Letters for July 12, 2024
Enforce laws instead of creating more taxes
I read with interest Richard Trerise’s letter (“Find revenue by enforcing the law,” July 7) about enforcing laws for more revenue instead of creating more taxes like, for example, a delivery tax on online purchases. He gave examples of ticketing cars with expired tabs and ticketing cars parked, facing the wrong direction.
I have another idea: How about enforcing the ban on illegal fireworks, which can result in fines up to $500 or more for each violation. This last July 4, our northeast area of town was like a war zone with cherry bombs and other loud fireworks going off until 2 a.m. My poor dog was terrified all day long. So, my point is that there are lots of ways to generate more money instead of creating more taxes, just enforce the laws.
Esther Hildahl
Spokane
We need commissioner to tell truth
After reading the May 27 article “French pitches bold water solution,” I about fell out of my chair.
Since I’ve lived in Spokane, Al French has never had a bold solution to anything that wasn’t in his personal interest. The first time I met him at a meeting of Citizens Action for Latah Valley, he was busy pointing the finger at the city of Spokane for issues he should have addressed during his city councilman years, and now he’s causing further thorny problems as a beleaguered county commissioner. He’s being accused of hiding the fact toxic chemicals were in West Plains water since 2017, denying a grant that would have allowed constituents access to testing their own wells and completely ignoring the poisoned water issue until being outed by the press.
He’s trying to politically pivot by anointing himself as the water savior. Meanwhile, he’s cashing campaign checks from developers, who would benefit from his water scheme, as fast as he can. See for yourself at PDC.WA.gov. It’s time we had a commissioner who cared more about right and wrong than right and left.
Leslie Hope
Spokane
Coeur d’Alene ordinance not enough
If the incident involving the racial slurs against the University of Utah’s women’s basketball team would still not result in charges, the new Coeur d’Alene city ordinance is not enough.
This incident stained our community’s reputation. It has caused our hospitality and tourism industry incalculable loss. It has stained Gonzaga University and the Spokane community’s ability to host future NCAA events.
The new ordinance places the rights of bigots above the rights of our community. The new ordinance is not nearly enough.
Russ VanderWilde
Worley
No justice for scooter rider
While Idaho is saying the First Amendment doesn’t apply to stories about and for the LGBT or racial minority communities, Coeur d’Alene said it was a white nationalist’s free speech privilege to shout racial insults and attacks at visiting basketball players.
Now we have a driver who ran a stop sign and killed a scooter rider who was following the law. Spokane has decided the driver did nothing wrong and will not prosecute. “The driver will be cited, but the investigation found that there was no negligence on the part of the driver, no impairment and no recklessness …” Failed to stop. Failed to check out traffic. Failed to pull safely into the intersection. Yet there’s no negligence or recklessness?
It seems a scooter rider’s life just doesn’t matter to the Spokane Police Department. I guess that’s just not as “cool” as a gas guzzler or a Harley, so why bother prosecuting? Yet some people wonder why there’s so little trust in police and DAs.
David Teich
Spokane Valley