Letters to the Editor

Letter: Madore confused

A June 4 story, "Fee plan might be a tough sell," quoted Commissioner David Madore saying that a fee waiver would "open the floodgates" for jobs. Will somebody tell Madore that a floodgate of job openings is not the same as a floodgate of jobs?

Letter: Trust was lost long ago

In a June 4 story, a new IRS leader says, "Trust has been broken." What a moronic statement. Has anyone but the hopelessly naive trusted any government department in decades?

Letter: CRC will create Trollville

Clark County and Vancouver are currently discussing the best way to construct a new bridge across the Columbia River. Perhaps looking to other cities to see how they handled their bridge crossings would be wise. One notable city would be San Francisco.

Letter: Move forward with bridge project

David Madore and Tom Mielke — what's with these county commissioners' determined opposition to light rail on the new I-5 bridge over the Columbia River? If/when that bridge collapses, it's beyond imagination to think of the number of people that will die and how many vehicles will fall into the river.

Letter: We can rely on buses

Buses are practical for those dependent on public transportation. Buses are safe. Bus drivers can anticipate and resolve problems. Bus drivers can witness, intercede and call for help when the defenseless are harassed, intimidated or assaulted. Ditto for medical emergencies on or near the bus. Bus drivers can assist disabled passengers with boarding, departure and directions. Buses come to the rescue when light rail breaks down. Buses use existing roads and don't eliminate traffic lanes or street parking. Buses can take alternate routes. Buses are less expensive to build, maintain and operate than light rail.

Letter: Bush blamed again

It was quite a stretch using selective, simplistic reasoning and convenient hindsight for Alan B. Kerr to blame President George W. Bush for the Mount Vernon bridge collapse in his May 29 letter tirade, "Trillions wasted on destruction."

Letter: Press won't report intolerance

Leonard Pitt's June 3 column, "Boy Scouts' decision on gays is nothing to celebrate," shows religious tolerance is disappearing in the United States. Reports on homosexuals wanting to force themselves into the privately led Boy Scout organization shows that compromise on this issue will be met with contempt and disdain. While Scouts have not allowed homosexuals to join the organization in the past, they showed willingness to allow Scout-age homosexuals into the organization, but not adults. This was met with outrage. Activist homosexuals now have a scorched-earth policy that whoever disagrees with them on any issue will be sued, boycotted and ridiculed.

Correction: Skyview marching band

Skyview marching band: Skyview High School's marching band program is not being considered for budget cuts by the Vancouver school district. A Tuesday letter to the editor made an incorrect assertion about the program.

Letter: Give home rule another chance

Perhaps our Clark County residents were not sufficiently alarmed in the past about how our county is governed. Perhaps I was too complacent in 2011, when I didn't make time to attend a home rule charter meeting. There are many of us who cannot seem to find a better solution for the current problems. Let's give home rule another chance.

Letter: Luck will run out on I-5 Bridge

Only luck — a low bridge and shallow water — prevented an expensive inconvenience from turning into a tragedy when an oversized truck slammed into I-5's Skagit River bridge. More than 5,000 trucks cross our own Interstate 5 Bridge every day, many of them oversize loads. All it takes is one fatigued trucker to wander across the span's dangerously narrow shoulders and ram its support beams. The bridge's height alone ensures that will be a tragic day.

Letter: Poor environment hurts economy

The recent actions of two of the county commissioners in Clark County raise the question of whether the small group of developers whose financial interests benefit from a lack of environmental protection will prevail over the health and well-being of the whole community.

Letter: Keeping an eye on Madore, Mielke

Though I vote in every local election, not everyone I choose is elected. I'm OK with that. I always figure that whoever gets the job will bypass politics in favor of what is in the best interests of the county. I mean, this is Washington state, not Washington, D.C. Boy, was I naive.

Letter: Immigration bill is disastrous

If the proposed immigration bill passes, it will be devastating to America. With the number of dependents that the 11 million illegal aliens who are already here will bring in, the total could soon swell to about 33 million — having lifetime work permits — competing with the 12 million unemployed Americans.

Letter: What do food-labeling foes fear?

More than 90 percent of Americans support labeling of genetically engineered foods. More than one million Americans have signed an FDA petition to label it. Food corporations have made it clear: they do not care what the majority of their customers want. They prefer to keep their customers in the dark about whether or not the food they buy includes genetically engineered ingredients.

Letter: Following the beat builds up youth

Skyview High School and the Vancouver School District are discussing cutting the Marching Band and Reign Dance Team programs. As a Skyview band alum I am writing to garner support for the program.