Letters for Oct. 29, 2024
It is time for Al to retire
While essential municipal functions are basically nonpartisan in nature, Al French appears desperate to cling to power, now in his third decade on the public payroll. He persists in pushing the “them vs. us” narrative by trying to brand his challenger with labels. Frankly, people are tired of it. They just want things to get done.
Snowplowing, responding to 911 calls, building streets and roads, planning for disaster responses and the like are done in the name of public safety and quality of life. In other words, doing what is best for the community, not special interests.
Molly Marshall’s 30-year military career was based on service to her country, not the acquisition of power. She does not see solutions to local issues as right and left but as right and wrong. She has no desire to build and cling to power but to collaborate to address the challenges of a rapidly growing community. She has shown that she has what it takes based on her military achievements and her community leadership and commitment. It is time for Al to retire.
Phyllis Holmes
Spokane
A creepy cast of characters
Why would anybody be interested in putting Lisa Brown’s puppet in the person of Molly Marshall on the Spokane County commission?
The fact that Ms. Marshall “did not feel comfortable commenting on French’s remarks or the complaints until she was able to review them herself,” (“French accuses opposition of violating campaign finance law in flurry of filings,” Oct. 24) speaks volumes regarding her credibility and/or competence.
Another piece of work is this Marler character, the Spokane firefighters union head, who’s under the impression that “union-owned uniforms” aren’t paid for from dues emanating from the taxpayer trough, which from the cyclical caterwauling we’re consistently subjected to, is constantly in need of more “resources.”
The fact that all involved were careful to be on the “sidewalks in front of the stations” to avoid chastisement by the PDC is either an amazingly lucky coincidence or, more likely, proof of guilty consciences.
The other not-so-slick move of sidestepping contribution limits by instigating a bogus recall during the election is yet another testament to the moral compasses or, lack thereof, of this creepy cast of characters.
One can only shake one’s head and lather up plenty of soap to shed the slime.
William Baxley
Spokane
She has found common ground
I have been excited to vote for Karen Matthee for House Seat 1A since I heard her effective responses at the candidate’s forum. Karen says she supports Proposition 1 (The Open Primaries Initiative) because she believes it requires candidates to be accountable to a broad spectrum of voters. It will make her a more responsive legislator. That is a big reason I am voting for Karen Matthee for House Seat 1A.
We need candidates who support free and fair elections, who want to give everyone a voice. The Open Primary would give a voice to thousands of independent voters here in Idaho, many of whom are veterans and active-duty service men and women.
Karen has knocked on the doors of almost 1,500 unaffiliated and Republican voters. She has found common ground with most of them. She’s doing the hard work to really understand the concerns of a broad range of folks here in our district in North Idaho. I have no doubt that she will put that knowledge into action to benefit us all when she goes to Boise.
Carol Holmes
Sandpoint
A legislator who is willing to make hard votes
Mark Sauter says he supported women’s health during his time in Boise. Mark did – kinda – the easy votes. Six months of birth control pills and renewing the “new” Maternal Mortality Review Committee, though this committee has uncertain funding. What he didn’t do was the hard work, overturning dangerous abortion laws. In the two years he was there, no bills were ever introduced.
Sandpoint didn’t just lose our obstetricians and delivery services; we lost specialists women can consult for a complicated gynecologic diagnosis. This has added miles and hours to women accessing critical health care.
Idaho women’s reproductive rights are hard work; work that requires reaching across the aisle and taking unpopular positions. Polling in Idaho shows 89% of voters support the right to medical and sexual privacy. This sounds like representing constituents, not a hard vote.
Karen Matthee can make difficult decisions on laws that are dangerous for women. Abortion laws in Idaho have forever created maternity care deserts. I want a legislator who is willing to make hard votes and take a stand for what has been taken from women, our constitutional right to life and health. Karen Matthee has my vote.
Cynthia Dalsing
Sandpoint
Parker is well-informed, unlike others
Julia Parker is running against Dan Foreman for the District 6 senator seat, a race that all voters regardless of party affiliation should be keenly aware of, especially after Foreman at a recent candidate forum embarrassingly made national news by telling a candidate in another race, who is a member of the Nez Perce Tribe, to go back to where she came from. This immature and ill-informed response is indicative of the kind of leadership he has displayed as a senator representing our district.
District 6 has a clear choice to elect Julia Parker who has already shown maturity and sound decision-making, as a mother, as a nurse specializing in elder care and as an elected official on the Moscow City Council. She is well-informed about a multitude of issues our district faces and as our senator, will represent the majority of her constituents.
Karen Jennings
Moscow, Idaho
Judges must maintain actual and perceived impartiality
The integrity of our judicial system demands that Superior Court Judges maintain both actual and perceived impartiality. To that end, judges should either recuse themselves from cases involving campaign contributors or decline to accept such contributions and endorsements at all.
An examination of campaign finance disclosures in Superior Court races reveals concerning patterns. The incumbents’ list of contributors is like a “who’s who” of divorce attorneys in Spokane. Judge Polin’s appointment as presiding family law judge, despite limited experience in this practice area, came just in time for her re-election campaign. Local divorce attorneys clearly took note and have supported her campaign in a big way. It is not surprising that family law attorneys would prefer to conduct business as usual while gaining favor with the judges they need to persuade in court. Absurdly long and expensive family law litigation is in their financial interests. Publicly available data illustrates just how often family law matters are drawn out in Spokane.
Much has been said about the dysfunction in Spokane County Superior Court this election season. Now more than ever, the court should be cognizant of conflicts of interest and address them in a manner that restores some confidence in the system. I have followed the judicial races closely and nothing I’ve seen suggests the incumbents are even aware of many of the problems; much less concerned enough to consider changes. That is why I will be voting for Andrew Van Winkle and Brandon Casey.
Wade Schertenleib
Spokane
Vote yes, so rich can pay less
“Vote yes, pay less,” the Initiative No. 2117 sign reads. Catchy, but is it true? I-2117, we’re told, will benefit low-income working people by cutting costs, including gasoline and energy. A look at the other three initiatives may shed light on this claim. All four were put on the ballot by the same political committee: Let’s Go Washington, founded by millionaire hedge-funder Brian Heywood. If I-2117 is designed to save low-earners money, the other three measures should reflect or at least not conflict with this purpose.
How I-2066’s repeal of laws discouraging natural gas use and/or promoting electrification would impact low-income people isn’t clear. However, U.S. natural gas prices are likely to rise while electricity remains comparatively cheap in our state.
I-2124 would reduce funding for our public insurance program covering long-term care. For low-income seniors, then, affordable long-term care may become a thing of the past. I-2109 would decrease funding for early learning and child care, among other things. Where does that leave working families with young children? Moreover, it would repeal a certain excise tax for individuals with annual capital gains above $250,000. Who’s saving money here?
No, a consistent pro-working-people stance doesn’t come through in these four initiatives. This calls into question the claim being made about 2117. Let’s be wary of believing that sign. “Vote yes, so I can pay less” might be more accurate.
William Engels
Pullman
Our children deserve accurate information
On the night of May 10, 1933, 25,000 books were burned in Nazi Germany, books that Hitler and the Nazis deemed “inappropriate” for their citizens to access. The public schools were then instructed to teach only Nazi propaganda, a curriculum that had no basis in truth or history. Next, college professors, teachers, librarians and anyone else who objected were rounded up, along with millions of Jews and sent off to the concentration camps. Most did not survive. Many of our grandparents volunteered to fight the Nazis, to make sure that the people of Europe could once again institute fair elections and rewrite their history to reflect the painful truth of what had happened. They understood that truth and facts were of the utmost importance going forward. Our grandparents were proud to have served and were proud to uphold our constitution, especially our first amendment rights guaranteeing us a free press and freedom of speech.
Yet, 79 years later in Idaho, Secretary of Public Education Debbie Critchfield has approved an “alternative” K-12 supplemental curriculum for use in our schools. This curriculum, developed by PragerU, contains inaccurate information and falsehoods about Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. In addition, topics on slavery, Indigenous history and genocide are also inaccurate and misleading. Our grandparents would be horrified. I know I am. This curriculum should not be adopted in any Idaho public school, ever. Our children deserve accurate information, verified facts and the truth. Our constitution demands it and so should we.
Heather Stout
Moscow, Idaho