Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

Honoring name beats battling in court

I get upset every time I read about saving the view from the library. The proposed condo project isn’t just affecting library users, but everyone.

Try substituting the phrase, “my future grandchildren’s view” of the Spokane River falls. Am I the only one who remembers when the street was Trent Avenue? The name was changed to Spokane Falls Boulevard because of that view.

The space between City Hall and Monroe is the Spokane Falls part of that street. This is the best spot in town to view the river and the falls. ( Watch any day as the pedestrians, joggers, tourists and business people stop along this stretch and enjoy the great vista.)

Yes, the city really blew it by letting this historic piece of river bank go to developers. And yes, it will cost plenty to rectify that mistake. But if people will just open their eyes, and undo the lawsuit frame of mind, we can reclaim this regional treasure.

May the Ronalds offer a compromise and agree to a reasonable price, something closer to their actual investment. Might they perhaps bury the legal hatchets and donate a portion for the “Ronald Viewpoint”? It worked for Browne’s Addition, Havermale Island, and Cannon, Corbin and Comstock parks. They have the opportunity here to become modern city legends.

How about it, you guys? Is prolonged litigation doing anybody any good?

Douglas C. Roberts Spokane

Costly ‘hunk of concrete’ won’t do

Editor Chris Peck, in his Aug. 10 column, calls opposition to the Lincoln Street Bridge project a “destructive mindset Spokane must overcome as it wrestles to define itself for the 21st century.”

The Spokane falls are why Native Americans gathered here each year to harvest the salmon for their winter food. To them, it is still sacred. Early white settlers were drawn by the beauty of the falls and by the power that could be harnessed for industry and household energy. They named their town after it. Our expo was the first in the world devoted to the natural environment and we reclaimed the river from the grip of an industrial wasteland.

If we need a bridge (the new comprehensive plan should be left to determine this), then why here, over a truly unique natural wonder? Is this how we want to define ourselves for the 21st century, as the people who paved Spokane Falls?

Yes, Spokane, wake up and consider the wonderful things we could do and create to celebrate our history at the Spokane falls. An observation deck on a $36 million hunk of concrete is not what I have in mind. Lori M. Bertis Spokane

Bridge will make air fouling worse

Editor Chris Peck, in his Aug. 10 column, “Lincoln Street Bridge project a must for city,” needs to learn more about transportation. At the time I was on the Lincoln Citizens Committee, I was a supporter. I’ve switched.

In the Aug. 7 presentation to the City Council by the Lincoln Street Bridge team, the main reason given for the bridge reduction of air pollution. The possibility of more traffic was not mentioned.

Nationally known traffic engineer Walter Kulash, speaking at the July 11 public affairs symposium at The Met, restated the validity of the credo, “Build it and they will come.” Kulash said that within four to five years, in metropolitan areas, 90 percent of urban arterial trips will be new traffic that would not have otherwise occurred.

Even non-rocket scientists can understand that new traffic, constituting 90 percent of the capacity of the proposed multi-lane Monroe-Lincoln couplet, will very significantly add to the congestion and air pollution of downtown, as well as further endanger pedestrians trying to cross these high-speed (in spite of speed limit signs) one-way arterials.

The primary justification for the Lincoln Street Bridge project does not hold water. Taxpayers, say no to the $36 million Lincoln Street Bridge. K. Julian Powers Spokane

Can’t trust self-serving attitude

Al Haslebacher, executive officer of the Spokane Homebuilders Association, commenting on the state’s rejection of the scientific basis of Spokane County’s new land use ordinance, said that “the best available science is in the eye of the beholder.”

It comes as no surprise that he should want to convince us of this when the science in question has to do with the environmental impacts of land development.

If he were commenting on the engineering that holds up the houses he builds, he’d be less content with ambiguity. The collapse of homes built using eye-of-the-beholder science would not be excusable.

I can’t trust him to have the same attitude toward the science that prevents the collapse of streambeds, and hope that the interests of his organization don’t come first when Spokane revises its land use ordinance again. Catharine G. Slack Spokane

Fire was in Chattaroy

I would like The Spokesman-Review to recognize that the house fire on Aug. 9 was at Buck Brush and Piney Ridge roads in Chattaroy Hills, Chattaroy, not just “east of Deer Park.”

A special thank you to all the volunteer firemen who do such a great job in our area. E.L. Marlow Chattaroy

HIGHER EDUCATION

Worthless major will dim job prospects

In response to Nancy Nelson’s article and comments in “The Great Divide” series, I offer the following.

It certainly doesn’t surprise me that anyone whose speciality is teaching African-American issues and history, using music and storytelling, is having difficulty finding work in Spokane - or for that matter, in most of the United States. Talk about lack of relevance. Nelson should know that this type of major, if one can call it that, could exist only at certain schools that have a large black population and have the necessary funds to spend on such frivolous subjects.

Nelson should also be aware that the “poor me, I can’t find work because I am black” is wearing thin on much of the population. However, there is a message in her story that can be of use to many now in college.

Students, pick your major wisely, as there are many holders of master’s degrees out here waiting on tables because they chose feel-good courses, rather than pursuing real-world skills that today’s employers are starving for. Michael J. Murphy Hayden Lake, Idaho

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Our manufactured home is toxic

We recently purchased a new, triple-wide manufactured home in the Spokane area. This was a special event for us as we had struggled to develop our rural acreage to accommodate it.

Come move-in day, we got a big, unfortunate surprise. Attached to the kitchen was an “important health notice.” This was our first knowledge of the high emission levels of formaldehyde in this home.

We have researched library materials and consulted every environmentalist specialist in the Yellow Pages, the Spokane Regional Health District, the state attorney general’s office, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Environmental Protection Agency and Washington state’s Department of Health. The information that we’ve received is grim.

The state has no standards for formaldehyde levels in residential dwellings. Many states do set minimum levels. There are also HUD standards for some of the materials used.

Needless to say, we have suffered greatly from the unhealthy atmosphere in our home. Two of the children have asthma. One has had numerous attacks. One adult has basically been ill. These side effects are unacceptable, even without considering long-term effects.

Literature on formaldehyde exposure will open anyone’s eyes to this health risk. In the past, a urea formaldehyde foam insulation was banned because of health complaints. The ban was even overturned, but use of the foam was never revived.

Anyone considering a new manufactured home had better beware of this potentially dangerous health risk. Mickey L. Brostrom Newman Lake

Swimming lessons a valuable service

Recently, it was my pleasure to witness the learn to swim program at Spokane Community College. Many of the children entered the program with fear and trepidation, afraid of the water, the instructors and the environment. In two short weeks, they overcame their fears and joyfully enjoyed the challenges presented to them. Most learned to swim and aquatic safety.

Several swimming programs presented in our area. Most teach discipline and aquatic skills that could save a child’s life or the life of another. My thanks go to these dedicated people who extend their time and skills to the children. Special thanks to Spokane Community College for a job well done.

For the many children who conquered fear and learned valuable skills, it was success before 6. Jay P. Beeler Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Think about changing lawmakers

Rep. Mark Sterk has boldly proclaimed, “I would never legalize drugs.” How noble. How full of deep thought.

I suggest that Sterk and others like him should boldly start thinking. Let us start thinking about those seriously ill people who could benefit greatly from the availability to them of certain illegal drugs. Let us think about our current drug laws and ask what they are really doing for us and what they are not doing.

Let’s think about the wisdom of filling our prisons with people convicted of simple drug possession, and let’s quit letting violent drug offenders out on parole.

Let’s pass Initiative 685 in November, and let’s start electing representatives who are capable of and willing to really think about these difficult issues. Richard E. McInerney Spokane

Tax cut money is taxpayers’ money

I have read enough of Andy Kelly’s letters to the editor to know we speak from opposing sides of the political fence. His most recent criticizes the new tax cuts.

Kelly is bothered by the fact that the top 20 percent of taxpayers will receive 82 percent of the tax cuts. What he doesn’t mention is that the bottom 20 percent of all taxpayers pay only 1 percent of all income taxes. When 20 percent of the people are paying virtually nothing, it’s difficult to give them much back.

However, the budget does manage to even do that to some degree, through the child tax credit, which will give some money to people who do not pay any income taxes. By doing this, the Republicans have virtually agreed to that long-sought liberal dream of a guaranteed annual income.

From Kelly’s viewpoint, the money from the tax cut already belongs to the government for entitlements, and giving it back to the people who earned it is robbing the poor to give to the rich. Not so. This money still belongs to the people who have earned it, and that’s exactly where it should stay.

After all, if the money was given to the poor, it really wouldn’t be a tax cut. It would simply be more welfare, wouldn’t it, Kelly? Hal R. Dixon Spokane

Better Social Security than welfare

Mike Tilford’s Our Generation column, “Unite against Social Security,” Aug. 11, was in poor taste.

Social Security my husband and I pay now goes toward the $400 a month my grandmother and my husband’s grandparents receive. When, heaven forbid, my grandparents are gone, I will gladly continue to pay because it will go to my parents, aunts and uncles, who have worked all their lives so they may retire.

What I do have a problem with, is my taxes going toward welfare for people who get liberal arts degrees instead of learning technical skills. Knowledge from liberal arts programs looks good on “Jeopardy,” but doesn’t do a whole lot for getting a job.

By the way, Tilford, it’s never too soon to start planning for retirement. Shaunna L. Gilbertson Spokane