Department worth its weight

On June 2, the newspaper published an article by Jonathan Brunt that described Spokane’s proposal to eliminate the city Weights and Measures Department. A few days later, a local TV news program broadcast an article on the same proposal. Several gas stations that were overcharging their customers were listed. None of these gas stations was deliberately cheating customers. Poor gas pump maintenance was the cause.

Without the inspections by our city’s single Weights and Measures Department employee, those gas pumps would still be overcharging their customers. No doubt numerous other examples exist of how this one person has kept things honest for the consumers who drive Spokane’s economy.

Yet Spokane officials are seriously contemplating liquidating a government service that truly benefits both city citizens and city visitors. Spokane officials think it is all right to dump this responsibility on the state of Washington. This is wrong when our state is also experiencing budget issues and service reductions. Eliminating our city’s Weights and Measures Department is wrong.

The record clearly demonstrates how wrong this proposal truly is. The successful work of our City’s Weights and Measures Department must continue.

Duwane Huffaker

Spokane