Letters for Nov. 5, 2023

In support of Katey Treloar

It is time to vote. When you do, please vote for candidates that will add much needed balance to our Spokane City Council. Vote for candidates that will work with our mayor for the benefit of our entire community rather than putting their own political agenda first.

For District 2, Katey Treloar is the outstanding choice. She will listen to all voices and has been endorsed by both Republicans and Democrats as well as Spokane law enforcement.

She is knowledgeable, hardworking and compassionate. Katey has been actively involved in our community as a public school teacher, as a founder of Bite-2-Go to provide meals for kids when they are not in school and Executive Function Coaching which supports students and individuals with neurological difficulties such as ADHD and Down syndrome.

As a councilmember, Katey’s priorities will be affordable housing and economic development, supporting vulnerable populations as she has done for years, and promoting policies that increase public safety as that is a top concern of the majority in our community.

Jan Grayhek

Spokane

Why Lisa?

I’ve been wearing a Lisa Brown T-shirt everywhere and almost everyday since last spring. It’s a walking billboard inviting comments both positive and negative and reminding everyone I meet to vote. However, since I live in Cheney I can’t vote for her even though I think she would be the most overqualified mayor Spokane has ever had.

More importantly, I think the mayor of Spokane is the most important politician in Eastern Washington. Spokane is the hub of our region. As Spokane goes so do all of our eastern counties. I can’t overstate that enough. I practically live on the campus of EWU. A great percentage of our students and faculty live in Spokane. We’re one of many economic bedroom communities for Spokane. Every person in Eastern Washington has a vested interest in Spokane.

I think Lisa Brown is one of the most gifted politicians I have ever known. She knows how to bring people together and get important things done. If you can vote in Spokane please vote for Lisa on behalf of all of us in Eastern Washington. That’s how much your vote matters.

The Rev. Ron Baer

Cheney

Wilkerson and Brown best for Spokane

Past and recent comments from supporters of Mayor Woodward suggest that if we thoughtful Spokane voters vote for Lisa Brown or Betsy Wilkerson, then Spokane will become – God forbid! – like Seattle, Portland and San Francisco.

This is nothing more than fearmongering at its worst. Neither Lisa Brown nor Betsy Wilkerson have been mayor or civic leaders of Seattle, Portland or San Francisco! It’s a one-liner that assumes Spokanites are not thoughtful people and are easily duped. But we’re smarter than that and recognize an egregious and weak attempt to misrepresent outstanding, intelligent and capable candidates – Lisa Brown and Betsy Wilkerson.

We need a mayor, Lisa Brown, and a Spokane Council president, Betsy Wilkerson, who have the experience, knowledge and connections to make Spokane a better and safer city – attributes lacking in the current mayor. Please, vote Lisa Brown for mayor, and Betsy Wilkerson for council president.

John Ludders

Spokane

Use your voice to reduce homelessness

As of 2023, there is a 36% increase in homelessness in Spokane County compared to 2022 and Spokane’s per capita unsheltered homeless population is in the nation’s top ten.

In other words, 2023 data, presented in the Spokane City Council Study Session, shows 2,390 people from 2,136 households were counted as homeless this year compared to the 2022 numbers showing 1,757 people from 1,513 households.

Why is homelessness in Spokane increasing? According to the Point in Time Count (an annual snapshot estimate of Spokane County’s homeless population which determines state and federal funding for local homeless services), the top three reasons for homelessness they heard from those who were unsheltered were lack of affordable housing (20%), lack of family or support network (13%), and substance use (12%).

We can see that the main reason for the increase in homelessness is the lack of affordable housing so what can you do as a resident of Spokane to help? I urge you to use your voice in the next City Council session to speak up about the increased number of homeless people we see in Spokane, how it affects you, and the different ways in which Spokane can better accommodate them.

I am writing this piece to bring more awareness to the rising increase in homelessness in Spokane County and the reasons for it. Use your voice to make a difference for not only the homeless population but also you as a resident of Spokane County!

Rebecca Bower

Spokane

Measure 1 ill-conceived and cynical

Why is the county even considering Measure 1?

The proponents of Measure 1 have only committed to building new jail facilities. There’s lots of vague posturing about potential future uses in the public safety realm, but the only thing we know will happen is new jails. That leaves approximately $1 billion with no plan other than “we’ll figure it out.” So much for fiscal responsibility …

If we need money for new jails, so be it, but put the measure to a clean vote.

Don’t hide one billion dollars in new unaccountable police funding behind such a request.

Vote no on Measure 1.

Erik Lowe

Spokane Valley

Belock for Cheney City Council

Jacquelyn Belock will be a fresh voice to represent the unrepresented in the Cheney City Council. She is a young, well-educated enthusiastic serious college educator as well as a mother of four and the wife of an Army veteran. She earned her Bachelors of Arts degree in geology at EWU and a master’s in Paleontology at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

Presently, she teaches biology and paleontology at Spokane Falls Community College and also mentors students at Eastern Washington University. As a contributing member to the Cheney Planning Commission, she shares her experience and knowledge of science. Further, she is involved in many other Cheney activities.

Jacque really likes Cheney and feels fortunate that her children attend the Cheney Schools and experience the university community. She cares about affordable, diverse housing; improving infrastructure; protecting clean drinking water; revitalizing downtown Cheney; bridging the city with the university; and transparency in government. Jacquelyn has traveled extensively around the United States and is keenly aware of activities of city, state and national legislatures and will work hard for the improvement of the lives of people in the community and businesses.

Vote for Jacquelyn Belock for Position 6 in the Cheney City Council. I believe she will be a great addition to the Cheney City Council.

Jeremy Street

Cheney

Suffering from idealism and in need of a plan

The political swamp’s thick, dark, and probably caustic but here I am, sleuthing through the dark monied sludge of greasy lobbyists, the cause of U.S government dysfunction. It’s the stuff of nightmares, the shifty shadows of the American Legislative Exchange Council, and corporate interests from real estate, communications including social media, the medical industrial complex, the military industrial complex, banking and Wall Street, Chambers of Commerce, business interests, and so on. Suspiciously absent is nearly everything that matters much to me. Send me a lifeboat.

I sidetracked into that lobbyist swamp. I intended positivity, to obtain information on sensible, clear ideas for rural investments, plans that improve my little life. I found the Rural New Deal from the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative folks. It offers 10 pillars to improve rural lives. I wouldn’t forget to mention the Rural Playbook from One Country Project. Both plans are Democrat-driven and pleasantly light on the greasy lobbyists. For balance, I googled for a Republican plan for rural America, but only found an article on the USDA website about the GOP failing rural Americans. No plan.

Dang if I don’t stubbornly desire my government to have a plan. I suffer from idealism, but I’m too old to change. I’d rather stay out of the lobbyist swamp and get into exciting solutions. Sadly, nothing is likely to fundamentally change until we rid our representatives of lobbyists, but we deserve some effort. We deserve a plan.

Janet Marugg

Clarkston

Why does S-R print mostly negative articles about the right?

When I read this article that’s spun in a negative light (“Five things to know about House Speaker Mike Johnson,” Oct. 26), what I saw was five reasons I am a fan of Mike Johnson being voted in as our new speaker of the House.

Sorry to most likely offend some, but I, for one, miss the country I grew up in and Mike’s record would lead me to believe that he does as well. He’s a young, smart articulate man who I believe will do great things. But The Spokesman-Review chose an article from the Washington Post that cherry-picks five things that the left will love to spin as all negatives.

I am tired and scared for the direction this liberal progressive administration is taking us on. I have faith that Mike Johnson, Jim Jordan and Comer will get to the bottom of the gross corruption our current Biden administration and family have been getting away with all the while the DOJ, FBI and others covering their behinds.

This is going on in our local communities and elections as well, so please study the candidates and ask yourself if the liberal left candidates will make our community a better place, or just more of the same we’re getting from our president and his administration. Less freedom and more government control. What stove, furnace, AC unit, car, water tank etc. do you want to have? Are you OK with the big government making those mandatory decisions for you? Open your eyes and vote with your heart, not the party line.

Rick Richard

Spokane