Letters

Response

Last week the Gazette published a letter from Rosalia Mayor Nan Konishi to State Rep. Susan Fagan listing concerns of local officials about lack of state funding for local entities. Rep. Fagan’s response is published below.

Nan; Thank you for your thoughtful letter. You and other locally-elected officials have the biggest challenge because, as you point out, you don’t have enough tools available to address the challenges that come before you.

The Legislature has developed some ways for cities and counties to secure funding for specific projects through CERB, County Road Administration Board, Rural Mobility, Transportation Improvement Board and Public Works grants and loans plus various Commerce Department open grants and loans. However, there is a lot of competition for this funding, and it’s important to note that the Legislature has been known to “sweep” some of these funds to, you guessed it, balance a tough budget.

I share your frustration, Nan. I could go down a list of all the demands that are made on our state budget — a Supreme Court ruling on education funding, a Supreme Court ruling on mental health beds and treatment, critical transportation and capital project needs, funding for our developmentally disabled community, health care for eligible children and low income, needs of our foster care system, all deserving and important. It’s a list much longer than this, but somehow, we have to balance needs with the taxes our good citizens are providing.

This I pledge to you: I will continue to make funding for our local governments a priority. As a matter of fact, I just now spoke with our budget lead Representative Bruce Chandler and expressed our concerns. He said we’re going to “get part way back” in this budget cycle, Nan, so count on me to focus on this as we move the 2015-2017 biennial budget forward and beyond.

Rep. Susan Fagan,

9th Legislative District

Washington House of Representatives

Single lane

I propose, when the time comes, that they will put single lanes down main street Colfax, with a middle turn lane.

It’s like a B horror movie to drive threw town, park turn left, the way it is now.

We have to be concerned about getting mirror knocked off by the new super wide mirrors on Ford, Dodge, Chevy pick-ups.

Please speak up citizens while there is still time to argue and plan.

You have never lived in Colfax until you have been clipped, coming from behind by one of those mirrors. Or been in an accident. I’ve had it all happen.

I remember when the streets were much narrower and worse.

Gloria McMeekin,

Colfax

Action, reaction

Seattle’s new $15 minimum wage law began going into effect on Wednesday, April Fool’s Day. This pricey west coast city is basically the first metropolis to push employers into providing higher wages. I think it is unfortunate that the west side doesn’t consider what the east side population thinks or how it is going to affect them! I know in my lifetime I have heard the west side being labeled as being selfish and inconsiderate a large number of times.

It will be interesting to see what the business community will do to try and keep their costs competitive! Some European countries who are at least two years ahead of us in using robots have replaced workers and the benefits that go with workers.

I have read about and watched video on the robotic invasion in Europe on duties that require minuscule skills to brute strength. I believe that there are two sides to every issue and I know that it is more expensive to live in the Seattle area.

However, we should remember that for every action there is a reaction!

Gerald W. Ray,

Spokane

Nolan ‘arrest’

I saw with sadness the passing of Cliff Nolan. He was a fine man, and I want to share my memory of his patriotism to our country. In May 1966, I returned home to Colfax from a tour in Vietnam with the Marines. I had just started my first trip of “dragging Main Street” in my old ‘49 Chevy, when I heard a siren, saw red lights in my mirror, and heard a voice on the speaker telling me “pull the vehicle into the Safeway parking lot.”

I did as told and then saw his smiling face. He told me he wanted to be one of the first to welcome me home and had me join him in the patrol car for a few trips through town. Silly side note: I locked my keys in the Chevy with the motor running! Never forget that day, and never forgot Cliff. R.I.P. my friend and fellow veteran.

Richard Skeate,

Crestline, Calif.

Fund critical services

Budgets in Olympia reflect the values of our elected leaders which in turn reflects our local values. The League of Women Voters of Pullman applaud the House budget for going further than the Governor and Senate in proposing new revenue for education and other critical state services. We are very concerned about the Senate’s proposal to raid funds designated for local infrastructure such as sewer and water projects, parks, and health services.

However, we believe none of the proposed budgets go far enough in improving the fairness of our tax system and addressing revenue shortfalls in education and other essential state services. Our current state tax system is considered the most unfair in the nation, with taxes falling disproportionately on lower-income residents. Further, without additional shared revenue, the Supreme Court’s review of the legislature’s compliance with the McCleary decision (ample state funding for education) may result in the imposition of sanctions.

We urge readers to contact their legislators with this message: Let’s play fair and fund critical services for our state!

Paul Spencer,

Chair of the Board, LWV Pullman,

Pullman