Letters for March 13, 2024
Cutting check would avoid bureaucracy
Columnist Sue Lani Madsen often takes a complaint with a kernel of truth to it, pulls it completely out of context, and misconstrues the facts to make a partisan political point. To wit, her observations about the building code changes and their impact on victims of the Gray wildfire. In this case, she has a point worth making (“How a simple bill can become bloated,” Feb. 29).
Madsen is correct that the building code is meant to set the very minimum performance standards for construction, not promote innovations. However, she fails to note it also should set minimum performance standards for new technologies voluntarily employed on a construction project. This protects home buyers from foreseeable failures of some new technologies due to improper installation, failures that can occur well after the contractor has left the scene.
In her predictable and tiresome attack on Gov. Jay Inslee, however, Madsen inadvertently hits on a much more important truth. She flippantly remarks it would be far better to give each victim of the wildfire a check for $25,000 and avoid all the bureaucracy associated with getting these people some relief. In fact, this approach to the entire welfare system would be a tremendous improvement on multiple programs set up to provide help to our fellow citizens in need.
If we believe help needs to arrive quickly and those in need are best able to define how to rebuild their lives, we could save the taxpayers a lot of money by simply assessing the costs of making someone whole and cutting them checks.
Jim Wavada
Spokane
There has to be another way
This letter voices concern regarding the proposed apartment development at 7601 N. Five Mile Road. Presently, a single-family home exists on the property in a single-family home neighborhood.
We understand Spokane’s need for high-density housing . This should be preceded by an examination of the existing infrastructure needs including bus, fire, police presence, school capacity, traffic concerns and neighborhood safety.
The original proposed project was seven fourplexes (28 units) with projected vehicles of two per unit (total of 56 vehicles). Now the scope of this complex has doubled to four 12-plexes (total of 48 units), which increases the vehicle count to 96. Our Five Mile neighborhood is ill-equipped for the increased traffic flow and environmental impact. Frustration, disappointment and misunderstandings fill our beautiful neighborhood. Sounds like bait and switch? Designed as low-income housing, this complex will need bus service, which is now a mile away from this location.
Alternative development suggestions would be five single-family dwellings, a city park, and a fire or police shop location.
The Five Mile neighborhood has some of the finest people we have known, and all worked hard to create a safe, friendly, clean and well-maintained neighborhood. Numerous residents have lived in this area for more than 20 years. A number are retired military on retirement incomes (including me), with limited resources to deal with any fall-out from this pending development.
I encourage a visit by the mayor and the City Council.
William Nesbitt
Spokane
Who do you truly trust to represent you?
Closely watching this year’s legislative session, I have been dismayed at the arrogance of Republican legislators who say they represent their constituents and yet have no trust in the trained professionals from whom they should be seeking input before making decisions that impact us all.
Who do these legislators trust? Not doctors to make decisions in the best interests of their patients. Not women to make choices that impact their personal health. Not libraries or educators (at any level) to develop curriculum and choose age-appropriate materials to share with our children. Not judges to determine sentences that reflect the unique circumstances of individual cases. Not county clerks, or even the Secretary of State’s Office, to provide safe and secure elections. Not our local elected officials serving on city councils, school boards and library boards. Not our health districts that work to keep us all safe. Not employers to set hiring policies that will consider potential employees based on a range of lived experiences and perspectives. Not voters to propose ballot initiatives which address real problems of concern to us.
During this session, Republican legislators have demonstrated yet again that their focus is to follow an agenda which proposes solutions to nonexistent problems, accepting advice from organizations and out of state “experts” that do not represent the views of the majority of Idahoans, often with unfortunate, costly unintended consequences.
You’ll have choices in November. Consider carefully who you trust to represent you when you vote.
Gretchen Wissner
Moscow, Idaho
Better plan for Garland
It was heartening to read of the apartment building being planned in connection with the revitalization of the Garland Theater and the Garland District in general (“Apartments pitched for Garland Theater” March 8).
However, the treatment of transportation in the article was incomplete.
It failed to mention STA Route 4 that runs on Monroe in the heart of the district and connects the entire near west side of Spokane, from Nine Mile to Moran Station. It intersects lines 21, 22, 23, 33, 35 and 36 on the north side and 34, 43 and 45 on the south side and all other lines at the Plaza.
By taking the STA to and from the Garland District, residents and visitors will avoid clogging the streets with traffic, will save themselves the hassle of dealing with that traffic and looking for parking and will avoid covering more of our city land with asphalt instead of useful structures and filling our air with pollutants that sicken us.
Linda Carroll
Spokane