Letters to the Editor

Priorities

Youth Center's plight deserves more attention

Editor, The Times:

While I was reading Saturday's news stories about the Sonics trial and, next to it, the pitiful and dangerous state of the county's Youth Services Center ["What to do with youth facility?" Times, News, June 21], it occurred to me that perhaps the big shots with big money in Seattle could put together a PowerPoint presentation to help raise money for something really needed in the community.

Oh, I know, the glamour is lacking and nobody's going to talk about the Youth Services Center over a golf game, but it might do something for the karma of those involved in the Sonics fiasco. Actually, they could leave the mind-numbing PowerPoint presentation behind and just get their priorities straight.

— Molly Larson Cook, Langley

Campaign financing

The more local, the better

I believe Jim Vesely is correct in how ubiquitous money is for financing campaigns ["No longer just candidates: the era of super campaigns," editorial column, June 22]. Still, there is one campaign-finance strategy that would be effective. Money for financing any campaign should only come from inside the district that is represented by the election.

Dino Rossi could get money from throughout Washington state, but not from Alaska, Alabama or Argentina. A congressional race could be financed only with money from inside that district, not from funds from other parts of the state, or from other states. The hard part of this would be the role of special-interest groups.

Would it be legal to prohibit the National Rifle Association or the Sierra Club from contributing to a regional election? Unless there is a chapter within that district and the funds are raised within that district, this is how it should be.

Under no circumstances do I expect this to happen, but in my idealism, I think that a congressman or woman should represent his or her district, and not the national political party's interests.

— Ron Lawton, Woodinville

Washington's gas tax

Let's not forget the hike

I find it interesting that with all the complaining about the high price of gas, there is no coverage of the tax increase coming July 1.

Has everyone forgotten that our governor installed all those taxes? If she wants to help the middle class in Washington, she will cancel this final tax hike.

— Louise Pasche, Seattle

Getting our fix

Saudis prolong addiction

Here I thought I'd have to sell the SUV. In the nick of time, Saudi Arabia is going to pump more oil so we can again fire up those "suck us very dry" vehicles, better known as SUVs ["Saudi Arabia to increase oil production," News, June 16]. Like a bunch of shivering addicts suffering from oil withdrawal, we can breathe easy knowing our fix is on the way.

As with any addict, any solution is a good solution: drilling off the coast, drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, brewing our own (ethanol), or buying more from our global pushers. People are willing to risk virtually anything for their oil fix on the premise that nothing negative will probably happen.

This is similar to those who built their houses on the side of Mount St. Helens. For us in the United States to believe that we cannot provide an alternative automobile, using alternative methods, is the way we have been groomed to think.

So now Americans are finally beginning to face reality, finally starting to look at alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, hydrogen or possibly nuclear and finally beginning to think in terms of solutions that will contribute to our economy and overall health. Now the Saudis are realizing that we may no longer continue to be the source of their wealth, and instead become the source of our own wealth.

So they are going to pump more oil to ensure we remain addicted to their drug. If you're thinking as you're reading this, "uh oh, don't tick them off," savor that feeling of being a victim. We are part of the problem.

— Robert Tracy, Edgewood

Apple and blueberry pie

Slicing up the budget

Letters' writer Bruce Booker ["King County budget cap," Northwest Voices, June 21] claims that the budget segment for "law, safety and justice" costs King County "only 10 percent of the county's total budget, less than the 12 percent [it] spends on social services ... ."

This man doesn't know how to keep the apple pie out of the blueberry pie. Maybe raw numbers will help: The proposed 2008 King County budget is $4.8 billion; the general fund is 14 percent of that, about $660.5 million. Law, safety and justice amounts to $469 million (71 percent) of that fund, while health and human services amounts to about $46 million (7 percent) of that general fund.

When you cut the apple pie without cleaning the knife first used on the blueberry pie, the colors bleed, as have Mr. Booker's numbers. It isn't Ron Sims' fault that Booker cannot manage his pies or handle big numbers. The Times' editorial June 18 ["The $60 million fix for King County"] that Booker challenges was on target.

— Bill Kirlin-Hackett, Seattle

Meeting energy needs

Drilling for answers

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has stated that she is opposed to offshore leases since, "We can't drill our way out of this." She opposes the leases because they can't solve the whole problem. This is the theme of your editorial also ["Bush's last gasp on oil," June 23].

This position is simply wrong. Here's why: There are only three ways we can meet our worldwide growing energy needs. They include conservation, alternative energy sources and expansion of our existing energy sources. Unfortunately, the contribution of the first two to our energy needs is less than 10 percent of our needs. There is no choice but to expand the use of existing sources of energy.

These existing sources are coal, oil, natural gas, hydropower and nuclear. They are, by far, the largest portion of existing sources and offer the only real near-term choice to meet the world's growing energy needs.

Pelosi and The Times could say they oppose expanded offshore drilling because of their concern for the environment. If they did, they would be intellectually honest.

— Michael O'Byrne, Hunts Point