Letters for Nov. 10, 2024

Should I hold my breath?

Since I live outside of the official city limits, I believe I can make an unbiased and completely reasonable suggestion for the mayor and City Council members who have voted in favor of setting up “satellite” homeless shelters around the city of Spokane. Let’s set up the first of the “shelters” in their individual neighborhoods. On their residential blocks. Show the voters that they are willing to have these shelters on their streets. It would be a great “public relations” success story, right? And what’s the old adage? “Put your money where your mouth is.”

Should I hold my breath waiting for that to happen?

Bill Kirchner

Nine Mile Falls

Madsen’s absence hurts newspaper

I agree with Ken Campbell’s Nov. 6 letter (“Losing Madsen seems troubling”). I am disappointed in the absence of Sue Lani Madsen from The S-R editorial page. She was an island of common sense amongst the liberal columns and cartoons that usually fill that page. I was never disappointed in her common-sense conservative editorials that were always useful in knowing a subject. Now that the public has expressed its rejection of left-wing policies in Tuesday’s election, you might review your content selections that disgusts half of your potential subscribers, and the negative financial effect on The Spokesman and its owners.

Paul Kennedy

Spokane

They erode my belief in government

Generally, I trust the government. But recent experiences with both the city and county of Spokane have eroded that trust.

I work in the city. Near work, there is a large hole (about 4 feet wide by 4 feet long by 6 feet deep) that contains a water pipe. My neighbor told me that city workers dug the hole, then placed plywood over it.

Because the hole presents a danger, I filed a city code enforcement complaint in August . Yesterday, I received an email saying, “(t)he complaint was either resolved, assigned to another work group, or there was no violation found at the time of the inspection.” There was no further explanation, and the plywood-covered hole remains.

I live in the county. My neighbor rents to RVers who live on her property with no sewage or water hookups. My neighbors and I have filed complaints because county code prohibits people from living in RVs for more than 30 days if the RV is not in an RV park. However, despite our complaints, I am unaware of any action the county took to enforce the code, and the people continue to live in the RV.

What is the point of having government codes and regulations when they are not enforced? Why don’t I get an explanation of what steps the government has taken to address my complaints? Nothing erodes my belief in government like failing to enforce the law and lack of transparency about the outcome.

Margo Buckles

Cheney

Let’s step back from abyss

I first learned about negative election advertising in 2004 on the golf course. The pro shop had added a single to our group of three and as is the custom there was an exchange of “what do you do” and it turned out that the single was involved in an organization that was active in Washington State politics and he told us that if Dino Rossi got close to Christine Gregoire, they were going put money in the campaign and go negative. I asked, “Why negative?” and he said it was more efficient, you got more bang for your buck with negative ads than positive for your candidate.

Flash forward to today. Something about $13 billion was spent on our just completed elections nationally and most of it was negative. Incredible amounts of money spent that make enemies of our friends, families, co-workers and neighbors.

We need to pull away from the abyss and put some guardrails on our elections before it gets even worse next election.

Larry Medin

Spokane

Embrace hopeful thoughts

At the Barrister Winery on Wednesday, the band Spare Parts closed with this Youngbloods song. “Love is but a song we sing – Fear’s the way we die – You can make the mountains ring – Or make the angels cry – Though the bird is on the wing – And you may not know why … Come on, people now – Smile on your brother – Everybody get together – Try to love one another right now!”

In the middle of the song, more than 50 people who were originally scattered all over the dance floor spontaneously were in a huge circle joining hands and singing along to each other. It was a very special moment the day after the election. And I’m guessing they were of many political persuasions, but no one went there. It’s one of the main things we can do at this point. We have to love one another right now.

Claudia Craven

Spokane