Letters for Oct. 17, 2024

Proud to live in Washington

Each time I gaze upon the falls of the Spokane River, I am reminded how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place. In my younger years, I traveled a lot out of curiosity and adventure, and there are many places on this earth that are just as wonderful. But Spokane is my home, and the beauty here is personal.

This election, we are being asked to consider four statewide ballot initiatives that threaten to roll back important social and environmental programs. Much of the funding for these initiatives has come from people and interests who do not live here and who do not have deep ties to Washington.

Initiative 2066 is funded by oil companies and the Koch brothers and aims to rollback energy efficiency efforts. Initiative 2117 would remove funding for habitat restoration along the Spokane River and funding to complete the north-south freeway. It would allow our state’s largest polluters to keep polluting and passing the costs of health care and ecosystem destruction onto Washington residents. Initiative 2109 would repeal a tax on the wealthiest 0.2% of Washingtonians that funds school construction, child care, early learning, and K-12 education in our state. Initiative 2124 would eliminate access to affordable, long-term care for Washington workers.

I’m proud to live in a state that prioritizes our natural environment, education and healthy outcomes for our residents. Let’s not let people outside of Washington tell us what’s best for Washington. Vote “no” on all four ballot initiatives.

Kara DeBill Odegard

Spokane

I-2117 won’t cut steep cost of carbon energies

Some citizens object to this state’s fees on gasoline fuels (“Washington alone shouldn’t have to pay price,” Oct. 11). Washington residents are being held accountable for a global problem, the writer says.

No, Washington is attempting to do its part, to be responsible for its share of the problem. The state’s Department of Ecology says that “vehicle emissions account for over 39% of Washington’s greenhouse gas emissions.”

If Initiative 2117 is passed, we would not see an end to higher prices for our use of carbon energies. Consider the fees for home and business insurance, not only for fire-prone areas, but also for urban homes and businesses. Think of the costs for and the need to expand firefighting services that are now stretched too far. If voters approve I-2117, state government will have less, drivers will have more, and in all we will continue with “business as usual,” still gazing into the rear-view mirror for “cheap” carbon energy that is in fact quite far from being cheap.

Michael Treleaven

Spokane

Reject extremism

Are you tired of out-of-state donors’ money pushing an extremist agenda? I sure am. Brandon Mitchell seems like a decent guy, but he has marched in lockstep with the extremists, while the ill-tempered Dan Foreman has an agenda even more extreme than the rest of his party.

Their opponents, Kathy Dawes and Julia Parker, have shown themselves to be thoughtful, measured and intelligent. As a teacher and a nurse, respectively, they chose professions that benefit others. They are committed to working across the aisle, and eager to serve their constituents, even the ones they don’t agree with.

Dawes has more experience tracking and understanding legislation than anyone I know. For the past eight years, she’s been keeping a large number of community members informed on a variety of issues via email. She’s been active in the League of Women Voters, and in Braver Angels, which seeks to build relationships across political difference.

Parker, as a member of the Moscow City Council, has proved herself to be both levelheaded and solution focused. Her campaign is community-driven, and her criteria for making decisions seems reasonable. She has pledged to look at who it hurts, who it helps and how the hurt can be mitigated. She’ll also ask if the legislation is necessary and how much it will cost.

District 6 deserves people to represent us who think independently, listen to actual Idahoans and prioritize basic common sense. Please join me in voting for Dawes and Parker.

Elizabeth Stevens

Moscow, Idaho