10/27/09 Letters to the Editor

Pass Proposition 1

To the editor — As voting ballots started being sent out in the mail this month, voters have a crucial decision on our hands that must be made: passing Proposition 1. The “three-tenths tax,” formally known as Proposition 1, will be on the ballot again this year for the first time in nearly six years. In 2004 when Proposition 1 was initially passed, the funding went to keeping and placing more police officers out in our community, giving officers the right safety and vehicle equipment they needed, as well as buying new police patrol vehicles.

Many small city and county agencies have come to rely on the three-tenths tax revenue as a main source of income for their departments. Smaller cities like Grandview rely heavily on the three-tenths tax to fulfill 20 percent of their budget, equivalent to $200,000. Other cities like Toppenish used Proposition 1 funding to hire and retain three new officers. In a city staffed with 17 officers, adding three is a significant boost in safety for their community. For larger cities like Yakima, the money goes to support five patrol officers, one detective, three vehicles and a forensic lab manager.

In today’s times, officers and deputies all over Yakima County are seeing the increase in violent crimes, assaults and gang violence. Gang violence has been a major factor as well as an added workload for officers and deputies all over the Valley. This problem is not going to be resolved any time soon, and a rejection of Proposition 1 will only contribute to this growing problem.

We, as citizens of the Yakima Valley, face a major decision come this November. Our safety should not be compromised on this issue, and keeping uniformed personnel and public safety officials should be of our utmost concern. Keeping 74 officers and deputies on the road, 22 county-wide positions filled, 43 vehicles occupied,  and a total funding of $7.8 million for our county’s criminal justice system needs to happen again this year. The choice is yours. This isn’t a new tax, it’s been in existence for almost six years. On average, a normal tax-paying citizen only pays a mere $36 a year to this fund, and the question is: Is it worth it?

JOEL PANATTONI

Yakima

Say no to hate and fear

To the editor -- Rallying outside the John Birch Society/Tea Party, I was reminded of the Rodgers and Hammerstein song, "You've Got To Be Carefully Taught." I do not understand how these folks, who call themselves Christians, can spew so much hate. Fear and ignorance are the only reasons I can think of that otherwise rational people would object to Referendum 71.

The students who rallied impressed me with the wit and wisdom of their signs. "Will work for equal rights," and "God loves everyone." They understand the Constitution was designed to protect everyone's rights, and God's love is unconditional.

"This bill would expand the rights, responsibilities, and obligations accorded state-registered same-sex and senior domestic partners to be equivalent to those of married spouses, except that a domestic partnership is not a marriage."

Remember the song from "South Pacific," which begins, "You've got to be taught to hate and fear."

Please vote to approve Referendum 71.

MARY MILAM

Yakima

Retain Bill Lover

To the editor -- Given the Yakima Herald-Republic's liberal tendencies, I was not surprised to see your endorsement of Ben Soria over Bill Lover for Yakima City Council.

You are chastising Lover for accepting money from the Republican Party. But you fail to mention that Soria has accepted money from groups closely aligned with the Democratic Party, groups like the Teamsters and the firefighters union. Is this an editorial board double standard?

Bill Lover has been a breath of fresh air on the Yakima City Council. He is a fiscal conservative who watches the dollars just like all of us have to do at home. He knows there are priorities that need to be funded first and, if we have money left over, we'll find worthwhile ways to spend it. If we don't have any money left over, we don't go into debt.

Bill Lover doesn't automatically say no, as you implied in your endorsement. He weighs each situation and makes a decision based on its merits.

If you believe in being fiscally conservative and if you want a watchdog over your government spending, I urge you to retain Bill Lover on the Yakima City Council.

RON KING

Yakima

Thanks from the Nile

To the editor -- I am writing a letter of many thank yous to the Sheriff's Office, Selland Construction and all who are involved in getting our road fixed and kept open here on the Nile. No one can get the full impact of what has happened or what you see from watching the news. Driving by the homes and property of the people here who have lost their homes is very heartbreaking.

Again, I thank everyone who is doing their part to make the Nile safe again.

SABRINA POWELL

Naches

Promises, promises

To the editor -- I promise to get all A's this quarter. Does that mean I can get on the Dean's List now?

It worked for President Obama and his Nobel Peace Prize. Why not for me?

MALLORY THAYER

Wapato

Don't gut education

To the editor -- This year's ballot contains Initiative 1033, which would establish new limits on the growth in Washington's general fund revenues. Currently, 41 percent of those general fund revenues are allocated to K-12 education. Based on the Office of Financial Management's projections, passage of I-1033 would reduce state revenue an estimated $5.9 billion by 2015. If the K-12 education funding remains at 41 percent, passage could translate into a $2.4 billion reduction in K-12 funds.

There have been very serious cuts to K-12 funding adopted in the 2009-2011 state budget. I-1033 would prevent the state from making investments and essentially gut the basic education reform bill that was signed only last year; furthermore, it would undermine the state's effort to fully fund K-12 education statewide.

A major funding loss now would have an extremely negative impact on K-12 programs that are critical to student success. If this initiative is passed, our school districts in the Educational Service District 105 region could potentially lose $16.7 million in 2011 and more each year thereafter. This huge loss would be financially catastrophic to all our school districts. I encourage you to read more about I-1033 at ofm.wa.gov.

STEVE MYERS

Toppenish

Watch Fox News

To the editor -- I just read the Oct. 1 letter from Ron Kruger, about just being proud Americans, not hyphenated Americans. Wow, wouldn't that be a great start at bringing all Americans together, instead of keeping us in different ethnic groups. Maybe a great place to start would be the media, television, newspapers and so on.

If your mainstream media news channel is not telling you about President Obama's top adviser, Valerie Jarrett, you need to watch Fox News Channel and learn about this lady. All Americans should be aware of her and research her background and who she has been associated with and who she is now associated with. I hope you watched Megyn Kelly on Fox News on the Acorn report "The Truth About Acorn." Wow, what a corrupt organization, and we the taxpayers funded a lot of it. Thanks a lot, Congress.

DAVID WELCH

Yakima

Gawlik the right man

To the editor -- Selah is growing and desperately needs new and improved leadership. Poor decisions have been made, resulting in negative impacts on the community. A self-serving "good ol' boy" network continues to operate behind the scenes. This has hurt the community and it is time to bring this to an end.

Selah voters have an opportunity to help move us in a new and improved direction. A vote for John Gawlik would help facilitate this move. We need council members who will not be intimidated, coerced or otherwise influenced by select individuals. Council members must understand the law and research issues until they're satisfied they have all the facts and information before taking a vote! Decisions must be based on logic, the law and a keen sense of responsibility to the community as a whole.

I sincerely hope voters will join me in casting their vote for John Gawlik. He has the knowledge, ethical standards, independent thought process and inner strength it will take to work toward a better future for Selah.

KATHLEEN FOUNTAINE

Selah

Lover has his vote

To the editor -- During the KIMA-TV City Council candidate debate, Bill Lover said no to an additional $20 city tax on car tabs. His opponent, Ben Soria, said that's why he's running against Lover, he says no to everything, and he (Soria) believes we should consider the tax.

This statement comes from a person who's 2007-2008 school year compensation, according to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, was $253,309. That's an unbelievable $75,000 more than his 2003-2004 salary and more than our governor receives in compensation now, all in an economic downturn.

I have trouble believing that Mr. Soria would consider the taxpayer concerns when voting on spending matters. We certainly don't need another tax-and-spend liberal in office during a difficult economic time. Bill Lover is one of us. Vote for Bill Lover.

JOE TANASSE

Yakima

The time change

To the editor -- On Sunday we will have to adjust our clocks, setting them back an hour. There has been talk before of leaving the time alone and subsequently not having to set them ahead in the spring. A good idea?

MARK STRUIKSMA

Yakima