Letters for Sunday, April 19

Law could help make housing affordable

I was encouraged to see the article covering the new state law concerning housing in commercial areas (“New law allows housing in most commercial areas,” March 30). This news seems very practical for our city since the cost of living goes up every year. The statement in the article regarding Washington being short nearly a million homes over the next two decades confirms my concern over there being unused spaces that we should occupy with affordable housing.

The fact that more housing will be allowed in commercial areas because of this law will be very good for our local economy. Some may complain that dense housing sacrifices neighborhood character, but most of us find this an unimportant trade off. Giving Spokane residents affordable options when it comes to apartments and houses is important in growing our city.

Many of us are tired of seeing empty lots and closing stores wasting space that could be used for the better. I hope that our local City Council members will embrace this and have the willpower to build and make changes.

Jack Kittilstved

Spokane

Health care cuts

Last week, I found out beginning May that my pain doctor will no longer be accepting my Medicare advantage insurance company. I contacted Congressman Baumgartner and pointed out it was my opinion this was due to the passage of the big brutal bill and additional cuts in health care. In his response, he did not address my specific complaint whatsoever and did nothing other than praise the big brutal bill all the while claiming he was protecting Medicaid for those who actually needed it.

I have contacted him repeatedly and the one thing that stands out, letter after letter, is his total and complete detachment from the nature of your concerns and your letter. Instead, he focuses on other issues completely unrelated to your letter.

We can and must do much better. Please join me in supporting Carmela Conroy for Congress. We need change more than ever.

Tom Harding

Spokane

Baumgartner’s acquiescence to Trump

Michael Baumgartner “approves” of Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion budget for the U.S. military. This budget represents a 40% increase in military spending over the current and would come at the expense of Medicare, Medicaid and other economic and social programs.

At its current spending level, the U.S. military spends more than the next five countries combined. At the proposed level spending would surpass the defense spending of the rest of all of the rest the world combined.

Michael Baumgartner is consistent in his acquiescence to Trump. He voted for the BBB, which is increasing the national debt by $3.5 trillion in fiscal 2025 and 2026 and more in future years. He “approves” of Trumps’ illegal tariffs which have made the cost of almost everything increase and imparted serious economic damage on the agricultural industry. He approves of Trump’s ill-conceived and unapproved war in Iran. He approves of the Justice Department stalling the release of the Epstein files. By his silence, he has acquiesced to Trump’s threats of genocide, blasphemy and the mockery of our allies’ heads of state.

We in the 5th Congressional District deserve a congressional representative who will serve our interests, which, at this moment in time, means providing meaningful checks and balances on the most incompetent and corrupt president and administration in history.

Mr. Baumgartner seems to be much more interested in jockeying for a position in this administration than serving the interests of the 5th District.

James Clanton

Spokane Valley