Letters for Aug. 2, 2022

Time for Murray to go

I just listened to a campaign ad for Patty Murray, who is seeking another term as our senator. She stated that she will fight for us for lower prescription prices, inflation, high gas prices, public safety and a cornucopia of problems we face daily.

The senator has been in office since 1993. If she is re-elected, that means she has been in office for 30 years. With all of her experience, why is this the same message over and over with no resolution? More to the point, how did she allow all of these things to happen?

I rarely hear that she is in our area to hear our concerns. The only time I see her is on the air standing right next to Chuck Schumer, who has repeatedly promoted great promises that typically have no benefit to the citizens of Spokane.

In a time when we are faced with higher prices with no end in sight, I am weary of her promises. She is devoted to her party, not her constituents. I am voting for Tiffany Smiley.

Mardell Grayhek

Spokane

Smiley unfit for office

Tiffany Smiley’s TV ads repeatedly claim that there “are questions” about the integrity of the 2020 election.

Only to the Trump crowd. Certainly not to the 60-plus judges (any number of them Trump appointees) nor to the Trump-packed Supreme Court who repeatedly turn away Trump’s repeated claims of fraud.

Tiffany Smiley panders to the angry, poorly informed, cynically opportunist and deeply prejudiced “base” who would undo the very foundations of American democracy. She is unfit for state or national office.

Randal McChesney

Bellevue

Vote Conklin for prosecuting attorney

Deb Conklin is in the primary election race for our prosecuting attorney. I am a lifelong Spokane resident and 45-year small business owner, I know and love Spokane. Ms. Conklin is a perfect candidate for the responsibilities of this office. Her University of Washington law degree, in combination with a career of ordained pastoring, gives her a perfect set of skills to serve Spokane in this capacity.

I have known Pastor Deb for many years and have been consistently impressed by her intelligence and warmth. A better answer for this complex work would be tough to find. Listen to and read her thoughts, vote for intelligence and compassion in your prosecuting attorney. This is important for us all.

Craig Sweat

Spokane

Response from a female vet

I felt compelled to respond to Richard Trerise’s Letter to the Editor (July 28) regarding Cathy McMorris Rodgers. She is currently working on an amendment to a Veterans Administration law regarding emergency care coverage for vets new to the VA health care system. She’s doing this based on a denial of coverage I received for an ER visit in August of 2020. If this passes, it will save Washington state vets a huge amount of money.

I’m female. I’m a veteran. I am Caucasian and Native American. I don’t agree with his comment that “women who serve don’t matter to Cathy” and “women and people of color are not as American as white Europeans.” I reached out, she responded. That’s they type of representative I want in office!

Cheryl Henley

Spokane

Enough taxes

Taxes and more taxes. When does it stop? Since retiring and moving back to the Spokane area (Cheney) four years ago, our property taxes have increased by over 40%. As with most people in Spokane County, we saw an outrageous 35% increase in the assessed value of our home in 2022. While the actual impact of that assessment on our property taxes has yet to be determined, the minimal impact will be at least a 17.5% increase since school funding make up 50% of property taxes and there is no limit on how fast they can increase.

Proposition 1 for Fire District 3 wants to add 50 cents per $1,000 assessed value to our property taxes to “expand and improve” EMS delivery. That will take our property taxes up another 10% bringing our increases up to 67.5% in just four years. How about every entity who receives money from the property taxes use the increased collection from the increased assessment value and use that instead of asking for additional money through propositions and levies. A hot topic right now for everyone is inflation. Let’s not forget that the city, county and state collect sales taxes and those collections go up with inflation. If inflation is 10%, then the city, county and state sales tax collections will increase by 10% on every item sold. When will everyone stand up and say enough already? Everyone wants a Cadillac, but you know, my Ford gets me there just fine.

Randahl Roadifer

Cheney