Letters to the Editor

Letter: Turlay is an attentive candidate

Thank goodness someone stepped up to the plate to run against Mayor Tim Leavitt. Our city has deteriorated since Leavitt became mayor. Many open spaces and medians are ridden with weeds and debris and have been largely unkept. I contacted the mayor by email and have written letters to see why our tax dollars aren't paying for basic services. He seems to forget that we pay his salary. Will I vote for Leavitt? A resounding "no." He doesn't seem to have pride in our city.

Letter: Reagan's amnesty failed

Edwin Meese III, former U.S. attorney general under President Ronald Reagan, offers keen perspective and insight in his critique of the 1986 Reagan "amnesty" bill in a June 14 Wall Street Journal column.

Letter: $4.8 million is a lot to lose

The Board of County Commissioners by a vote of 2-1 "kills fees in quest for jobs." So any company or corporation building or expanding in the county will not be responsible for the necessary county services that will be needed as a result of their actions. According to the June 12 story, "the county estimates the general fund burden will increase by $4.8 million over the coming year and a half."

Letter: Legislature's duty is clear

Most people agree that it is the job of state government to educate our children and build infrastructure that strengthens our economy. As a representative of the 49th District, I find these are not partisan issues. Our state constitution and state Supreme Court could not be more clear about our duty to fully fund education. Late Thursday night, the Legislature passed a bill that moved beyond one piece of the partisan gridlock that has put us in this second special session. There were very few Republican votes. The hardest part of our job is still in front of us.

Letter: Atheists demand a preference

I agree with Larry Dorr's June 10 letter, "Hope in first step to end bigotry," about needing to define "what equality really means." Yet, he ignores the definition while accusing the Boy Scouts of America of bigotry for allowing openly "gay scouts" but not atheists and gay leaders.

Letter: Follow the lead of other bridges

It is amazing to me that we here in Portland and Vancouver will spend $3 billion or more to reduce the water clearance of a major bridge from 178 feet to 116 feet.

Letter: Time to dissolve teacher unions

Battle Ground taxpayers are still woozy from watching their real estate taxes climb to a new record as a result of the recent unwholesome school levy. Yet, what we find is half-days and waiver days instead of full days of school as the year ends … how can this be?

Letter: Museum diminished under NPS

When the National Park Service began operating Pearson Air Museum in February some asked, "Does it have the unique skills, contacts and credibility within the aviation community to successfully operate an air museum? How many air museums does the Park Service manage within its 400 locations?"

Letter: Our democracy is under siege

There are several actions that must be taken to get us back on track.

Letter: Bridge news can be terrifying

I just wish that everyone in Clark County could have been with me in my Reno hotel room a few weeks ago. I turned on the 11 p.m. news to learn more about a Reno earthquake. The quake was no big deal, but as I started to switch the television off, I heard "Up next, I-5 bridge collapses in Washington."

Letter: Pursue the third-bridge solution

On March 18, I was driving from Vancouver to Portland at 8 a.m. over the Glenn Jackson Bridge and got caught in the huge accident caused by a tractor-trailer that entered the bridge going the wrong way.

Letter: Financial burden shifts to residents

Regarding the June 10 Columbian story "Light rail: Blight or bliss?," one major component that was excluded involves the fact that the property values study is incomplete.

Letter: Light rail expands community

I attended my first C-Tran Board of Directors meeting this month and didn't stay long. I was surprised at how negative many of the speakers were.

Letter: Religious doctrine has much leeway

I'm becoming disturbed and agitated by Catholicism. Officials of the church are moving in on our health care system by buying up hospitals with political tax-free money and imposing Catholic sexual reproductive dogma on medical patients in conflict with constitutional Affordable Care Act.