Spend on students, not sports

So help me understand. The state of Washington is currently slashing budgets and cutting the salaries of government workers to balance the budget. Washington State University is cutting staff, raising fees and other costs to students because they received less money from the state.

So this is the part I don’t understand: How can WSU afford to pay a football coach $2.25 million a year for the next five years? I am sure coach Mike Leach’s salary will come from various sources, but would it not have been better for this money to be spent lowering fees and costs for the students?

Michael Cloke

Clarkston

Idaho’s Nez Perce National Forest Supervisor Rick Brazell is using our tax money to complete a process that will trade away 70 square miles of national forest land to Western Pacific Timber for 70 square miles of their clearcut land.

When Western Pacific Timber logs the national forest land they acquire they will destroy the wildlife habitat and recreational sites on the Nez Perce National Forest. After they have had their way with their first 70 square miles, there is nothing to stop supervisor Brazell from trading it again. And where after that? And after that?

Western Pacific Timber is owned by billionaire Tim Blixeth. The national forests must never become corporate property.

Please comment on the draft environmental impact statement. It’s available online at the Clearwater National Forest website under “projects.” The public can also call (208) 476-4541 to request a hard copy of the draft EIS. Public comments must be submitted to the Forest Service by Jan. 17.

Dick Artley

Grangeville, Idaho