Letters for Nov. 18, 2022
City raising property tax
Maybe now with the way our economy is, raising taxes isn’t the best idea. Guess who will be raising the rent! People already have to budget groceries, gas and housing. Perhaps the city should be doing the same thing. It’s called tightening your belt.
Laurie Austin
Spokane
Not everyone a fanatic
Curt Stone (“Anti-gun writers need reading comprehension,” Nov. 8), explains to us why he supports the Second Amendment and his right to own guns. He then proceeds to call us who differ with him “Spokane gun fanatics (who) resort to vitriol, hostility, threats, mindless rants … to negate the truth.”
Hey Curt, please don’t lump us all in one basket. I believe in reasonable gun controls, including prohibitions on weapons that are created for the sole purpose of mass killing. But I don’t think I am a fanatic, and I certainly don’t call those with whom I disagree “delusional,” nor am I a “left-wing subversive” or a member of a “Marxist-inspired leftist terrorist organization.” And I am pretty sure I have not gone off on a “wild-eyed” tangent against others.
It is unfortunate that some members of a certain political party retaliate with anger, name-calling and disrespect against those with whom they disagree, and specifically the “leader” of that party. But, thankfully, we (or at least most of us) are aware of that leader’s sickening trust in groups such as Oath Keepers, Proud Boys and QAnon. We should be cautious that we clearly understand the beliefs of those with whom we align ourselves lest we, regretfully, become known by the company we keep.
Norman Coffman
Spokane
Last weekend for ‘26 Pebbles’
Sara Goff, Eastern Washington University’s theatre director, worked her magic and students were beyond incredible in today’s performance of the play, “26 Pebbles.” Who could have guessed that the devastating December 2012 shooting in a first-grade classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary could transform into intense and wide-ranging community healing through, ultimately, love.
The play portrayed the city of Newtown based on interviews and set the scene for what life was like in this quaint New England city. Then it tackled the elements of unbelievable wrenching loss and the media’s invasive unwanted attention with powerful sound and clever technology. Mom, Scarlett Lewis, started a Choose Love movement in honor of her 6-year-old son, Jesse, and stated: If you are wondering what you can do today, it’s this: “Take just one angry thought you have each day and turn it into a loving one … and with one loving thought at a time, we will change the world and make it a better, safer place for our children and our children’s children.” A message needed today more than ever. The play unfolded beautifully and terribly, and my husband, Vern, and I were so glad we went. Performances continue this weekend.
Barb Brock
Cheney
Who keeps City Council accountable?
City Council consistently attacks and questions the mayor and her priorities. It’s almost as if they see themselves not as representatives of the people, but simply as a check and balances to the mayor’s power.
Checks and balances are a necessary and crucial part of our governing process, but, one has to ask, if City Council is the check to the mayor’s power, then who keeps City Council accountable?
The first answer that should come to the forefront of everyone’s mind is their constituents. But, what happens when City Council gets to choose who their constituents are? Or when City Council chooses not to listen to their constituents?
We are seeing both of these play out in the redistricting process. City Council has ignored the supermajority of people who took the redistricting board’s survey and chose to recommend map one, in favor of map two that only benefits the council majority and keeps them in power. They say they did this because neighborhood council’s requested to remain intact within a single council district. Three neighborhood council districts were split in the recommended map. The city has 30 neighborhood council districts. That means the will of maybe three neighborhood councils, outweighed the will of the general public.
Again I ask, if City Council can simply choose their constituents, who can keep them accountable?
Rebecca Cook
Spokane
Who is responsible?
As our property taxes currently rise substantially thanks to school levies that passed, making our house payments go up and up, what are the results of the extra funds done for the schools? Certainly not making our children safe!
At the Central Valley School District, we see new bus barns, new admin buildings, brand new sports fields with huge bleachers and the latest in technology. But no metal detectors. Review past shootings and how many kids and teachers would still be alive if the schools had metal detectors? All of them! What about putting the kids’ safety first?
I will hold the school boards and administration responsible for injuries and deaths from a shooting. It is their decision to not put in metal detectors! As parents and grandparents, we can’t do anything but wait till a shooting happens (not if it happens but when). What is wrong with the people in control of the money? Where is common sense in our schools ?
And don’t say it would be harder to get the kids to class, it works just fine at the arena and other events. Our politicians would not go without it and our kids are certainly worth more than them!
Stop voting for school levies and taxes until children’s safety comes first! Don’t believe the lies on the signs, it is not about our kids but about more admin and buildings. Vote and say no till metal detectors are installed.
Rebecca Wendlandt
Liberty Lake