Letters for Feb. 5, 2024

Say ‘no’ to school vouchers in Idaho

I wish our legislators the wisdom to reconsider the current enthusiasm for school vouchers in any form, including tax rebates.

It’s a shell game. Look at Arizona, facing a massive deficit because vouchers cost millions more than projected. Arizona had a big surplus before the vouchers, now it has a deficit it can’t cover. Caveat emptor.

Public education is the foundation of society – it’s already clear from other states’ experience that school vouchers jeopardize this foundation. The voucher system’s unintended consequence is to cripple public education, squeezing already tight budgets. How can rural schools maintain their infrastructure when their funds are drained? It does not cost measurably less if there are fewer students attending the rural public school; heating and other costs remain the same.

Studies show vouchers negatively impact education. The argument that a voucher program would allow students to go to a better school system is invalid when rural students have no other choice of school to attend. Meanwhile, the voucher program will only defund public education.

You can’t call yourself a conservative, someone who believes in fiscal responsibility, and pass school vouchers. They decimate state budgets by draining education coffers first, and then money from the general fund. It’s a scam.

Keep Idaho strong: Build up public education as a cornerstone of a healthy state.

Rhoda Mack

Viola, Idaho

No more rate increases, Avista

I’m sure I’m not the only one that is experiencing shock when I received my Avista bill this last month. I’ve lived in the same house for over 25 years and never had a bill this high. Now Avista is asking for another rate increase! Perhaps the executives who all make six figures a year should take one for the team. I get the company is having to keep up with progress, but the CEO is making over $4 million a year, and other executives are making $2 million a year. There must be other ways to make the improvements without another rate increase.

Laurie Worden

Spokane

They want to be the Joneses

My wife and I are both retired and on fixed incomes. We own a home that has been in my family for over 100 years. The Mead School District is trying to tax us out of it. First, they spend millions and millions of dollars to remodel a sports stadium. Now it’s, “We want more!” They don’t want to keep up with the Joneses, they want to be Joneses. No more overzealous spending. Enough already! Lower your tax rates. “No” on the Mead levy.

Vince Beck

Colbert

Say ‘enough’ to reckless spending

We have voted ‘No’ to the levy and bond issues. Property owners are being driven further and further into tax debt by the never-ending demands of reckless spending.

“The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say ‘Enough.’ ” (Proverbs 30:15)

It is past time for the voters of Spokane County and school districts to say “Enough.” Let us start with this coming election.

Carl Smith

Spokane

Offense taken

‘Liar!’ is what the placard I was holding said at a political rally in Sandpoint back in 2016. A woman walked up to me a few minutes after the rally began and said, “Would you please take your sign down because we don’t want to offend anybody?” I put my sign down.

I regretted my actions as time went by. I’m 74 years old, a veteran, and for the life of me I can’t understand how a liar came to power and kept power. What’s really disturbing is that the liar is running for office again and leading the polls.

George Rickert

Sandpoint

The Spokesman’s conservative viewpoint

I would like to thank The Spokesman-Review for its article (“Conservatives feel iced out by more progressive City Council,” Jan. 29) on the consequences of elections. Yes, it is true that the Spokane GOP had a pretty terrible election, The Spokesman decided to push the entire election season through the eyes of the two straight, white, Christian males who were from the losing coalition.

There were so many other articles you could have written, such as the great results the Democratic Party had this season, the fact that for the first time the entire city is run by women, the historic win of Betsy Wilkerson, but, yeah. Please keep running everything through your right-wing, straight, Christian lens.

Harry Crase

Spokane