Mugged by city camera

Mugged by the city. That’s how I felt when I received a citation for $124 from the city of Spokane for running a red light, which was caught on camera. My wife, daughter and I were enjoying a day in the city, and none of us had a clue as to what happened. Being from out of town, we had to navigate through intersections that were confusing, and not familiar to us.

We won’t be spending our money in Spokane again. It is very clear (I believe a court of law would find a preponderance of evidence) that red light cameras are an economic issue, and not the safety issue espoused by city officials.

Governments need to live within their means, rather than find ways to tax the unsuspecting public. We will spend our tourism dollars in the future in places where we feel welcomed.

Gary Jeffris

Cashmere, Wash.

Senate protects victims

Last week, the (Washington) Senate released its proposed supplemental budget, which made protecting victims of domestic violence a priority. The Senate’s proposed budget preserves funding for domestic violence emergency shelters and other crucial social services.

On a single day in 2011, Washington domestic violence programs served 1,884 domestic violence victims, including providing 1,080 victims with emergency shelter or transitional housing, and 804 victims with non-shelter services, such as individual counseling, legal advocacy, and children’s support groups.

On that same day, Washington domestic violence programs were unable to meet the needs of 502 requests for services due to a lack of funding, or other resources. In Spokane, the YWCA Alternatives to Domestic Violence Programs assist over 7,000 victims and their children in their programs each year. The program would have to start turning away victims needing safe shelter if the budgets were cut any further. Clearly, the Senate understands that further cuts to these life-saving services for domestic violence victims and their children would have grave consequences.

We appreciate the Senate prioritizing the protection of life-saving services for domestic violence victims. We hope the Legislature makes sure the final budget preserves these services for victims and their children.

Patty Wheeler

YWCA of Spokane

Spokane

Back freedom of conscience

As Christians, we answer first and foremost to Jesus, not to our president, nor to the Health and Human Services secretary. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of the world.” Those words have a profound political impact. They are foundational to religious liberty.

To quote Thomas Jefferson, we follow the laws of nature and of nature’s God. And within that framework, we are free to worship and act as we choose; our freedom of conscience is inviolable. President Barack Obama and the HHS secretary are wrong to demand otherwise.

Please contact your Congress and ask them to support the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act.

Brian Rothfusz

Lewiston

Sacred Heart delivered

On Tuesday, Feb. 28, my child went from healthy and happy to critically ill in a very short time. I would like to extend a whole-hearted thank you to the wonderful men and women from the Spokane Valley Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services who attended to her and got her transported from our home into the arms of another great group of people at Sacred Heart’s Children’s Hospital.

As a registered nurse, I know that in health care we often hear about things only when they go wrong. I would like to say that this is a time when everything went right!

The Emergency Medical Services team took wonderful care of my little girl, and even had stickers and stuffed animals for my other two children, who knew that their sister was safe and being well taken care of by this amazing group of people.

To the staff at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital, thank you! From the Emergency Department to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, we had excellent service and are so thankful for these wonderful people. Our family is glad to have our little girl home and healthy once more.

Katie Swain

Liberty Lake