Letters for Oct. 20, 2024
Trump not good for Eastern Washington
In recent days, former President Donald Trump has vowed to deny aid to California in the event of wildfires should he become president again. This is nothing new. He also threatened the same in 2018 while he was president in the aftermath of the Camp fire in California. People of Eastern Washington know that this is not an idle threat. He actually sat on a declaration of aid for the devastating fires that destroyed Malden and Pine City, Washington, in September 2020 all because of his personal hatred of our governor, Jay Inslee. Despite the bootlicking of Cathy McMorris Rodgers (see Spokesman-Review article of Jan. 16, 2021), Trump blocked the residents of these two small towns from beginning to get help to rebuild their towns and their lives.
How can anyone vote for such a petty man who puts his personal feelings far above any empathy and the ability to send the necessary assistance of the federal government to aid his fellow citizens. Within three weeks of taking office, President Joe Biden acted on the requests to approve the disaster declaration for Babb Road fire in order to give these small towns a chance to access the money that was needed to rebuild.
Please consider the fact that actions of overpowering revenge are not a good look for a president. Trump was not then and is not now right for Eastern Washington or the United States. Nor is Michael Baumgartner, who would continue McMorris Rodgers’ sycophantic ways.
Becca Gilman
Spokane
Baumgartner and his Christian values
I noted a Jesuit mission in the bio of Michael Baumgartner that ran in recent issue of the Spokesman-Review, as well as his stated support of Donald Trump. It leaves me wondering how he balances his deep-seated Christian values with Trump’s blatant (perhaps proud) misogyny, racism, xenophobia and greed. Does Baumgartner not feel unclean in his support? I remain in wonder of how a seemingly principled candidate reconciles such diametrically opposed beliefs and behaviors.
Bob Schatz
Spokane
Reichert for governor
Now gubernatorial candidate Bob Ferguson expects us to believe that he wants to reduce crime and increase the number of law enforcement officers in Washington. His past record demonstrates these assertions are nothing more than pandering to voters who support our police and are concerned about crime.
His record shows that his “newfound concerns” are pure politics. It is reported that he failed to stand up for officers who were physically assaulted by rioters and refused to condemn the extreme violence directed against Seattle police during the “summer of love” riots. He supported legislation that severely restricted police pursuits – fortunately much of which has now been reversed.
Ferguson has been busy filing lawsuits against the Trump Administration and has continually demonstrated his history of placing partisan politics ahead of public safety. He supports the “sanctuary city/state” restrictions that prohibit law enforcement from working with immigration authorities resulting in the release of undocumented aliens with serious criminal records. As a result, local jails and state prisons are prohibited from complying with immigration holds and these criminals go free.
He has further harmed public safety by urging legislators to legalize many drugs causing harm to our communities and increasing crime rates. He has continually urged legislation to restrict gun rights and abolish the death penalty.
We don’t need a hyper-partisan activist as our governor. We need a governor who has a proven track record of putting public safety ahead of politics. We need Dave Reichert as our next governor.
Jim McDevitt
Spokane
Ferguson’s questionable motivations
We have seen a lot of Bob Ferguson this year as he runs for governor. Ferguson has also grabbed a lot of headlines for his opposition to the Kroger/Albertson merger.
However you feel about the merger, Ferguson has seized this opportunity to get a lot of attention for himself by opposing this merger. But why is he opposing the merger? The Federal Trade Commission (the federal government) is also opposing the merger in federal court. That case will supersede anything that Ferguson does.
Also, Ferguson’s case is not free. It’s been reported that of as of a few months ago he’d spent $6 million and $400,000 per month of taxpayer money on legal fees for this case. Also concerning, there’s a Los Angeles based law firm who is billing the state of Washington $1,100 per hour, according to Reuters.
Most troubling is that the judge in Ferguson’s case has expressed doubts about his ability to impact a national merger, according to the Seattle Times.
So, Ferguson is running a legal effort at taxpayer expense that has gotten his name splashed in headlines across the state in a case that will have no impact on the actual case? All while he’s also running for governor.
Why aren’t more people talking about this? It seems fair to me to be skeptical about his motivations, and there should be a lot more questions being asked.
Carolyn Williams
Spokane
Superior Court desperately needs change
The Spokane Superior Court Efficiency Report exposes significant shortcomings in our judiciary’s administration of justice. While the report recommends Spokane adopt best practices from other counties, incumbent judges seeking re-election appear resistant to introspection and change.
In family law cases, some judges seem to prioritize appeasing aggressive attorneys over the interests of taxpayers, children and parents. Lawyers clog the system with frivolous motions, exploiting judicial practices that inadvertently reward such behavior. This inefficiency benefits attorneys while disadvantaging everyone else.
Studies show fathers receive only 23.8% custody in contested divorces statewide despite well-documented negative impacts of fatherlessness on children. Shockingly, Spokane’s Superior Court – in the first city to celebrate Father’s Day – appears indifferent to research and reforms affecting our youth.
Candidates Andrew Van Winkle and Brandon Casey have proposed reforms to address these issues. However, current judges often respond defensively to questions about potential improvements.
As a mother, stepmother and as a woman who works with children in the system and who has attended numerous family law hearings and judicial candidate forums, I’ve witnessed these problems firsthand. The choice in this election is clear: vote for Van Winkle and Casey to bring much-needed change to our Superior Court system.
Spokane deserves a judiciary that prioritizes efficiency, fairness and the well-being of families and children. It’s time for a change that puts justice first.
Melissa Mitchell
Spokane Valley
More context for judicial elections
Judicial candidate Brandon Casey runs a TV commercial alleging a Superior Court backlog and implying that it is the fault of the court. He proclaims, “I’m committed to hearing cases in a timely manner.” So is every judge. The problem is far more complicated.
A 2020 analysis from the Administrative Office of the Courts reported Spokane County should have 24 full-time judicial officers (and the need has grown since then). Today, there are only 21. The court is understaffed.
There are 21 judicial officers but only 19 courtrooms. So not every judicial officer can be on the bench at the same time.
Criminal cases may be delayed because the prosecutor’s and public defender’s offices are both having a difficult time filling all their attorney positions.
Even with enough judges, courtrooms and lawyers, more hearings would require more court staff and clerks. Funding judicial positions, courtrooms, attorneys and staff is up to the county commissioners, not the judges.
Judge Marla Polin, an experienced, competent Spokane County judge who has been rated “exceptionally well qualified” by the Spokane County Bar Association, is aware of and understands all these issues. She deals with them daily. The citizens of Spokane County are better served by a judge who is familiar with and working to solve these issues than someone who clearly has a lot to learn. Vote to re-elect Judge Marla Polin, Spokane County Superior Court, Department 8.
Ellen Kalama Clark
Spokane
You have choices
This election has many choices, but one state legislative race should stand out. The 6th District currently has Mike Volz. He is well financed, but his votes are questionable. Imagine his constituents saying it is OK to vote “no” for a hate crime hotline, or opposing rent increases control, or reporting stolen guns within 24 hours, or electric school buses? There were some “yes” votes, but were they good? Reducing state seizure of child support? Gee, wonder who pays for the kids created then. You have a choice. Check the record on www.Votesmart.org or other reputable search sites. It will amaze you.
Cathy Gunderson
Spokane
Vote for I-2124 to opt out of WA Cares
Workers deserve the right to opt out of a long-term care insurance program that is not what it’s cracked up to be. Let me explain why.
Long-term care services (LTC) support people with chronic illness or disability who need help with daily living activities, like eating, dressing and toileting. The 2024 Genworth Cost of Care Survey shows:
• Seventy percent of all persons aged 65 and older will need LTC in their lifetimes. On average, men will need them for 2.5 years and women for 3.6 years. That said, 64% of the women who need them will need them for more than 5 years.
• You can receive LTC in various settings for various costs. For example, in Spokane, you might receive home health services 44 hours per week for $88,374 per year. You might receive LTC in an assisted living facility for $76,490 per year. Or you might receive LTC in a nursing home for $152,448 per year. So, the average man might pay $381,120 for nursing home care and the average woman might pay $548,813.
With a maximum lifetime benefit of $36,500, WA Cares is NOT long-term care insurance, not by any stretch of your imagination or mine. Ads praising it as such are highly misleading. Importantly, they may cause workers to wrongly believe that their LTC risk is covered and fail to take the steps that would actually help them manage it.
Vote “yes” on Initiative 2124 long-term care opt-out.
Greer Gibson Bacon
Spokane
WA Cares portability a win for border communities
At Aging & Long-Term Care of Eastern Washington, we help families navigate the challenges of accessing long-term care. The WA Cares Fund, our state’s new long-term care insurance program, is crucial as our population ages. This year, the legislature enhanced WA Cares by making benefits portable, allowing workers who leave Washington to continue using their benefits. This change is vital for those in Spokane and other border areas, offering peace of mind to those who work in Washington but may live elsewhere.
WA Cares is designed to help the 70% of us who will need long-term care. It supports staying at home longer by covering costs for caregivers, home modifications, transportation, and assistive technology. It can also be used for assisted living or nursing home care. Without this program, long-term care expenses often fall on family members, leading to significant financial strain.
WA Cares offers a flexible, essential solution for Washington workers, providing stability and support for families in our community and beyond.
Lynn Kimball
Spokane
League of Women Voters provides translations
The Spokesman-Review’s coverage of election information on issues, candidates, voting history and processes is greatly appreciated. For 104 years, the nonpartisan League of Women Voters has similarly dedicated its organizational strength and resources to empowering voters and defending democracy.
For the 2024 general election, the Spokane League is finishing a special project supporting the newest voters in our region – naturalized citizens whose first language is not English.
The state and county do not provide translations of election materials in languages spoken by relatively small numbers of residents, so in 2020 and again in 2024 a committee of League members has raised funds to pay for translations of election and voter education materials into nine languages: Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian, Arabic, Vietnamese, Chinese, Dari, Swahili and Kinyarwanda.
Additionally, our members are working with several community organizations that support Spokane’s immigrant and refugee community by conducting workshops to inform new citizens about how elections work in Washington state. Part of this outreach involved partnering with graphic arts students at Eastern Washington University to produce pictorial flyers, zines and videos depicting what one does when a ballot arrives in the mail.
We also are honored to acknowledge another partner, Spokane County’s Elections Office, which has linked to all the translated ballots recently posted on LWVSA’s website. We invite the public to share this information with anyone who might find it helpful. The link is my.lwv.org/washington/spokane-area/translated-resources.
Elaine Harger
Spokane Valley
Which jobs?
So, Boeing will shed jobs because financial loses driven by poor executive decisions. How many of those jobs will be in the executive suite? How many salaries in that suite will be cut? I’m guessing zero and none. More evidence of the conservative coordinated effort to socialize risk and privatize reward.
David Teich
Spokane Valley
Recent downtown crime
I recently read about Spokane’s plan to tackle downtown crime, focusing heavily on homelessness. While homelessness is a serious issue, I believe the plan should also address open drug use among housed residents. As someone who has lived downtown for 15 years, I’ve spent the last two years battling the Spokane Housing Authority over public marijuana use near their buildings, which violates Washington state law. Despite distributing reminders, SHA has failed to enforce these rules.
I’ve contacted Spokane Regional Health District and code enforcement but discovered that marijuana use isn’t subject to the same restrictions as tobacco smoking near buildings. Even the police don’t enforce public marijuana use, which creates an atmosphere where anything seems allowed. This not only affects residents but also visitors and children in public spaces.
It’s not just the unhoused causing problems. Many housed individuals, including SHA residents, contribute to issues like car prowling and property damage. Unfortunately, these crimes often go unreported because people don’t believe anything will change.
I hope that as Spokane works to address open drug use, it doesn’t overlook marijuana or the broader problem of crime coming from both housed and unhoused individuals downtown.
Mark McGee
Spokane
Kudos to the Spokane Valley Library
Kudos to the Spokane Valley Library for developing a meadow with at least 15 species of native plants. The meadow has provided me moments of delight since I discovered it this past summer. As we enter the last days of warm weather this October, sunflowers and other blooming plants, as well as butterflies and birds, are still brightening my visits.
The meadow expands natural habitat at a time when private developers and homeowners are eliminating natural areas in Spokane Valley and beyond at an alarming rate. I encourage the city to initiate more native plants projects in public spaces including the city hall, around fire houses, and in parks that are primarily set aside for athletics.
I also encourage private homeowners to expand habitat by devoting a portion of their properties to native plantings. Throughout North America, nature loving landowners are eliminating sections of their manicured lawns in favor of native plantings that are more in tune with the climate and the natural world.
Spokane area public and private managers and landowners who follow the library’s lead by planting and maintaining native species will help expand and preserve the natural attributes of the Inland Northwest.
Mike McCormick
Spokane Valley