Letters for Thursday, Oct. 2

Vote ‘Approve’ on 8201

I was glad to see The Spokesman-Review cover Measure 8201 in the Sept. 14 article, “Voters to again decide whether to invest WA Cares funds in the stock market.”

I’m a member of the Washington Youth Alliance and I’ll be honest, many people my age don’t think much about long-term care. It feels like a far-off thing that we probably won’t need for a very long time. But the reality is, anyone could need long-term care at any moment, whether it’s because of an injury, illness or accident.

That’s why I’m voting “Approve” on Measure 8201 on this November’s ballot.

Measure 8201 upgrades how our state invests money in our long-term care program so it’s less likely that we will have to reduce benefit payouts. It also prevents our state lawmakers from raiding our long-term care fund to spend those dollars on other programs, meaning we can be confident that our long-term care dollars will be there when we need them.

After Medicaid was cut at the federal level, it is even more critical that we strengthen and preserve our state’s long-term care program. 8201 will make our long-term care fund more reliable and secure for decades to come.

I’ll be voting “Approve” on 8201. For all of our futures, I hope you will also.

Preston Tucker

Yakima

Telis the best choice

Recently I had the opportunity to meet with Kate Telis, Candidate for Spokane City Council District 2. She has a background as a prosecutor protecting victims of domestic violence. A nonprofit leader working with homeless families and an advocate for gun safety stand out as more than impressive.

Kate supports “smart” growth to include development for much-needed housing while protecting the character of the neighborhood. She recognizes the need to establish safe infrastructure, fire protection and schools while preserving our valuable environment.

Her background and sincere desire to improve our city make her the best choice for the position she seeks.

Charlene Faoro

Spokane

Padden thoughtful and prepared

Over the past two years I’ve been paying close attention to the Spokane Valley City Council meetings. There are many topics that come up for decisions and votes on a regular basis. The council members must stay informed and make decisions about all these issues from the budget, public safety, road projects, economic development efforts, to parks and maintenance contracts, etc. I’m impressed with how well-prepared Councilwoman Laura Padden is for each meeting. She clearly reads the material, has a grasp of the issues and thinks through the impact. Her intelligent questions help clarify the scope and impacts of a yes or no vote. She also offers suggestions or alternatives where appropriate.

For example, the council passed a “reckless endangerment” ordinance pertaining to drug use at home or in public (fentanyl and others) that put children and innocent bystanders at risk of exposure. Council member Padden was the person who asked for this topic to be researched and brought forward. She then asked that the ordinance be expanded beyond the impact on innocent children and dependents in the home to include anyone exposed in a public setting like bus drivers/passengers, law enforcement officers, etc. She is most certainly concerned about everyone’s safety.

Laura Padden has my vote.

Sandy Anchondo

Spokane Valley