The Columbian | Serving Clark County, Washington

Poor farm park plan raises questions

A March 5 Columbian story reported, “County has rich plans for former poor farm.” I am a nearby resident of the former county poor farm, and have been involved with the discussions concerning its future use. I wasn’t, however, a participant, nor invited to be included, in the volunteer panel that came up with the proposal. In general, I hail this proposal to use this unique resource in our community for such a broad benefit to all, with strong ties to the agricultural heritage of the site. However, I have serious concerns about certain important aspects of the plan.

My biggest concern is the proposed new road, Northeast 25th Avenue, which winds between 78th and 68th streets. Having lived off 68th Street for many years, I’m well aware of its limitations for handling the increased traffic such a new street would create. This is a problem not only for vehicular traffic, but more so for pedestrians. Another concern is the path of this new road, which appears to slice through the east side of Hazel Dell Park, which would eliminate many very old trees, park paths and red-tailed hawk habitat.

These are important points to address, and I hope to air them at the April 6 hearing.

George F. Vaughan

Vancouver

Support parents who home-school

Washington state is seeking to reduce education expenses by eliminating programs that help parents of home-schoolers. This is patently unfair, as these parents are already playing a major role in reducing the state’s education expenses by embracing their role as primary educators. This would be analogous to an auto insurance company trying to save costs by eliminating those drivers who have the fewest accidents and drive the least because they choose to use alternative means of transportation.

The logical course would be to encourage more parents to take a greater role in their kids’ education; such a policy would help reduce education expenses in the long term, and would promote stronger familial bonds. I believe parents who home-school are being targeted because they are a minority and the backlash will be minimal.

Miguel Gahan

Vancouver

Too many reasons not to partner

The constant vitriol from the high and mighty against King’s Way Christian School just shows the complete intolerance of those who can’t stand anything having to do with a religious organization.

What exactly could be at issue with the partnership that Clark County has with the school?

It wouldn’t be the fact that the county gets an extra ball field because the school is offering up parking spaces.

How about the soccer, lacrosse, football, and track stadium the county will get access to?

Could it be because a road got moved away from the neighborhood that didn’t want it near them?

Is it those six acres for a community park that are left over because of the fields that the school will provide?

Oh, I know, it’s the hundreds of thousands of dollars saved by the use of private money to pay for the fields on the school property, isn’t it?

I somehow doubt the writers of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution had much thought about sharing a T-ball field when they wrote “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

John W. Higgins

Battle Ground

Free up access to cable providers

About a decade ago, I moved from Pierce County to Vancouver. In Pierce, they were just starting up a “Click! Cable TV” option, owned and operated by Tacoma Power (http://www.click-network.com/CableTV/PackagesProducts/tabid/61/Default.aspx). This gave a little competition in cable and some other options to residents who did not want to pay the charges from the monopoly of Comcast. We, too, should have options in Clark County.

We have a cable company with local ties, as its majority interest is held by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, which has a call center right here in Vancouver. Why in the world are we giving all our money to Comcast when we could be supporting more jobs and growth in our own town by subscribing to Charter Communications, which although not available locally, my grandmother had at her house in Wisconsin?

Let’s support more local lobs and healthy competition for our cable choices. I feel that Comcast can charge whatever they can get approved, and because of upgraded technology, we are forced to pay its prices. Digital TV has really only helped cable companies, but if we are forced to pay, let us at least have some choices.

Linda Degerstedt

Vancouver

Our expectations lead to failure

The size and scope of the federal government has expanded far beyond what the Founding Fathers intended and the powers assigned to it and enumerated in the Constitution. At the same time, we the people have greatly increased our expectations and have put many additional demands on that federal government.

There was a time when, like car insurance, we paid for the maintenance that included immunizations, visits for cold or flu and the everyday stuff, but bought insurance to protect us from the “big stuff” like a broken leg or heart surgery. Today, many complain about having to pay a $10 co-pay.

There was also a time when a high school senior would not expect the government to pay for his or her college education, but would have looked to Mom, Dad, grandparents and a part-time job.

Just who is the federal government, anyway? It is us. In other words, I expect my friends and neighbors to pay for my health insurance? I also expect my friends and neighbors to pay for my son or daughter’s education? I think it’s time for us to get real.

Lynn Costello

Vancouver

Murray’s example is irresponsible

Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., held up a bill in order to follow Senate rules that spending be paid for, reported in the March 3 Columbian story, “Senator quits stalling, bill OK’d.”

What is our benevolent senator’s reply? Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said, “Today we have a clear-cut example to show American people what’s wrong with Washington, D.C. That is because today, one single Republican senator is standing in the way of the unemployment benefits of 400,000 Americans.”

We certainly did have an example of what’s wrong with D.C., and that is simply irresponsible senators like Murray spending money that does not exist. This isn’t new to her and others in Congress who continually bring home pork, via earmarks that are neither paid for or approved by their constituents. Meanwhile, our debt as a nation continues to explode.

Greg Zilker

Brush Prairie

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