Letters to the Editor for Tuesday, June 2

USAID cuts damaging

Given its scope, it’s hard to inventory, much less grasp, the harm the Trump administration has done to our nation and the world – harm done with the support of our congressman, Michael Baumgartner. But a study recently published in the British medical journal the Lancet has made the worst of this harm at least somewhat comprehensible.

According to the study, in 2025 alone, Trump’s cuts to USAID were predicted to cause 1,776,539 deaths, including those of 689,000 children under age 5. The study estimates that by 2030, the cuts will have caused 2,450,000 deaths annually for a total of 14,051,750 deaths, including the deaths of 4,537,157 children under age 5. This total is significantly larger than that of those murdered by the Nazis during World War II.

Baumgartner’s collusion with Trump’s dismantling of USAID makes him complicit in these deaths. Fifth District voters might ask between now and November whether they want to be complicit in them, too.

Michael Cain

Spokane

More than parking spaces

Give us all a break! There is no way that closing down 45 parking spaces did not cause the police department or the city council to think about telling the business community. This was clearly a case of thinking it would be easier to get forgiveness than permission.

In my opinion, the folks in business should not give the former and would not have given the latter.

John Miller

Spokane Valley

Michael Cathcart for auditor

I am heartily endorsing Michael Cathcart for the upcoming election for Spokane County Auditor.

Michael is principled, thoughtful, pragmatic and reasonably conservative. I have followed his work on the Spokane City Council and gotten to know Michael a little bit over the past couple of years. I am impressed by his thoughtful demeanor, calm spirit, quiet strength, innovate ideas and moral backbone.

The Spokane County Auditor’s Office is the central administrative and financial hub for the county. Its primary job is fourfold: conducting elections and registering voters, managing the county’s financial information and payment system, recording and preserving public and legal records, and processing vehicle/vessel licenses.

The current auditor is Vickie Dalton, a CPA who has run the office with integrity, honesty, consistency and transparency. Still, there remains ongoing improvement in that office to certify accurate voter lists, best -practice signature verification and hacker-proof cyber security. All the while ensuring correct financial reporting, payment processing and legal recording.

I am confident that Michael will bring to the office of Spokane County auditor optimal competence, ethical management and relentless follow-through. Michael will increase transparency, improve the public trust, work to improve election security and perform the important independent watchdog role.

Michael Cathcart is the best choice, and I highly recommend him.

Robert Cole Jr.

Spokane