Letters To The Editor

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Miggins, at least, doing good job

When our competent city manager, Pete Fortin, was fired and Henry Miggins was appointed his successor by the City Council majority, I along with many others were concerned that Miggins might be supinely compliant with the wishes of the majority. We have, however, been delighted to observe the courage and good judgment displayed by Miggins in running the city without regard to two incredibly irresponsible actions taken by the majority: attempting to discharge the highly regarded Jim Sloane as city attorney and initiating efforts to dissolve the Parking Development Authority, a thoughtless gambit certain to generate more litigation and further imperil the city’s damaged credit rating.

Three cheers for Miggins, who stoutly said, no more!

To the dauntless depredations of the reckless Gang of Four, he’s kept our good attorney; our credit will restore. Hooray for brave Sir Henry, may he serve forevermore!. Allan Toole Spokane

Mediation needed to end strife

The destructive debate on the River Park Square parking garage has gone on too long. The city has asked the developers to repurchase the garage or sell the ground under it to the city and has requested mediation or arbitration to resolve the issues. The developers reject these efforts.

Most people are pleased to have River Park Square and the garage, and are willing to make a contribution for this project. The question is, how much? The way this project is currently structured, according to known information, after 20 years the city could have as much money invested in the garage, without owning the property, as the Cowleses have in the entire project. The city has most of the liability and the developers most of the opportunity for profit.

It appears the developers aren’t interested in negotiations. Apparently, they’re waiting for a favorable court decision and/or new people in city government. A court could rule the present contract is valid, even if not equitable. Resolution through mediation or arbitration by trusted, qualified people would give credence to the decision and relieve public anxiety.

A great American said that a house divided cannot stand. This community has been highly stressed between projects and politics, resulting in anger, apathy and cynicism. The Cowles family has the most to gain or lose because of this debate. They will always have a pre-eminent leadership position in Spokane. It is important for this community that they be considered reasonable and fair. Dave Hamer Spokane

City should rebuff state lottery

Candidates for political office, I’d very much like to see Spokane declare itself an advertising-free zone regarding the state lottery. Let’s have the city officially take a stance of non-complicity in the perjurious state lottery. I know a ruse when I see one. Nonparticipation in promoting the lottery and nonparticipation in funds disseminated from the state lottery will remove us from guilt in a practice devised to impoverish our citizens and decimate our community’s moral integrity. Bruce C. Wakeman Spokane

Junk car ordinance right on

The recent passing by the Spokane City Council of an ordinance to remove junk vehicles from the streets and yards within Spokane is not just commendable, it should be trend setting but only if it is enforced. Quite often these vehicles are receptacles for trash as well as being eyesores in the community. Because youngsters can and do access them, these vehicles are just as much an environmental hazard as too much smoke in the air.

Our county commissioners and the city councils of other communities, including mine in Medical Lake, should enact and enforce similar ordinances. To do otherwise borders on reckless endangerment of our health and the safety of our youngsters. William H. Allison Medical Lake

Police did a great job

I commend the police who responded to my call recently. I reported a burglary I discovered upon waking up. It included the theft of my car.

The police who responded and who followed through were courteous, very professional and kind. My car was located a few days later.

Thank you so much, Spokane police! It is comforting to know help is close by. I appreciate you all. Helen F. Townsend Spokane

Choice a factor in panhandlers’ lot

Concerning panhandlers, Miranda Celeste Hale (Letters, Sept. 3) seems to think downtown merchants are being smug and self-righteous.

My heart goes out to homeless families that are there because of bad breaks. However, some street people are there because that’s what they choose to do. They are panhandling for booze and drugs. They know where every free bite of food in this town is.

Those panhandlers aren’t homeless families; they are people who don’t want to work, for whatever reason. I know this to be true as a relative of mine chose to be a street person for awhile and really enlightened me to the other side of life.

Have you seen or heard of the people who hold up signs, “Will work for food,” Hale? That’s a joke. The monetary help they get from passers-by more than likely exceeds what the average person makes in a day. If they wanted to work for food or anything else, they’d wash dishes.

Believe it or not, there are some street people out there who have a fabulous education and got sick and tired of what they see as the nine-to-five, Monday-through-Friday drag. Mary E. Enders Spokane

EVENTS

KZZU hosted lewd performance

About 7,000 of you attended or let your children attend the KZZU 16th Birthday Bash at Riverfront Park on Sept. 2. The Spokesman-Review article referenced the rain, Nelly’s no-show, technical difficulties, etc., but didn’t mention the unarguably perverted performance of Next.

A person would have to be 18 just to enter the kind of club in which performances like these are allowed. Yet KZZU invited this nasty band to perform the type of “entertainment” no halfway decent person would allow in their home - and in front of children from toddlers on up.

I’m not exaggerating. This included “dancing” performed by band members depicting oral sex, putting their hands down each other’s and their own pants, rubbing themselves, inviting a girl (one of yours?) on stage to bare her breasts (which she did) and using extremely foul language. May the Lord Jesus have mercy on us the day we allow such displays in front of children and do nothing!

It’s self-defeating that we begin giving sex education classes in our elementary schools in an effort to teach our children abstinence, only to allow this type of unrestrained, animalistic behavior for public viewing in our parks. It’s foolish to believe there’s no connection between what our young people view and how they behave.

Parents, we should let KZZU know we care what our children are exposed to, that we stand for decency and that we don’t appreciate the invitation of such performances. Concetta Christensen Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

Greed wins at the pumps

The day after Labor Day, I awoke atingle with anticipation. I had delayed filling my automobile with gas, knowing that with the passage of the holiday, the inexorable market forces which had driven the oil companies to the highest prices in recent memory would be reversed or at least abated. Gone was the increased summer demand, there were no pipeline breaks or refinery fires to contend with, no “shortages” were evident. Yes, now the free market would work it’s wonder, and reduce the prices as swiftly as it had risen them last Memorial Day. I drove to my favorite station and was aghast to find the prices hadn’t changed one iota. Not even the just-before-Labor Day nickel price increase had been rescinded. Had the law of supply and demand been repealed? Did the immutable market forces now only work in one direction - up?

I came to the reluctant conclusion that other forces were at work that were stronger than those previously mentioned. I had underestimated avarice and duplicity greatly. Donald N. Fitzgerald Spokane

Scalia dealing in stereotypes

Maybe Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia should get out and about a little more or at least read the newspapers. His prejudicial generalization (Spokesman Review, Sept. 8) of the kind of people who would choose to burn flags as “Scruffy, bearded, sandal-wearing people” is a little dated. After all, many nonscruffy, nonbearded and/or booted individuals have been known to burn the red, white and blue. Somehow, his comments do not imbue me with confidence in the fairness of the Supreme Court. Pamela Bunderson Pullman

Reverse psychology, Priggee?

In response to Milt Priggee’s recent political cartoon concerning the downfall of liberty in America by the National Rifle Association and to the outcry from your readership, I offer the probable slant on the aforementioned:

I believe Priggee is a closet NRA member and staunch supporter of the Second Amendment. With this one cartoon he has prompted many a citizen, including me, to finally send in my membership fee to the NRA and show my support also. You sly fox, Priggee! Thanks! Linda L. Wilson Mullan, Idaho