsible for BNSF to do a complete environmental impact study of the Hauser site, and also do more research into sites off the aquifer is totally appropriate.

If you need evidence of Grover’s restraint, you should go to DOE and read the files dealing with the 14-year study of the Hillyard site. The newest two incidents were “distorted” by Grover, according to Mark Stehly of BNSF, because “the agency didn’t give the railroad enough warning, so it could have knowledgeable employees on site.”

Now, what does that mean? 1, BNFS thinks its employees who work on the site are too stupid to answer questions about the area where they work? or 2, The “knowledgeable” employees are the guys sitting in an office somewhere with the spin doctors? I’m sure the Gallatin Group could have answered the questions properly. But take heart, they fired the contractor who spilled the fuel. Now, how safe do you think our aquifer is from a company with management practices like that? Kristy Johnson Post Falls

Other sites pose greater threat

Regarding the Burlington Northern Santa Fe fueling depot, there is no doubt that there will be some danger to the aquifer. But there is much less chance of polluting the aquifer from the fuel depot than from the Conoco tank farm on East Mission. The only protection that has is a dirt berm and there is only a gravel bottom on its protection basins.

The amount of fuel BNSF will store there is just a drop in the bucket compared to all the other fuel storage areas. Then there are many chemical storage areas that are much more dangerous than BNSF’s site.

I urge the Spokane County commissioners to support the Kootenai County commissioners. Business must be allowed to operate. The area needs the jobs. Ed Weilep Spokane

Officials blew off public input

Never before have I become so agitated about something that I would write a letter, but this Burlington Northern Santa Fe episode has really done it.

For officials to show total disregard for their constituents’ health and welfare is inexcusable.

We employ and pay people who are specialists in their field to protect our resources. The Panhandle Health and Department of Environmental Quality are careful watchdogs.

I am responsible for the water supply of over 200 people, so I am very familiar with the time and money spent to comply with regulations, both state and federal.

Two commissioners who are certainly not experts in this field chose to ignore all the findings of these agencies, more than 5,000 citizens, their own hearing examiner, the governor of Washington and many Washington citizens.

Commissioner Dick Panabaker said, “We want to be sure we dot all our I’s and cross our T’s.” They left themselves in a precarious position when Commissioner Dick Compton was allowed to participate in this decision.

Is this a case of showing Washington who is boss or another case of big business applying pressure?

It would have been interesting to watch if these commissioners were running for re-election. I may not always agree with Commissioner Ron Rankin but I certainly applaud him for standing firm on this.

So few advantages to jeopardize so many. Marilyn Beach Southview Terrace Water Co., Hauser, Idaho

Why target just BNSF project?

I’m amazed at the crying and complaining going on over the permitting of the BNSF fuel depot. The amazement is primarily because the ones crying seem to imply this is the only threat to the aquifer. They make no mention of the many unsafe facilities currently over the aquifer - ones that have been there for a long time. Are they aware or them or do they only wish to castigate the railroad?

This proposed facility poses very little problem, if any, due to the many safeguards planned or required. Seemingly ignored are the many existing facilities that pose immediate and generally much too serious aquifer endangerment.

What of the exposed openings to the aquifer created by at least three gravel pits (two off Broadway near the Valley center and close to the city)? What of the many liquid storage facilities with essentially no real protection from a leakage or spill? Do all industrial and commercial facilities have an adequate sewer hookup?

What of pipelines, of tank cars and tank trucks, of the cleaning or washing of mobile carriers of various products, including chemicals?

It is so easy to vilify a large new publicized proposal. But it would be much more meaningful and better illustrate genuine concern for the aquifer to inventory the existing facilities with real potential hazards and then help bring on actions to minimize or eliminate their danger. Then, I might start believing there is some true concern and that there really are friends of the aquifer. A. James Caddis Spokane

We need state-of-the art commissioners

Burlington Northern Santa Fe claims its installation will be state of the art. My dictionary defines that as “the highest level of development,” but adds, “achieved at any particular time.”

Aircraft companies make fine state-of-the-art planes. Some of them crash. The Titanic was an unsinkable, state-of the-art ship. It sank. The government said gas station fuel tanks were leaking and mandated replacement with leakproof, state-of-the-art tanks. Some already are leaking.

BNSF will use concrete and plastic. Concrete cracks. Look at your roads and sidewalks. Plastic tears. This is supposed to last as long as the aquifer flows, not 20, 50 or 100 years.

Commissioners Dick Panabaker and Dick Compton made what D.F. Oliveria called a “fat cat” decision. All euphemisms and evasions aside, Oliveria, the fat cats are Republicans. Always were, always will be.

Isn’t it time voters elected Democrats? Donald R. Jacobs Rathdrum

WASHINGTON STATE

Even democracy can be overdone

John W. Esco gave us a definition of the term “democracy” in his March 19 letter.

This definition would be meaningful, if we lived in a democracy. We don’t; we live in a republic, which is defined in Webster’s New World Dictionary as “a state or government, specifically one headed by a president, in which the power is exercised by officials elected by the voters.”

While the state of Washington does not have a president, it has a governor, which is analogous to a president. Additionally, it is apparent the Washington state government is modeled after the federal government as evidenced by Section 2 of the Washington State Constitution stating, “Supreme law of the land. The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land.”

Our nation’s founders, wisely chose a modified representative form government in lieu of a (pure) democracy, where the majority rules. The following three examples of democracy (majority rules) in action should illustrate why:

1. Two wolves and a sheep voting on what they will have for dinner.

2. A lynch mob.

3. A gang rape.

I find it quite scary that so many people believe, or wish, that we lived in a democracy. With modern means of communication, given the right incident, the entire country can be manipulated to the point that it is, for all practical purposes, a lynch mob.

The present movement toward a democracy is a move toward tyranny by the majority. Francis E. Kent Four Lake

Democrats ignore savings approach

Among the many positive effects of Initiative 695, we now see a clear difference between the Democrats and the Republicans in Olympia: Republicans trying to cut waste, increase productivity, reduce spending and make I-695 work. Conversely, Democrats, as per Gov. Gary Locke and budget co-chairwoman Helen Sommers, not only threaten to reduce popular and necessary services (Take that, voters!) but, incredibly, increase spending by tens of millions of dollars.

Our governor could, instead, ask each of the various departments to trim a mere 2 percent from their current budgets by cutting waste and reducing costs, etc. This 2 percent savings could then be redistributed and used where needed. Even if no waste can be found (which is unlikely), this would still allow all funding to be restored to 98 percent of their original amounts. Consequently, 49 of 50 potholes could be filled, 49 of 50 miles of highway could be constructed, 49 of 50 jobs could be saved, etc. If 2 percent can be saved through cost reduction, all funding can be restored.

This solution is not complicated. Private business does it all the time and we all know examples of government excess and waste. Further, if the 40 percent who voted against I-695 would continue to pay the higher license fees, only 1 percent would have to be found. Problem solved. Jim Schindler Spokane

LAW AND JUSTICE

Drug abusers need treatment

Re: Woman convicted on tougher meth law (March 10).

Drugs like Methamphetamine kill people, and when they don’t kill them such drugs destroy them physically, emotionally and spiritually. As a result, the defendant, the defendant’s family, friends and society are the victims.

On the other hand, most of these people need help, not simply punishment. We, as a society, need to figure out ways to help these poor souls and in turn help ourselves as a whole. Presently, this sort of penalty is the only available remedy until better approaches are politically and socially acceptable. Let’s start to think of another approach such as the drug courts and similar programs.

Isn’t the idea really to improve our lives as a whole, rather than to simply house the criminals? Ronald D. Kappelman Spokane

NORTHWEST DAMS

Here’s a deal for the breaching crowd

If the dams are breached, as the environmentalists claim has to happen, the electrical costs in the entire western one-third of the United States are going to skyrocket, along with the cost of all other goods and products as both the irrigation and transportation from the river will be eliminated.

Breach the dams on one condition: That all the environmentalist and all the other fanatical salmon lovers give up all that the dams provide for as long as the dams are breached. They would not use electricity or products shipped up and down the rivers. They would cease consuming produce and products irrigated with river water. Of course their drinking water would be limited to buckets drawn from puddles - can’t use the river, it’s for the fish!

Environmentalists would build sod houses and lean-tos from sticks and tumbleweeds. Gathering fruit, berries and water would keep them occupied most of the day. In short, they would have all the amenities afforded the people living in the Western United States 150 years ago, before people started to control the rivers.

The environmentalist will like this as it breaches the dams and saves the salmon. The western U.S. population would like it because we would get to see the environmentalist taste their own medicine. Join us, all you environmentalists. It’s for the fish! Doug Belcher Spokane

Let me short circuit power plea

The lack of imagination in the current dam breaching controversy is mind-boggling. Opinion editor John Webster pointed out that in the short term we need added power supplies. Therefore, he states, we need the dams.

Webster neglects the other approach: decreasing demand.

Everyone seems to have forgotten that just a few years ago (before Republicans cut it) the federal government offered tax credits to electrical power producers if they made their customers more power efficient. This program prompted power companies to pay for converting water heaters from electric to gas, insulating electrically heated homes, etc. This was a very successful program in that everyone won. The power companies increased profit due to lower taxes, consumers saved due to lower power bills, and the country became more efficient.

These dams produce only 4 percent of the total power production of the region. Reinstituting this program could easily make up for any short-term power losses due to breaching the dams (We’re talking about becoming a mere 4 percent more efficient.)

The long term, of course, demands that we increase power production. These dams are currently wringing the last few kilowatt hours out of our hydroelectric system. This slight increase is destroying one of the greatest economic resources of our region, the salmon. It’s obvious any increased power demand can no longer be gotten from hydroelectricity. We will have to turn to alternative methods soon, no matter what the outcome of the dam controversy. Why not start making that change now and keep the salmon. Paul Valanoff Moscow, Idaho

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

Only a few deserve blame

I am writing in response to Michael J. Murphy’s prejudiced letter (March 1) about snowboarders on Silver and Schweitzer mountains.

Murphy wrongly accuses all kids of reckless behavior on the slopes. I’m sure that some kids are reckless on the slopes, but there are probably an equal amount of adults who are just as bad. Murphy stereotypes snowboarders as 1) children or teens; and 2) as inconsiderate and out of control.

His statement, “It would appear that many of the people are learning from their peers who have little knowledge of civil behavior themselves,” is highly offensive and makes an unjust generalization about young people. Murphy apparently does not understand year-round school. Kids go to school for six weeks in year-round school and then have one week off. That would give us one more week in the winter to ski.

Don’t go blaming the younger generation for the faults of a few. Sarah E. Godlewski, age 11 Spokane