09/02/08 Letters to the editor

POSTED ON Monday, September 01, 2008 AT 09:38PM

Advanced Search

Yakima Herald-Republic

Links

E-mail

Comments

More 'Letters To Editor'

More Stories: Today's News | This Week

John Kerry did serve in a war, but came home and turned against every one of his soldier brothers. He certainly doesn't deserve hero status. Kerry and John McCain should not even be mentioned in the same sentence in regards to heroism. McCain is a hero not for fighting in war, but because of unselfishness, strength and loyalty for his fellow soldiers and his country. When offered freedom, he chose to stay until those captured before him were set free, despite enduring brutal punishment. McCain may have celebrity status, but it's for what he has done, and proven he is capable of. It's well warranted.

Barack Obama gained his "celebrity status" because he is a smooth-talking, charismatic, educated black man running for president. What's his experience? What's his track record? Colin Powell is also a well-educated black man with a proven leadership track record, but no celebrity status.

Regardless of campaign promises, I think it's wise to vote for the candidate with a proven track that shows he or she can deliver on promises, rather than just be a darn good speaker. Smooth talk cannot run the country alone, just ask Bill Clinton.

TAWANA TAFFOLLA

Yakima

Bigger or smaller?

To the editor — Item: County Commissioner Mike Leita, while acknowledging that he has no standing as a public official in the current deliberations about an aquatic center for Yakima, nonetheless asserted his support for the center "as a resident of Yakima and as a grandparent" at a recent meeting of city officials, as quoted in the Aug. 27 article: "Will aquatic center be built?"

Ah yes, I know that fellow. He's the one I suggested at the end of 2006 might be "just a wee mite too big for his britches" (Dec. 31 letter to the editor) when he declared that he himself as a county commissioner would allow the 2007 library board levy to proceed. Public entities, of course, make decisions by majority vote, not fiat.

He's the fellow who some time ago as chair of the county commission presided over a presentation to the commission by Tim Eyman in support of the initiative Eyman was sponsoring at the time. This fellow then stepped down from his "official capacity," well, he rose from his chair, to sign the initiative as "a private citizen."

You know, the bigger this fellow appears in his own eyes, the smaller he appears in mine.

ROGER CARLSTROM

Yakima

Sticking with Hastings

To the editor — Re: The Aug. 22 article, "Former GOP Congressman stands behind Fearing." Why does this George Fearing think that we here in Yakima care what a Democrat lawyer and ex-Congressman from California have to say? We don't need someone coming in to town for two days to do nothing but attack our congressman and tell us how to vote. Pete McCloskey doesn't understand the first thing about our way of life and Fearing doesn't know us very well either if he thinks this is the way to win votes.

I've had enough of Fearing's negative, trial lawyer attack approach to campaigning. I'll stick with Doc in November.

LAUREL YOUNG

Yakima

Where's our benefit?

To the editor — If the feasibility study turned out so good, and proves that the aquatic center is such a good deal, a "real money maker," why aren't private investors lining up to plunk down their money? Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, where are you? Don't you know how much money you can make here? And after everything is paid off for the building of this center, and I have been a dutiful taxpayer, and helped you get it done, will I get a free ticket to swim? Even once?

It's just like all the sports stadiums that get built with taxpayers dollars. I have yet to meet anyone who helped build it who got a free ticket! And after it is paid off, with all the money that's going to roll in, for who? Not the taxpayers, I'd bet. If we don't get to vote on this one, we will vote with our dollars and not shop in your cities! I can't believe you think we are so stupid. If you can't get private investors to invest, maybe it's not so feasible after all.

Why don't you try Joe Morrier? He needs to give back some.

SARA JO RENFROE

Toppenish

No time for aquatics

To the editor — The aquatic center would be wonderful, but our economy is weak. If it is such a great money maker for the tourist trade, why not add a motel tax like Seattle or sell bonds to those likely to profit from it?

Our restaurants are hardly making it in our slow economy, and our average family cannot afford more taxes.

ANDREW J. WELLER

Yakima

It's about planning

To the editor — Re: The Aug. 24 food stamp article. The program was established to supplement the food budget of low-income individuals. Instead, I think, many families rely on "food debit" cards and don't budget very well.

I can feed a family of four easily on $75 a week. We have a garden for veggies, go to orchards for "u-pick" fruits, buy bread products at the day-old outlets, and buy only what is on sale, usually with newspaper coupons. We eat meat several times a week and very rarely eat out. Our diet is heavy on fruits and vegetables.

I think that we really need to focus on teaching folks how to budget and prepare interesting, healthy meals using what is available rather than on where to find the nearest food bank when they have used up their $300 in two weeks.

Also, for folks with children, free breakfast and lunches are available at many schools around town. No child in Yakima should be going hungry. By the way, last week I was paying for my gas at a mini-mart when a fellow used his cash to pay for cigarettes and then used his food debit card to pay for over-priced snacks and pop.

CONNIE STENHOFF

Naches

Suggested changes

To the editor — Thank you so much for your outstanding research and revealing of the parking ramp debacle and JEM's sly tactics of draining of the Yakima city treasury. Also, these are my wish lists for a better city of Yakima.

Retire City Manager Dick Zais and Police Chief Sam Granato and hire a dozen traffic cops to slow down speeders.

Retire City Councilmen Neil McClure and Dave Edler.

Elect Bill Lover as city mayor.

Elect a more diverse City Council to serve all citizens of Yakima.

Clean up the east side of Yakima, tear down old buildings and pull up weeds.

Forget JEM and rebuilding downtown. Let JEM foot the bills for a change.

Remember there are more citizens of Yakima besides the richer west side. Work toward a more unified city of Yakima.

BETTY LEE

Yakima

We need new thinking

To the editor — Norm Johnson is a very scary candidate to support for 14th District representative. Although he can recite the mantra of cutting state budget without raising taxes, I must look at recent city of Yakima proposals.

The city has annexed so much area that a once-great police department is now overworked and understaffed. Putting additional officers on the street requires additional taxes. Ditto for a proposed fire department levy.

Add in a $20 million proposal for an aquatic complex to replace city swimming pools. Why isn't this privately funded instead of asking public to foot the bill?

Voting to use street maintenance funds to demolish a parking ramp for Joe Morrier can only lead to an additional street levy.

Is Norm the best we can do to work on reducing a $2.7 billion shortage in state budget? New York has five times the population and resources, yet its deficit is only twice as big as Washington.

If I can only look forward to more taxes, maybe I should give thought to Vickie Ybarra as state representative. Her youth promises energy for several years to come.

FRED THOMSON

Union Gap

Thanks for flowers

To the editor — As one who complained about the gun decoration on East and West Yakima Avenue's trading area, I want to be one of the many who compliment the people who put the beautiful flowers in the same area.

RAY WALKER

Yakima

09/02/08 Letters to the editor

More 'Letters To Editor'

Most Read