Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

Harris turns in losing performance

Wake up, Spokane County! While we and the newspaper are sleeping, County Commissioners Phil Harris and Steve Hasson are quickly destroying the fabric of county government.

Since taking office only a short six months ago, Harris has joined Hasson to demote the county administrator, force the departures of the human resources director, parks director and the county engineer, and has fired the top planning staff. What a guy!

Very few of us could step into this important job and have all the answers upon arriving. Could it be that he’s being led by the out-the-window commissioner?

Part of the Harris’ campaign promise was to improve employee morale. Talk to anyone in county employment and you will find a work force that is full of anxiety, not knowing who will be fired next. Morale is at an all-time low. And unfortunately, everyone suffers - the employees and the citizens they are serving.

Wake up, Phil Harris; you weren’t elected to rubberstamp Steven Hasson or to feed your ego. Do your homework and begin to serve the public. Jerry Porter Spokane

Developers getting what they paid for

The “Don’t give county over to developers” editorial on June 17 came as no surprise to me.

During Phil Harris’ run for county commissioner, he raised $60,000, with $25,000 of it being from developers and realtors. So it’s easy to see where his loyalties are.

I would like to remind Mr. Harris there are only about 40 developers and 400,000 of us.

I believe strongly that this community wants managed growth so we can maintain the lifestyle we cherish. Mr. Harris and his cohort, Commissioner Steve Hasson, need to remember that developers’ interests are six months to a year, but the community lives with what they do for more than a lifetime. Eleanor Beatty Spokane

Planning unit nothing but bad

Cuts at the county’s Planning and Zoning Department didn’t go deeply enough. I’ve had some very negative experiences with the department, and when I read “integrity” and “worked fairly for the public good,” I had to laugh.

They are not fare or helpful at all. Spokane County has lost several prospective businesses due to their arrogant and condescending attitudes. They are not user-friendly. They lie, harass, extort and bully people when they believe they can get away with it. They also practice selective enforcement, which I don’t believe in.

The whole Planning and Zoning Department should be eliminated. Charlie Lee Spokane

Horse racing needs public support

Staff writer Dan Weaver hit the Exacta when he said Washington law should be protecting the thoroughbred racing industry instead of retarding its growth by ignoring full card simulcasting (“Action-starved horse players are literally going to the dogs,” analysis, June 20).

Being an owner and breeder for many years, I find it sad to see local purses decrease, race dates eliminated and local race fans heading to the dogs to get what they want.

Could this be a message from the Racing Commission and Ron Crockett’s new track at Auburn of things to come, with only 50 or fewer days of live racing left in Spokane? I think it’s time the state of Washington, legislators, the racing commission, the HPBA and Horse Breeders Association to wake up and realize it might not be smart to have all your eggs in one crock.

Spokane horsemen aren’t ready to roll over and give in to the competition. Yet, we need your help. The Spokane horsemen have united and formed OPHRN, The Organization for the Preservation of Horse Racing in the Northwest.

It’s time we give them our total support and work together to meet the challenges ahead. Larry Rayburn Spokane

Again, library shuns censor role

We are disappointed the Spokane Public Library’s guidelines for using the Internet does not specifically prohibit accessing pornography.

The library will be issuing an Internet Users Card after a training session, but the patron will merely be warned to act “responsibly” (this term is not defined) while online. Thankfully, however, it is asking parents to give permission for children under 18 years of age.

Library Director Dan Walters informed us at the June 20 library board meeting that librarians would not be spending much time monitoring screens, and any software which might block offensive bulletin boards might be used if it is easy to install and would not limit other desirable services.

Once again, the Spokane Public Library is abdicating its responsibility to our community by denying any accountability for content of the material it provides with our tax money. Spokane needs family-friendly libraries. Penny Lancaster Spokane

OUR CHILDREN, THEIR SAFETY

At least protect victim’s sister

It’s extremely difficult to remain objective regarding the senseless death of Rachel Carver. Based on the articles in the newspaper recently, I am stunned at the lack of judgment on the part of Lori Beal.

Let me see of I understand. Lori Beal was divorced from a man prohibited from contact with his daughters. Decisions like this are not reached lightly, so I think Mr. Carver’s parenting speaks for itself. Ms. Beal moved to California, where her live-in fiancee is suspected by California’s Child Protective Service of beating and sexually molesting both girls. Ms. Beal filed a restraining order because, in her own words, “CPS stated I needed to file a (temporary restraining order) as a way to prove to them I can protect my children.” It appears that filing the order was not voluntary, and Ms. Beal was not taking the best interests of her daughters to heart.

Ms. Beal has yet to refer to this individual as her exfiancee. This is more revealing than she may realize.

Her next move to “protect” her daughters is to send them to the home of a person convicted of attempted rape! This person subsequently confessed to Rachel’s murder.

Ms. Beal states that the unhappy stories about Rachel’s life now being publicized are only a small portion of her life. God help this woman! Does she really believe that repeated reports of sexual abuse and beatings of this child were only a small portion of the child’s life? Does that mean it is unimportant and insignificant?

Please, CPS, don’t let Rachel’s death be for nothing. Before Ms. Beal leaves the state again with (Rachel’s sister) Danielle and subjects this girl to a small portion of her sister’s life - make this child a ward of the state and provide her with a loving a safe home.

I’m sure there are thousands of families in Spokane who would gladly do what Rachel’s parents and family did’nt do - protect her. M. Nettles Spokane

‘Free until sentenced’ is folly

There is something seriously wrong with a legal system that would find someone guilty of rape and then release the person “awaiting sentencing,” providing every chance to commit the same crime or one that is worse.

That is exactly what happened to Rachel Carver. If Jason Wickenhagen had been sentenced immediately upon being found guilty, this terrible tragedy may never have occurred.

I heard on a recent news report that two women who pleaded guilty to child molestation in a sex-abuse ring are free in their community until they are sentenced. That will be in October.

Why does it take our legal system so long to sentence admitted or convicted sexual criminals? In my estimation, this system should accept part of the responsibility for the death of this defenseless child. Angie O’Brien Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Working people better wake up

Have working men and women lost their senses, voting Republican?

When Ronald Reagan took office, I was paying a 12 percent income tax rate. After his tax cuts, I was paying 15 percent.

Now these millionaire Republican congressmen are proposing a flat rate, 20 percent income tax rate for us working slobs.

So they can have yachts and trips to the French Riveria, they’re going to take money from me, which I could put into savings for my retirement. They’re going to make health care unaffordable for us in our old age and they’re going to make sure a working man’s kids can’t afford college. Isn’t it a conflict of interest when a rich Republican congressman can take money directly out of my pocket and put it into his own?

To fatten their wallets, they’re cutting public education, libraries, colleges. They’ve got private universities to send their children to.

They’re also fixing it so we can’t sue them when they injure us. They’re destroying Social Security. They’ve got plenty to retire on. Have all working men and women gone to sleep? It’s we who created the wealth of this country, not a man in an office, manipulating the stock market. They’re just middlemen, raking off huge profits from what we produce and then buy from ourselves.

Maybe it’s time to put a cap on what a person’s wealth can be to run for office. Get some people like you and me, brother, into Congress. Get the millionaires out! George Thomas Spokane

Initiatives: What’s the use?

Once again the will of the people has been set aside by our Supreme Court.

Years ago, California voted on a bill concerning auto insurance companies. It passed but was never carried out. Oregon voted on a right-to-die law and it is now in question. California voted, and passed, an immigration law but it also will probably never be initiated.

Now we have term limits. They are saying that even though the people voted term limits in, it is not constitutional. It is getting more ridiculous all the time. It should be decided before the people vote as to whether it is constitutional or not.

I am sick and tired of our elected officials not listening to the people who voted them in. There are people in our government who have been sitting there for many years, getting fat at the trough. If term limits are not applied, these people will be sitting there for many more years, not listening to what the people want.

Is it any wonder that it is so hard to get people out to vote? I vote every election. But I, too, wonder sometimes what is the use? Edna McCann Coeur d’Alene

Lowry proves he’s a hopeless case

Gov. Mike Lowry has once again proven that: (a) he is a classic tax-and-spend liberal, and (b) he likes to thwart the will of the people. After reading the June 17 article, “Lowry vetoes majority of GOP’s tax cuts,” it is clear that Lowry doesn’t understand a thing about how tax cuts can and do increase economic growth.

According to his economist, the state of Washington’s tax revenue collections will be down by $180 million. This conflicts with the Republicans’ contention that even with the tax cuts, there will still be $144 million left over.

With an economic slowdown looming, this is exactly the right time to cut taxes to put more money into the pockets of the people of this state to reinvest back into the economy. The same goes for businesses that are working hard just to break even.

The governor obviously believes people and businesses are endless pits of money and that they will just pay the tax increase.

Governor, you’ve had your head in the sand ever since the November election. After what you just did, and with your approval ratings lower than Clinton’s, start packing your bags and look for another place to live. Mark E. Duclos Spokane

Lowry’s answers always involve taxes

The picture on the front page of the SpokesmanReview section “The Region” June 17, 1995 was very revealing. The mortar board (academic cap) decorations along with the game held by the graduate are representative of the immaturity of some of our graduates.

However, this condition is not restricted to the present generation. The article above discussing Gov. Mike Lowry’s veto proves that past generations had, and still maintain the same immature mentality. Our Living Example is Mike Lowry.

As always the tax-and-spenders have to maintain the government’s way of life. Have you ever noticed Mike and his high standard of excessive living regardless of its effect upon the taxpapers? They cannot fathom altering the government’s way of life. Have you ever noticed that Mike and his tax-and-spenders’ answer to all the country’s problems is TAX? Wilson Conaway Liberty Lake

Liddy critic ought to bone up

Phil Larson (Roundtable, June 20) certainly wrote a compelling letter about G. Gordon Liddy. However, I must say Phil is a little confused.

Liddy would never urge people to disobey the Constitution. On the contrary, he is a strong advocate of our God-given Constitution and Bill of Rights. Ours is a free nation, unlike China, because of these unalienable rights.

Mr. Larson needs to read these sacred documents, which are the only proper source to get a better education about our great and free republic. Tracy Landon Ritzville

RELIGION

Religion should direct our lives

I have been mulling over my reactions to Kelly McBride’s June 15, 1995 article on the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly meeting in Spokane - anger, frustration, discouragement, a feeling of being betrayed by a piece of writing in which investigative reporting is not apparent.

Writing only from my own decades-long journey for spiritual growth and meaning, I do not view faith and religion on a political spectrum. Therefore, to read of my church and my faith in such a negative and narrowly focused article was most distressing.

Certainly, our religious beliefs and values should direct our outer lives, socially, economically, yes, even politically. That, I believe, is true of most faiths whose adherents lead congruent lives.

Unitarian Universalism is no different in being a faith for all days, every day.

In fact, for me, it is the only faith that I can live in awareness “24 hours a day.”

And, for me, the religious/spiritual search is inclusive, not exclusive; seeking common ground not sensational confrontation or division - suggestive headlines notwithstanding.

My hope is that the people of Spokane will disregard a biased news article and will instead visit us to form their own conclusions about Unitarian Universalism.

It is also my hope that each of us will journey toward our spiritual beliefs, values and faith as surely and steadily as life’s amazing unfolding allows us. J.L. Strobeck Spokane

Story ignored Unitarians’ tolerance

As leaders of the Spokane Unitarian Universalist Church, we are writing to correct the misrepresentation of our religious movement in the June 15 SpokesmanReview.

The inflammatory headline stated the Unitarians will “attack the Christian right.” The first sentence said that our agenda is “lambasting conservative Christians.”

This is simply not true. At the heart of our religion is the belief in tolerance for other religious convictions and honoring the inherent worth and dignity of every person.

As your reporter correctly noted, we do heed the call to social action and encourage our members to be active politically, as their beliefs and consciences dictate.

We are quite concerned about the effect some of the current political agenda will have on disadvantaged people in our society.

Some of our members are indeed fighting the far-right Christian conservatives’ political agenda. But this is a far cry from attacking these people as individuals or in anyway lambasting their religious beliefs.

Unitarian Universalists will continue to be a voice in this community, and across the country, for religious freedom and tolerance of others’ beliefs. Linda Moulder and Linda Whittenberg Spokane Unitarian Universalist Church

Correction:

A sentence in Pete Powell’s Friday letter, “Heckler? Try constructive critic,” included a “per-hour” reference he did not write. It should have read:

I am disappointed that Councilwoman Phyllis Holmes thinks we need a $45,000 Bellevue consultant to tell our city government what citizen priorities are.