Letters for Oct. 22, 2024

One way to vote on Nov. 5 initiatives

Your Nov. 5 ballot contains several measures. Regarding the four initiatives, vote “yes” if you believe that too much emphasis is placed on balancing budgets by raising taxes and fees rather than prioritizing expenditures and cutting waste. Vote “yes.” Pay less!

However, consider a “no” vote on the city of Spokane’s Proposition 1, sales tax increase. We need improved public safety, but this proposition has too many flaws. First, no “sunset clause” so the tax could last until the Spokane City Council decided it should be repealed. Second, it gives the city too much power in using the funds. It’s supposedly for “community safety,” but then only provides suggestions–no requirements. Third, there is no mention of using the funds to enforce our current public safety laws.

The city is doing all it can to convince us that they are finally serious about enforcement with the new “Crisis Outreach, Response and Engagement (CORE) plan, a 30-day pilot program that includes law enforcement, alternative response and outreach to find effective crime reduction solutions.” (Spokesman-Review) and the Spokane City Council passed Ordinance 36591 to address the flaws in the current Proposition 1 ballot measure. But once the election is over, there is nothing to prevent the city from rescinding CORE and the Council from reverting to their currently failed public safety policies. Read the County’s Voters’ Pamphlet, page 13, for the full statement “against.” The city needs to try again and commit to a comprehensive plan not this ineffective ballot measure.

Gretchen McDevitt

Spokane

Stop this climate change rip-off

Please vote for Initiative 2117. The carbon tax the Washington state Legislature slipped into law without our input is a cash cow!

This is just another gas tax on top of our very high gas tax we are paying. Do you want our state to tax you on something we will never see or use? Do you want to pay at least $1 a gallon more than what people in most states pay? This is why we petitioned to get this placed on the ballot.

It’s time we stop this climate change rip-off. Vote “yes” for I-2117.

Joe Machala

Kettle Falls, Washington

Prices will rise in years to come, vote ‘no’

Thanks for covering the debate over Initiative 2117, the horrible proposal to repeal the Washington Climate Commitment Act, with no plan to replace its $5.4 billion in state tax revenue.

You could have mentioned that this boneheaded initiative is merely one of four bankrolled by the same hedge fund manager who moved in from Los Angeles. His Initiative 2066 is equally bad, forever locking the state into climate-killing fossil gas and outlawing local programs to gradually replace it with clean, money-saving, electric heat pumps.

Both the Climate Commitment Act and local pollution-reduction programs are too important to throw away.

Climate change carries costs. Thanks to the climate mess, home insurance is skyrocketing in Washington, rising by 16% last year and 12% this year according to the Seattle Times. In hard-hit states like Florida and California, home insurance is now hard to find at all. Climate chaos is driving up prices of homes, food, transportation and much else – while today’s children will bear far higher costs in years to come.

Washington is making great progress in reducing costly carbon pollution. Let’s keep the ball rolling and vote “no” on I-2117 and I-2066!

David Camp

Spokane

Vote ‘yes’

In recent letters to the editor, we have seen many voicing reasons to vote against initiatives because they reduce the amount of money the government collects. What is wrong with that? Where is the righteousness in government taking more of anyone’s money?

In reality the more money the government collects the stronger and more intrusive it becomes.

Many of us look at government as the largest threat to our liberties there is in America. Ever notice how almost every Democrat “solution” to a perceived problem is to raise taxes and limit “We the People”? Why do you think that is? Do you think they actually have our best interests in mind or are they just seeking more and more power?

Just look at how the different governors – Republican and Democrat –acted during the COVID years. Which party sought to lock us all down and which believed we could make our own decisions? Which party seems more likely to jump at the chance to reduce freedom and take power?

Vote “yes” on all Washington initiatives please.

Rob Leach

Mica

Washington needs a governor who gets it

Washington needs a governor who recognizes the behavioral health problems impacting all our families, especially our children, and has concrete and workable plans to solve them. Bob Ferguson has identified behavioral health as a priority in his bid for governor and has a comprehensive plan that will provide support and resources to those that need them. This includes expanding and supporting crisis facilities, increasing access to mental health support in schools and colleges, and appointing a mental health director to oversee and coordinate Washington’s behavioral health system.

These crisis facilities and mental health support at school are sorely needed by our children and youth. It is no secret that many of our kids are struggling with anxiety and depression. Despite efforts by our schools, too many students are still targets of bullying. Black and Brown youth, neurodiverse students, children with disabilities that are visible or invisible, and LGBTQ youth are especially in need of the support included in Bob’s plan.

I believe Bob will follow through on these commitments because as our attorney general, he took Big Pharma to court and won more than $1.2 billion for Washington communities. Those dollars helped to address the opioid crisis, develop a crisis hotline for Washington youth, and supported additional mental health support for law enforcement and first responders. This is the leadership in behavioral health that we need from our governor and that is why I am voting for Bob Ferguson in November.

Mary Lou Johnson

Spokane

Vote Reichert on Nov. 5

Can anyone explain why Attorney General Bob Ferguson is wasting taxpayer money suing to stop the Kroger/Albertsons merger? According to the Seattle Times, as of July he’d spent $6 million and $400,000 per month of taxpayer money on legal fees for this case. And a Los Angeles -based law firm is billing the state of Washington $1,100 per hour!

All for what? The Federal Trade Commission (the federal government) already has an existing case opposing the merger. Further, the judge in Ferguson’s case said he was unclear about his ability to impact a national merger.

So why is Ferguson doing it?

The simple answer is that he is running for governor. This case has gotten him a lot of headlines benefiting his campaign. From Seattle to Vancouver to Spokane, this case has been a net-benefit for Ferguson – all at your expense.

This only serves to demonstrate we need new leadership in the governor’s office. Dave Reichert deserves serious consideration for governor from every voter. If for no other reason, because he’s pledged fiscal responsibility and transparency in his administration.

Public safety and crime are vital issues that Ferguson could have dealt with, but he’s been too busy wasting taxpayer dollars on his self-serving efforts.

Come Nov. 5, consider supporting Dave Reichert.

Kelly Lotze

Spokane

Wilson’s ‘creative stunt’

The Oct. 16 Spokesman-Review covered a story about political graffiti being painted throughout downtown and Riverfront Park. The message links to a website run by Jim Wilson’s campaign for Washington state District 3 senator. When asked, Wilson comments that it was merely a “creative” stunt to approach several campaign issues. He certainly got this taxpayer’s attention but not in the fashion that he most likely wanted to achieve. Then Wilson goes on to say that the staff time that it took to clean off his messages “didn’t cost this city any money” and “they wash this off of their normal course of duties.” If he truly believes that then I suggest that the city send him an accounting of and an invoice for the work done. As for this citizen’s vote, I shall not be wasting it on a politician that disrespects the law and is such a shallow thinker when it comes to spending public funds.

Jack Reber

Spokane

No good reason to vote Baumgartner

Michael Baumgartner wants to be a congressman. He says that he supports Donald Trump. He also says that he wants his party (Republican) to be a party of ideas, not people, and says that he thinks that’s where the party has been.

I have seen no evidence to support that belief. His party has not produced an original idea since Mitt Romney had the idea, which eventually became the Affordable Care Act, which his own party has tried to kill on numerous occasions. It has not repudiated the lies that Trump put forward about how he really won the elections of 2020, about foreign countries sending their murderous criminals to the United States, and that immigrants were eating people’s pets. Neither Baumgartner nor the Republican Party has given me a good reason to vote for him, but it has given me good reasons to vote for Carmela Conroy.

Michael O’Dea

Spokane