Author: The Seattle Times: Northwest Voices

Time for some middle-class tax breaks

April 15 looms. It’s no surprise that most of us do not look forward to it.

For years we have heard politicians talk ad nauseam about cutting taxes. Congress has trimmed and cut. With what result?

Like most middle-class taxpayers, I will pay roughly the same amount of my income in federal taxes this year —about 16 percent —as I would have in 1960. But the richest Americans will pay up to two-thirds less than they would have 50 years ago.

Meanwhile, global corporations have made tax-dodging a central part of their business strategies. Between 1998 and 2005, nearly two-thirds of profitable U.S. companies did not pay taxes at least one year. That is simply unfair.

Civilized society costs money. It is time to reverse 50 years of unequal and unfair tax shift and re-balance the tax system. Congress should let tax cuts on incomes over $250,000 expire at the end of 2010.

Congress should move to ensure that corporations that make profits in this country pay their fair share for the institutions, services and infrastructure on which they rely.

It is time for a more productive, more honest conversation about taxes.

— Jack Hanson, Seattle

Who will pay for deficits?

Whenever Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, as well as Congressman Rick Larsen write to me to explain one of their votes on increasing spending, they always justify their vote by saying that it was in the best interests of the citizens of Washington state.

Fair enough. But now we know that they have adjusted the federal income-tax system so that only half of the citizens pay income taxes.

So when they send the budget, Medicare and Social Security into massive deficits, whose best interests do they have in mind? The half who pays the tax, or the half that doesn’t?

— Robert O’Donnell, Everson

Fun Forest should stay, Chihuly should go in Center House

I am not a supporter of the proposed Chihuly at the Needle Exhibit. [“Chihuly plan lauded at forum to discuss Seattle Center space,” NWWednesday, March 31.]

As a proponent of both art and green, open spaces, I believe Chihuly at the Needle will not help provide both to the Seattle Center.

It crowds the Space Needle and will take away the breadth of space the 2008 plan provides beautifully.

Dale Chihuly’s exhibits have drawn in millions of people from around the world. With more than $50 million of his glass art on display at the Chihuly at the Needle project, it promises to be the largest and most beautiful installation of his artwork in the world. If you allow for it to be built elsewhere at Seattle Center — not where the Fun Forest is located — there is no doubt millions of people will come to the Seattle Center to appreciate and be inspired by Chihuly’s creations.

Simply, think of a different location other than at the foot of the Needle. The 2008 plan provides many other locations, including the Center House, which would provide a more dynamic “marriage.”

Thus, like breadth that is considered for the Eiffel Tower, the space surrounding our trademark should be preserved for generations. The Wright art proposal ignores the connection made with the west side of the campus with the relocation of the mural and reflection pool, as well as removal of the Fun Forest.

In addition to landscaping the 1.5 acres of asphalt in the south section of the Fun Forest, the Chihuly at the Needle project will provide more than $600,000 in revenues — plus rent —to the city of Seattle each year. It is my hope that the city will use some of those funds to create a landscaped space in the north section of the Fun Forest. Lets use a different location, away from the base of the Space Needle.

The new circulation provided by the removal of the Fun Forest building invites and draws folks from all over the world to the Center’s entirety while framing the Needle in green landscaping.

I request this project not be supported. It simply does not add to the Center, but takes away from the newly found beauty in the subtle and elegant open space — which the 2008 plan provides with the removal of the Fun Forest— of our very special trademark, the Space Needle.

— Dorian Muncey, Seattle

Chihuly, a place for Seattle residents

I am a Seattle native, husband, father and local business owner. I have seen the Chihuly museum plan and believe it would be a huge upgrade to the Seattle Center.

I am sure I would enjoy taking my family, other relatives, friends and even clients through this new facility if Seattle agrees to building it. We need to leave something behind for others at the Center and make it better than it was when we found it — as children.

This is what all great societies do. Let’s do our part.

— Mark Suryan, Bothell

Same thing happened in 2008 ‘Death with Dignity’ campaign

After reading the Catholic Church called recent media coverage of how the church handled sexual-abuse cases involving priests part of an “anti-Catholic hate campaign” [“Portland archbishop assails news media,” NWWednesday, April 7], I was reminded of a similar experience during the “Death with Dignity” Initiative 1000 campaign in 2008.

When the Yes On 1000 campaign issued a news release that questioned how the bankrupt Archdiocese of Portland could afford to contribute $5,000 to the opposition campaign here while simultaneously claiming to be too poor to compensate victims of sex abuse there, we were accused of Catholic bashing.

No wonder they have such a serious public-relations problem.

— Robb Miller, Seattle

The bishops are the victims

Fairness dictates a response to your scathing editorial unjustly excoriating the Catholic Church [“A Vatican on defense,” Opinion, April 5].

Consider first, inflicted on the world is a depraved sexual revolution that reduces sacred human sexual expression to a puny erotic game in which all, including children, are urged to participate. Then the institutions of the Catholic Church are infiltrated by homosexual activists who deny the Catholic faith, proclaim there are no sexual sins and sexually abuse pubescent boys.

Then those attempting to silence the church and Christ’s teachings of love persecute the victim —the Catholic Church —when its spiritually oriented bishops make mistakes in how best to subdue this evil while also trying to protect the church from great harm.

Today, the Catholic Church surpasses all in having the most widespread and effective programs in place to eradicate this evil. Yet no credit is given for the remarkable progress that has been made in fighting the deadly cancer inflicted upon the church. Have you no shame?

The old liberal maxim lives on — persecute the victim and not the perpetrator.

— Jack Stockman, Mill Creek

Trap, neuter, release approach leaves cats hungry, dead

Editor, The Times:

The Seattle Times seemed supportive of the trap, neuter, release approach [“When cats stop multiplying like rabbits,” NWMonday].

My disagreement with trap, neuter, release approach regards the word “release.” The cats so easily trapped are hungry, abandoned pets. Releasing these cats after neutering them does nothing to save them from starvation. A house-bred cat on the streets will probably die of starvation before reproducing kittens.

Feral cats are rarely trapped. It is the feral cats that are the target of trap, neuter, release programs.

I hope The Times is open to questioning such a program. Why the enthusiasm in containing a kitten population? Where is a similar campaign to control the number of squirrel kits, young raccoons or puppies born under a bush from abandoned pet dogs? I suggest The Times channel its good-heartedness into adopting trapped cats.

— Patrick Arnold, Seattle

Budget will not budge with beer tax

A beer tax? You have been in special session for a month and that is what you come up with to solve our budget problems? [“Sales-tax increase off table,” page one, April 8]

But only on major labels — not on microbrews because that would hurt the First Mike’s discretionary spending budget. You cannot be serious.

How about a tax on hair spray and makeup, but only on elected officials? That should be able to raise a tidy sum from just the purchases made by Gov. Chris Gregoire and Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown — although one could argue these purchases would not be discretionary.

— Dan Eich, Olympia

Solid early childhood education, less crime

With just a few quick strokes of her pen, Gov. Chris Gregoire has helped reduce future crime throughout the state of Washington. [“Gregoire signs education package into law,” NWTuesday, March 30.]

We supported these bills because they strengthen one of our most powerful crime-prevention tools: high-quality early learning.

As police chiefs, our job is to keep the public safe and lock up dangerous criminals. But we are never going to arrest ourselves out of the crime problem. We know from our own experience that kids who get off to a good start are far more likely to be successful in school and graduate and far less likely to use drugs and commit crimes.

We are proud to be among hundreds of police chiefs, sheriffs and prosecuting attorneys throughout the state who supported these early-learning initiatives in the Legislature this year and we thank the Legislature and the governor for supporting these important crime-prevention measures, which will make our communities safer in the years ahead.

— Chief Jim Kelly, Auburn

— Chief Scott Kimerer, Burien

Soldiers did as instructed; video games helped

The WikiLeaks video of helicopter gunners eagerly shooting civilians and savoring their kills as if playing a video game, although horrific, is understandable. [“Iraq video sheds welcome light on rogue group,” News, April 7.]

Years ago, University of Michigan researchers studied the effects of persistent violent video gaming on human development. They found it is the second-best way to breed anti-social behavior into our new generations — the best, joining a gang such as the Crips or the Bloods.

First-person shooter video gaming, a popular form of entertainment, creates the “killing is fun” mindset needed for military service. The Pentagon uses first-person shooter video games as recruiting and training tools. The gunners did exactly as they were taught by the video-game industry and the U.S. military.

— Daniel Ruuska, Seattle

One chance for light rail

Mayor Mike McGinn is exactly right about a new floating bridge: We have one chance to get it right. [“Slam brakes on design of 520, McGinn urges,” page one, April 7.]

When the current bridge was designed on the eve of the Century 21 Exposition, our state missed an opportunity to look forward and develop light rail. If we fail to plan for — and realize — a light-rail system across the lake, the next generation will be bewildered and dismayed.

Someday I will be an old man and I do not want my grandkids to ask, “Pops, why didn’t your generation put a rail line across the bridge?”

Because our leadership was shortsighted, penny-wise and pound-foolish. The people of Puget Sound, the state of Washington and our leaders have one chance to get it right. Let’s do it.

— Seth! Leary, Kirkland

Mayor has audacity to derail 13-year-old process

So Seattle’s new mayor, who has been in office all of three months, has the arrogance to try to derail a process of decision-making and consensus-building regarding the design of a new 520 bridge that has been 13 years in the making because it does not accommodate light rail?

What I want to know is: How many of us, our family members, friends, neighbors and co-workers will lose our lives on the bridge when the next storm of the century blows through and finally collapses it? The time for second-guessing has passed. Build the bridge. Do it now.

— Robin Maass, Redmond

Bridge or tunnel the best and safest way to go

After reading the March 30 story “UW pushes for grander, costlier light-rail entrance” [page one] and the letter “Rainier Vista alternative designed to enhance access” [NWVoices, April 3], one thing is very clear: Neither UW President Mark Emmert nor the UW Board of Regents have ever had to cross at Montlake Boulevard and Pacific Street, much less drive through that particular bottleneck at any time of the day.

I worked at the UW Medical Center for more than 20 years. Along with thousands of other employees and patients, I was stymied by the crosswalk situation at that corner. Yes, there are lights and yes, there is a ton of traffic. What made no sense then and now is: Why have foot traffic across that intersection at all?

Either a bridge or tunnel is the best and safest way to go. There already is a tunnel from the underground patient parking lot to the UWMC. Why not repeat that really “grand” idea from the other side of Montlake Boulevard? Why endanger pedestrians further and make the bottleneck even worse?

As to the cost of their land bridge, I believe the UW has more than enough foundation funding to handle that problem. Why should taxpayers pay more for basically a “beautification” project for the UW? It could afford a giant fake tree stump on the South Campus lawn —I think it can manage its land bridge.

— Virginia Rathburn, Snohomish

Lesson not learned

It appears that the little punk responsible for the murder of Ed McMichael, the “Tuba Man,” in October 2008 did not learn a thing from the slap on the wrist he got by serving 36 weeks in juvenile detention. [“Accomplice in death of ‘tuba man’ rearrested,” page one, April 8.]

This unnamed youth is a Maurice Clemmons wannabe. He has already killed one innocent citizen while participating in a strong-arm mugging. Now, six months after his release from detention, he has done it again.

What is it going to take to get the authorities’ attention? The death of another innocent citizen? Or will it only count if the miserable little thug shoots a cop?

— Gerald Cline Jr., Seattle

Time to float action, decision

Editor, The Times:

I was born at Ballard General Hospital 48 years ago and have lived in the Greater Seattle area all my life. One of things I love about our community is our style of discussion and civil debate. We all have input and we all have a chance to be heard.

Now that very thing I love could also make me crazy.

Mayor Mike McGinn has come to the planning of the 520 bridge replacement a little too late. [“Slam brakes on design of 520, McGinn urges,” page one, April 7.]

This topic has been discussed ad nauseam … There have been debates, votes and studies over the course of years. In the true Seattle spirit, we are trying to get everyone on board, but the truth is that not everyone will ever agree on any particular plan.

There are certainly things about the bridge replacement that I am not happy about. However, enough money has been spent, enough studies have been done and the time has come for action.

— Susan Trent, Bellevue

While you’re at it, file a civil suit too

It is unfortunate King County Metro decided to have “security guards” whose job descriptions apparently involve watching crimes being committed while collecting a salary rather than actually preventing crimes or helping victims. It is hard for most of us to understand how this could constitute a job and why the county thought this was an adequate defense of public safety. [“Girl beaten in tunnel to be tried for robbery,” NWTuesday, April 6.]

That said, the victim in this case is a rather flawed individual who, shortly before this attack, was by all accounts the perpetrator of a similar crime and apparently several others. She is working with attorneys to try and get rich off her misfortune. More power to her; the unspoken 11th Amendment is the right to sue and get wealthy off lawsuits. She probably deserves to win and taxpayers will shell out money for another bad decision by our leaders.

However, I encourage Tamie Cox, who was beaten and robbed by the aforementioned Aiesha Steward-Baker, to file a civil suit against the perpetrator. Her pain and suffering is no less than Steward-Baker’s and probably more because she, by all accounts, has not chosen to live a life of crime and violence. I hope Tamie Cox collects every penny Steward-Baker is given by the county and the city —although her case against the city seems tenuous at best.

— Nic Rossouw, Seattle

Not so fast on praising rebound

This is a response to [“Housing has more spring in step,” page one, April 6].

Though cautionary in expressing optimism about a rebound in the residential real-estate market, The Times fails to portray what the housing market could look like without the federal tax incentives for first-time and repeat homebuyers.

Furthermore, The Times forgets to mention the so-called surge in home sales via the government program cleared out some potential demand in the future. The buyers jumping in today because of tax incentives are the buyers who would have waited to buy tomorrow without an incentive. Hence, a weakening of Seattle and national housing markets in the near future should be expected.

To top it all off, the future of all real estate looks bleak with a second wave of mortgage resets starting to flood the housing market once again, along with a commercial real-estate tsunami pulling under scores of local and regional banks.

Though the deposits of these institutions are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the FDIC is effectively bankrupt. In May 2009, Congress authorized the Treasury to set aside $100 billion as “backup insurance” for the FDIC. How long will that last after having depleted $53 billion it had in reserves in 2008? Is there no end in sight?

Buyers needing a home to live in is one thing, but buying and hoping that a home will retain its value and not fall is the worry for today. With the landscape still soaked from the last inundation of foreclosures, buying a house or condo should be a last resort and a very good buy.

— Dan Piecora, Kirkland

Second chances not gift for all, if a gift at all

I could not help but notice your editorial on Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn’s second chance with his DUI 24-hour jail sentence [“Dorn’s second chance,” April 6] contrasted with the front-page news of the tragedy of Mike Turner’s three-fatality crash over the Easter weekend [“Crash kills 3 friends who loved muscle cars,” page one, April 5].

However, substitute Dorn’s name in Turner’s story and think about the headlines and the public outrage. Although Dorn’s alcohol assessment confirmed his lack of a “drinking problem,” drinking under the influence of alcohol increases the chance that drivers will continue to take innocent lives through impaired judgment.

My sympathy extends to all the families involved. Until we as a society fully comprehend the waste of lives fostered by second chances granted in DUIs, The Times will continue running front-page, tragic stories about the results of impaired behavior.

— Mark Wilson, Seattle

Resignation better example than fine and jail time

School Superintendent Randy Dorn calls his DUI arrest and conviction a teachable moment — for whom? [“School chief Dorn pleads guilty to DUI charge,” NWSaturday, April 3.]

If he really was this “stand-up guy” who chose to face the consequences of his actions instead of trying to “lawyer” himself out of it, he would do the honorable thing and resign. That would set an example for students about consequences for negative actions. An $866 fine and a suspended jail sentence does not send a strong enough message about the horrors of drunken driving.

Resigning an elected office after failing to live up to the enormous responsibilities of that office —while far from the most damaging event that could occur while driving drunk —would still be a learning experience for him and others. If you want to serve the public, you are held to a higher and more demanding standard. If your office represents the children of this state, that bar cannot be set high enough.

If Randy Dorn truly cares about young people in this state, he should resign. Parents, students and citizens of Washington should demand and expect nothing less.

— Ben Stearns, Seattle

Why did approval take so long?

Why has it taken Seattle City Council two years to finally OK Children’s hospital expansion plans? [“Children’s expansion gains OK of council,” NWTuesday, April 6].

Citizens may not realize how many ways a specialty medical center such as Children’s benefits the whole community and beyond. Not only does Children’s provide first-class medical care to our “small people,” it is also a training arena for many professionals —medical students and residents, nursing students and advanced nursing specialties, occupational and physical therapists, speech and language specialists and others.

Also, Children’s offers ongoing learning opportunities and professional conferences to many groups, professionals and parents. Many times, I have enjoyed and learned new skills while attending conferences on site. Lets get the new building plans moving.

— Mary Kathryn Myers, Kent

Story misleading; war breeds culture of hatred

“U.S. official: Iraq firefight video real,” reads the headline in The Seattle Times [News, April 6]. Could there be a more misleading way to open this story?

Calling the incident a firefight suggests shots were fired by both sides, but readers who actually watch the video will see only a slaughter. No shots were fired by the men on the ground and it is clear most of them were unarmed —not “some” as the story claims.

U.S. troops are still killing civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan. It does not mean all our troops are monsters; the nature of the occupation makes these killings inevitable.

Think how we could hate a Muslim occupier who killed unarmed Americans with canon fire from the air. The hatred we are sowing in Iraq and Afghanistan cannot possibly make us safer. The only way to stop this tragedy is to bring all our troops home now.

— Warren Jones, Seattle

Need for health care does not justify right to services

Stewart Jay and Congress are missing a golden opportunity to really shape up America. [“New health-reform law is definitely constitutional,” Opinion, April 4.]

Using the power of controlling interstate commerce, Congress should mandate that all people pay for a gym membership and diet program —Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, etc. —but no free plans or plain, old walking. Self-help and self-responsibility are the antithesis of socialism. Of course, with proper proof, you will get a credit on your taxes. Without proof, you will be fined.

But think how healthy people will be; medical needs, problems and expenses will drop so insurance will cost less. It is a win-win situation for everyone.

Just because people need health care, it does not mean they have a right to it. It is amazing how our national religion is evolution and survival of the fittest, yet in our social arena, some politicians advocate freedom means you have the right to twist your neighbor’s arm to make him pay your bills.

I pay some social taxes because I am not heartless —and because they benefit me too — but merely prepaying everyone’s medical bills through mandatory insurance does nothing to hold down costs.

— Byron Gilbert, Seattle

What Congress ‘wants’ not always constitutional

UW Law Professor Stewart Jay’s commentary concerning health-reform law constitutionality raises some interesting “questions.” How does he conclude that forcing people to buy health insurance from a private company is no different from requiring people to pay taxes for Social Security or Medicare?

He justifies requiring buying the insurance because “Congress wants people to have insurance when obtaining care in order to hold down costs for all.” If Congress really wanted to hold down medical costs, it should enact laws that force “obese” people to join Weight Watchers or the local gym. The reality is what Congress “wants” is not always constitutional.

— Bill Hirt, Bellevue

World Urban Forum important, but overlooked by media

Thanks to Neal Peirce and The Times for telling us about the World Urban Forum. [“Re-engaging with the world’s cities,” Opinion, April 6.]

I share Peirce’s surprise and regret that U.S. media have failed to report this important event and the vision it nourishes. The Obama administration’s participation in this dialogue points toward exactly what Peirce highlights: “ … the cooperative promise of building constructive relationships as a less arrogant America.”

The positive returns could be immeasurable.

— Martha McLaren, Seattle

Dorn’s weak moment a teachable one

I want to commend State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn for pleading guilty to his recent DUI charge. [“School chief Dorn pleads guilty to DUI charge,” NWSaturday, April 3.]

It truly is a teachable moment and he is in a position to help young people learn from his mistake. Responsibility and accountability really need to be taken into account for those who choose to drink and drive.

— Diane Egan, Renton

School superintendent’s charge doesn’t compare to socially acceptable drinking

Randy Dorn should be admired for pleading guilty to his drunken driving charge instead of trying to “lawyer” his way out of it. However, with a blood-alcohol level of .011, it is obvious Dorn had a minimal amount to drink before driving as opposed to, say, the thousands of basketball fans who drank themselves into a stupor while watching the Final Four and then drove home.

We live in an odd society where motorists arrested for DUIs are demonized, yet our social structure almost requires club-goers, bar-hoppers and live-music fans to drink and drive.

Pop into Pioneer Square, Ballard or Capitol Hill on a weekend morning at 1:45 a.m. and witness hundreds of seriously drunk young adults slide behind the wheels of their cars and weave their way back home, with nary a cop to be found.

Instead of clucking our tongues at Dorn, perhaps we need to seriously review our beer-soaked glass houses.

— Brent Stavig, Seattle

First Hill at a loss for new transportation

Your story “Proposed streetcar headed to Broadway” [page one, April 5] refers to the project as a “consolation prize” to First Hill to compensate for the loss of its light-rail station. In reality, the prize goes to Capitol Hill, which will gain the most from a streetcar.

The majority of First Hill residents and commuters who live and work west of Boren Avenue get a lump of coal in their stocking —the promise of more slow-moving buses on Madison Street and other routes that are already in gridlock.

On the upside, First Hill residents will still benefit from all the great exercise they get, hiking up and down the hill to get downtown to Third Avenue in order to access regional transit.

— Michael Gray, Seattle

Spending on streetcar will slip to city and residents

Why are we prepared to spend upwards of $120 million on a streetcar project when adding a few more buses could do the same for a lot less money? There is nothing to be gained with this hopelessly outdated concept of fixed-rail streetcars.

Streetcars have to share the same street space with all the other traffic, stop at the same traffic lights and, being fixed to their rails, are unable to navigate around obstacles.

After more than two years, the South Lake Union streetcar is way under-used, with the city and the county stuck paying for staggering losses. This Broadway streetcar project most likely will end up the same way, with the city having to pick up the losses.

We should stop this Broadway project while there still is time. It is a gross misuse of public funds at a time when the city and the county are struggling to deal with huge deficits. There are plenty of other, more-pressing needs for our tax money, such as education, the homeless and above all, to reducing deficits.

— Wolfgang Mack, Seattle

To aid animal-control agencies, tax food and luxury products for pets

The story “When cats stop multiplying like rabbits” [NWMonday, April 5] discussed the funding difficulties of free spay and neuter clinics. However, the plan proposed by Families and Dogs Against Fighting Breeds (FDAFB) to fund free spay and neuter clinics was not mentioned.

The plan proposes a small tax on dog and cat food and a supertax on all canine and feline luxury products such as Halloween costumes and diamond-studded, pink Chihuahua collars. Throughout the nation, only a small percentage of pet owners license their dogs, creating perennial shortfalls in animal-control budgets.

It is time state legislators started taxing the people creating the problem rather making non-pet owners pay for animal-control services. And please, fewer animals will be euthanized if there are free spay and neuter clinics.

— Ellen Taft, Seattle