Prop 2 sends message

I’ve just received my third mailer from corporations and railroads opposing Proposition 2, a sensible measure requiring safer transport of flammable oil and uncovered coal trains through Spokane.

Why the deluge of misinformation about Proposition 2? Could it be that those profiting from the transport of dirty fossil fuels don’t want a legal precedent in a city daring to say no?

Our sheriff and mayor apparently prefer business as usual. But our firefighters (the real heroes fighting global warming-enhanced disasters, including Northern California and Eastern Washington fires) know the hazards and support Proposition 2. They want Bakken crude oil treated to remove volatile chemicals so they could extinguish an oil fire — not watch helplessly as it burns unchecked.

If the proposition passes, Spokane will have standing to force reforms. If polite persuasion worked, the unsafe transportation practices would have changed decades ago. Can you imagine the Trump administration pushing for safer rail transport with polluters running federal agencies?

Let’s send a message to Big Oil and the railroads: We won’t be swayed by a flood of polluters’ cash. Let’s pass Proposition 2 for a safer Spokane.

Karen Dorn Steele

Spokane