Letters - Feb. 17, 2011

Tipping point

Public Education in Washington State is at the tipping point! Unprecedented retroactive state budget cuts coupled with additional unfunded mandates continue to damage our ability to maintain, let alone continue to improve, the quality of K-12 education.

Like families across the state, school districts are being told to do more with less in this economy. So, like families, school districts have become more resourceful and responsible than ever before. All those involved in our schools have worked hard to insulate our classrooms from past budget concerns, but districts will be pushed to the limit to keep the proposed cuts in Olympia from impacting our students.

Legislators are voting to reduce funding and reduce the number of mandatory education days, while raising K-12 requirements. Education has taken hard hits already. We must communicate with our state legislature that education in Washington needs to be viewed as a wise investment for the future, not an expense to cut.

Some are saying that the education community isn’t being loud enough and that we are being too polite. So, I am asking parents to help us speak up and rally for the cause of public education. Please consider a call, letter, or email to your legislators or to committee members. Tell them that the State Constitution is clear. Our first priority is the classroom. Insist that they dedicate ample funding to public education first.

Brian Becker, Colfax

Worthwhile?

In regards to the “make coffee our state beverage” bill and the controversy over legislators signing on, I believe many of the people involved have missed the point. It is not a bad thing to have our youth involved in the process of government or even creating a bill. I applaud all who work to encourage our youth to be involved citizens. The problem comes when we don’t fully involve them in deciding whether the bill is worthwhile and what it will cost.

Each and every bill which is “dropped” into the hopper in Olympia immediately costs between $3,000 and $4,000 dollars from our state’s coffers. When I was on school board, that amount of money was what you paid the Vo-Ag teacher for his extra hours during the year or your high school basketball coach as a supplement to their teacher’s contract.

If you have 10 bills created and dropped, that means $30,000 to $40,000 is immediately taken away from our state coffers. Another way to say this is for every 10 bad bills; you lose the equivalent of one teacher’s salary. I believe it pays to spend a few more minutes deciding if a bill is worth signing onto. A bill can affect our kids in many different ways.

Art Swannack, Lamont

Speaking out

Over two years ago I told the Whitman County Commissioners that industrial wind turbines are detrimental to the public good.

They would hear none of it. They want the money.

If the county government does get revenues from industrial wind turbines, the county government will grow.

When the wind power industry goes bankrupt, will the county government shrink, or will government raise our taxes?

Keep in mind that when existing hydro power is included in the State’s definition of renewable energy, the value of an industrial wind turbine will plummet. A useless wind turbine will not have a high assessment value.

Hopefully, the fog of ignorance is lifting, and people can start to see wind power for what it is.

Industrial wind power is simply a scheme that allows billionaires to legally steal tens of billions of dollars from the people.

It is a form of oppression; a form of slavery. The money from our labors goes to the billionaires and we get nothing but propaganda in return.

Certainly the people who aid in this theft will be rewarded. The big fish in this little pond of Whitman County will get their lease payments and their tax revenues for as long as the scheme stays afloat.

But we the people will be robbed. Robbed in the form of higher electric bills; higher state and federal taxes; and for those who live near the turbines, our property values will be stolen.

The reasons why this crime is tolerated are: greed; fear; ignorance; and corruption in government.

It is time to drop the fear barrier.

Speak out against the corporate theft of our labors.

It is not easy to overcome the fear of what your friends, family, and neighbors might do to you if you speak up.

If these people who are close to you pressure you into surrendering your freedom of speech, then maybe you are better off being ostracized by them.

Remember, the home of the brave was not forged into being by people who were afraid to make waves.

Our beloved Palouse is about to be scarred and our pockets robbed.

Will you speak up?

Roger Whitten, Oakesdale

Proud of Eagles

I swelled with pride when I saw the recent Gazette photo of the five Eagle Scouts from Rosalia. They have since been recognized at a splendid, well attended, Court of Honor. These young men have worked so hard to achieve this challenging goal. They are extremely involved in many other community activities and yet have been dedicated scouts for many years. It’s been fun to watch them grow up from the time they could barely button their cub scout shirts or handle a show cane at the Palouse Empire Fair.

But they didn’t do it alone. It took the encouragement and support of parents, grandparents, scout leaders, teachers, coaches, pastors...yes...the entire community! That’s another great thing about Whitman County...every child has opportunities and tremendous county wide community support to try a diverse variety of activities. We raise great crops and great kids. Hopefully all adults will strive to be positive mentors by word and by deed (ask yourself what you have done lately) so that our youth will mirror what they were shown and continue to pass it along to their own kids and community members. Forever.

To our scouts: Our R.H.S. cheerleaders would say: “We’re from Rosalia, couldn’t be prouder. If you can’t hear us now we’ll shout a little louder!”

Super job fellas! We are so proud of you for your many achievements! May you continue to demonstrate your outstanding character and integrity the rest of your lives.

Mary Widman,

Rosalia