Keep message clear for BPA to hear
Stop Towers Now and No Way BPA are two citizens groups opposing the Bonneville Power Administration’s plans to erect new 500-kilovolt transmission lines through Clark and Cowlitz counties. Their message from the onset has been no new lines in populated areas.
You might think these groups are a small minority with no real backing and few supporters, but you would be mistaken. A partial list of supporters in favor of locating new lines away from populated areas includes the commissioners of Clark and Cowlitz counties, the city of Battle Ground, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., state Sens. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, Joseph Zarelli, R-Ridgefield, and Craig Pridemore, D-Vancouver, state Reps. Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama, and Jim Moeller, D-Vancouver, the town of Yacolt, and Battle Ground and Hockinson school districts. Additionally many thousands of families opposed to the lines are busy working and raising their children. They have attended meetings, written letters and held signs. Given the concerns about health, real estate values and safety, I’m not sure who would support the building of any new lines close to schools, neighborhoods and privately owned land. Many folks have spoken up, let’s hope BPA is hearing them.
Lynn Stiglich
Vancouver
Money’s running out; make changes
Unlike the president of the United States and federal lawmakers, state governors cannot resolve budget shortfalls by borrowing or printing more currency. Therefore, the only choice to resolve budget shortfalls is to reduce expenditures (short- and long-term) to a level that is commensurate with taxes collected. If the state has taken on more workers than it can support, then the employment rolls need to be reduced. If the state has made agreements with other entities by contract, then those contracts need to be re-negotiated or abolished commensurate with available taxes collected annually.
Governors, bound by the constitution of their state, must keep the state on budget on a year-by-year basis. This is the most significant job of the chief executive of the state … period.