Letters for Wednesday, Oct. 15

Impressed with Nelson’s passion

I am a Spokane Valley resident. I am excited to encourage all my Spokane Valley neighbors to vote for Catherine Nelson, a candidate running for City Council Position 5 against Pam Haley, the incumbent.

Catherine deserves your vote. She is an accomplished businesswoman with years of experience in contract negotiations, both as a mortgage broker and Realtor. She has extensive knowledge protecting her clients’ monies across a vast array of business interests. She is a strong proponent for fiscal responsibility and accountability. More important, in today’s climate of dialogue suppression, she is approachable. She’ll work tirelessly for the Spokane Valley residents.

I occasionally attend council meetings as a concerned citizen and have regularly experienced dialogue suppression. When I speak during the public comment period, I am often met with rolling eyeballs or blank stares by the incumbents who are running for re-election and by the majority of the City Council, except for Council member Al Merkel.

I met Catherine before she announced her candidacy, and I was impressed with her passion for Spokane Valley. She expects transparency in sharing her ideas for Spokane Valley’s future. We need change and new ideas to improve our city! Catherine offers commonsense solutions to issues facing Spokane Valley. It is my opinion there is a complete lack of transparency within the City Council administration.

Please vote for Catherine Nelson, Position 5, in this general election. I know Catherine will be humbled to gain your vote and your vote truly matters!

Kendra Rojas

Spokane Valley

This is why I’m voting

I’m voting for Catherine Nelson, Brad Hohn and Daryl Williams for Spokane Valley City Council because they stand for honesty, fiscal responsibility, and common sense. They believe in local control and putting residents first, not outside interests or anonymous donors. These candidates are committed to open government – they stand in and for transparency – ensuring taxpayers know where every dollar goes and how decisions are made.

Our community deserves leaders who listen, act with integrity and care about Spokane Valley’s future. Nelson, Hohn and Williams share those values. Let’s elect people who work for us – with accountability, fairness, and a vision rooted in the community we love.

Tracy Anne Christian

Spokane Valley

Together Spokane a worthy partnership

I feel tapped out – I am paying more money for less of everything. Being asked to support another initiative that will raise my property taxes – yeah right.

Then, I learned about the Together Spokane initiative and realized that this is exactly what I want my money to go toward. An initiative that was created in partnership with residents from every neighborhood, Spokane Public Schools and the city of Spokane. I appreciate that it was designed to be fiscally responsible and benefit every age group. A year-round aquatics center – yes, please! We need opportunities for people to interact, connect and for all kids to be able to access sports.

Please vote “yes” on both the Parks Department and Spokane Schools initiatives on November’s ballot.

Jennifer Hansen

Spokane

Don’t politicize school boards

Ballots drop this week and local races matter. Don’t let outside PACs that fund candidates with extreme and narrow political agendas steal our school boards. I come from a family with four generations of Central Valley graduates and fear for the future of our district.

The district is much more diverse than when I graduated and the school board should acknowledge that diversity and focus on policies and best practices that benefit all kids. Board members and candidates who politicize the board by focusing solely on narrow, divisive issues such as banning trans athletes (there may be one in the district) that will be resolved nationally waste board time and our precious tax dollars. Simply being a parent of a school child does not alone qualify anyone to be a board member – it takes leadership, experience and a willingness to learn and work collaboratively with staff, administrators, other board members and all stakeholders.

To preserve Central Valley’s legacy of excellence, please vote for Mark Bitz and Dr. Allen Skidmore.

Carol McVicker

Spokane

Put Spokane on path to success

Can we trust the recent move of City Councilman Zappone to embrace enforcement as an important part of efforts to reduce homelessness in Spokane?

Is this a true change in approach or just part of trying to get re-elected to then govern with the same policies that have perpetuated and increased the problem of homelessness?

Housing First is a failed policy, despite its good intentions. Those in the homeless population that are mentally ill or drug-addicted need first to address those conditions.

Enforcement of laws that they are breaking provides consequences that can be beneficial in turning those affected toward seeking help and changing the course of their lives.

It is not compassionate to let men and women who are made in the image of God continue in their self-destructive lifestyles, which unfortunately have led many to premature deaths. Enforcement can serve as an intervention, not an enablement of continuing self-destructive behavior.

Councilmen Bingle and Cathcart are spot on in how the city can effectively address and reduce homelessness, as were Spokane voters when we passed Proposition 1 by a 3 to 1 margin in November 2023. Let us get Spokane on a successful path to address homelessness and truly help the homeless by re-electing Jonathan Bingle and electing Christopher Savage and Alejandro Barrientos to our City Council.

Remember that the idea of helping should not be more important than doing something that will actually help solve the problem.

Tim Ansett

Spokane

Support for Judge Logan

Homelessness, addiction and behavioral health issues are very complicated, often intertwined issues. One judge did not cause it, and one judicial candidate cannot fix it.

Indeed, recently the Safe and Healthy Spokane Task Force announced a series of sessions with decision makers and representatives from many areas across Spokane County to create a regional action plan. The highly skilled steering committee worked hard for 18 months to launch the task force to address these complex issues in our downtown’s core. It is not a one-person problem or solution.

It is also important to remember that Judge Logan does far more than Community Court, which is only one docket of many. Her almost 16 years of experience as a distinguished jurist should matter in determining your vote.

Please join me in voting for Judge Mary Logan. Experience matters.

Shelley Szambelan

Spokane

Sanctuary status causing damage

Hope springs eternal. I wish them the best! The bipartisan Safe and Healthy Spokane Task Force being formed to study and recommend a plan on reducing crime in Spokane County. I hope and expect they take a good hard look with open minds at Spokane’s official sanctuary city status! This status of not cooperating with the Feds and ICE to eliminate illegal immigrants is a magnet on attracting these undesirables to our community and Spokane! All or most of the cities in decay are sanctuary cities – Portland, Seattle, Chicago, and sadly Spokane and on it goes! This would signal a worthy effort and get people’s attention!

Ron Anderson

Liberty Lake