Centralized development needed
My husband and I were in Seattle recently and people commented how nice it must be to not pay state income tax and then be able to dodge sales tax by shopping in Oregon. We don’t intentionally dodge sales tax — we are both government workers dependent on sales tax and the amount of time and gas it takes to drive into Oregon isn’t always worth it when we have some great businesses here.
However, I was shocked the other day, driving east of 164th Avenue on Mill Plain with all the development where there is no easy freeway access. I live in Salmon Creek and if I want to shop at a store like Best Buy, it is 8.5 miles to Jantzen Beach vs. 11.3 miles to Mill Plain. Even if Oregon had a sales tax, it still makes more sense to go to Jantzen Beach, and tax dollars are still lost. Anyone living on the I-5 side of Vancouver, and north to Ridgefield and La Center are in the same scenario.
Now I read the Nov. 8 story “Plans in the works for more 192nd Ave. retail.” The city needs to stop development on the east side and encourage more centralized development or Vancouver is going to keep losing tax money.
Heather Cowley
Salmon Creek
It’s really the vote that counts
President Calvin Coolidge told us, “Persons who have the right to vote are trustees for the benefit of their country and their countrymen. They have no right to say they do not care. They must care.” Spending time as an election observer reminded me to be thankful for those of you who took the time and put forth the effort to vote. And I’m grateful for those election workers who patiently and conscientiously process the ballots so our votes are fairly and accurately counted. I may not always like the results, but I appreciate candidates who care enough to run, citizens who care enough to vote and workers who care enough to make sure our votes count.
Thank you.
Diane Wilkinson
Vancouver
Industrial jobs will ease burden
The Nov. 14 Columbian story “Middle class has downsized as jobs vanish” further exemplifies the horror that has been occurring in this country. The signing of NAFTA by Bill Clinton was the springboard that allowed good industrial jobs to leave our shores, followed by George W. Bush’s and Dick Cheney’s assault on our country, along with Halliburton, Enron, etc. And now another egomaniac, President Obama (I’m sorry to admit that I voted for him, too), has just about finished off our nation with his flawed policies on health care reform, immigration, etc.
Now all of these madmen are calling for small businesses to be the salvation of our nation. We do not need a bunch of mom-and-pop shops and bistros with a scant few minimum-wage jobs with no benefits. We need the return of industries with good wages and benefits.
Wake up, America, while there still might be time.
I am very mad and frightened at what is happening to our great nation at the hands of our elected leaders. Write, call, e-mail our officials. Let’s try to get our big industries back.
Derril Larson
Vancouver
Publishing tally of views appreciated
The Columbian made many pre-election recommendations as is its right in a free-press system. Though I may not have agreed with many of its recommendations, I do want to express my admiration and compliments to The Columbian for providing an alternative awareness. This awareness was the publishing of the recommendations of many other newspapers even when the consensus showed The Columbian to have a minority opinion. Kudos all around to this, one of the Columbian’s finest efforts.
A. Lance Thompson
Vancouver
Disorders embellished to make a buck
In response to the Nov. 11 story “Survey: 1 in 10 U.S. children has ADHD,” I find it alarming and unbelievable that 10 percent of our children are considered to have ADHD. What’s wrong with this picture? ADHD has no medical tests to identify it, therefore its diagnosis is arbitrary. The drugs used to treat this “disorder” are extremely harmful and usually lead to a lifetime of psychiatric drug use.
The fact is, the drug of choice, Ritalin, is chemically related to addictive stimulants like Dexedrine and Methedrine. The toxic side effects of these and other ADHD drugs are numerous and extremely harmful. Perhaps putting children on these medications produces more “manageable” behavior for schools and parents but at what cost? The psychiatric drug industry keeps creating more “disorders,” which consist of clusters of normal human emotions and reactions. By their criteria, we are all “mentally ill.” They are preying on our children to make a buck and we should be ashamed of ourselves as a nation for letting this occur.
Rex Goble
Vancouver
Don’t let Social Security fade
Social Security was created in a time, much like this one, when people were losing everything. Facing this kind of human devastation, especially the way this affects our elders, families and children, Social Security was born.
This program is a reflection of what happens when people can make some basic agreements in a bipartisan way about what is and is not acceptable. And to willingly watch people age with no insurance, no place to live and no income is just a tragedy of injustice and ignorance. Decent people can’t watch that and decent American people support Social Security.
Mary Faith Bonney
Vancouver
Power handed over to corporations
This last election, I read carefully the initiatives that people carried around for pay. Few had anything to do with stopping corporate dominance of America. Most were tailored to help corporations or, through tax cuts, make life increasingly difficult for citizens impoverished by a free-market economy. In Washington, we’ve reduced health care for the poor and hacked away at aid for the handicapped. Impoverished workers will further drive down middle-class wages and benefits.
Decreasing tax revenues shrink the middle class and increase the number of people in direst poverty. The initiative process is corrupt: poor Americans working for corporations to make the plight of the poor worse? Thirty years of simultaneously heading toward conservatism and Third World status for America must stop.
Corporate Republicans have destroyed wage-building unions. They’re after welfare and Social Security. Medicare costs are soaring for those with fixed incomes. Continued Republican/corporate initiatives will empower corporations at the expense of the poor and middle-class workers.
George Thomas
Vancouver
