Online-only letters

20-cent green fee

Seattle plan a step in the right direction

Guest columnist Peter Nickerson is absolutely wrong: Seattle's decision to charge 20 cents for plastic bags is a very good idea and one that is now being implemented in many countries around the world in an effort to reduce the use of fossil fuels and to promote biodegradable waste ["Why Seattle's bag tax is a bad idea," Times, guest commentary, July 30].

I recently returned from South Africa, where stores charge consumers a small fee for plastic bags. For a country that still has considerable poverty, it doesn't seem to be a hardship there.

By focusing on plastic bags as litter, Nickerson ignores the real problems they present — mainly the overwhelming presence of non-biodegradable plastic bags in landfills. Why would less use of these bags not be a good idea?

I don't buy his contention that reusable plastic bags (probably made in China!) use more energy to produce and will wind up in landfills anyway. When you compare that energy to the vast amount wasted by making "disposable" plastic bags, it's insignificant. Since many bags can be used for years (I've had some for at least 10 years), the potential presence of reusable bags in landfills is negligible compared to the other bags.

It's important to note that Seattle is not banning plastic bags — just charging for them. They are still useful, but we obviously use (and waste) far too many of them — and paper bags, as well. Overpackaging is a great problem in our consumer society, and the best strategy is not to use what we don't need in the first place — recycling, too, consumes an enormous amount of energy.

This is a small step in changing our ways that is long overdue. I hope other cities around the country will also adopt Seattle's plan.

— Alan Moen, Entiat

Bag fee taxes twice

It seems to me that the tax on bags is a double tax. Seattleites already pay for garbage disposal, which I'm confident is where very nearly all of these bags eventually end up. What's next? A tax on every bottle purchased to cover the recycling costs that people are also already paying?

— Mike Lempriere, Bainbridge Island

Critical Mass clash

Rid of jerks with bicycle-riding police

Lots of cops ride bicycles in Seattle ["Bike advocates or hooligans?," Times, page one, July 29]. Why aren't a couple of them riding with the Critical Mass folks? Just the visual of a cop or two present tends to keep people in line.

The real problem here isn't "motorists vs. cyclists," but people who occasionally act like jerks. Remove the jerk factor from the equation by adding a "jerk deterrent" in the form of a few cops on bicycles, and presto! No more problem.

— Catherine S. Winter, Seattle

Don't escalate violence; call 911

During the Critical Mass confrontation the other night, we'll probably never know who touched whom first, the bicyclists or the driver. Once things got heated enough — a "critical mass" of a different sort — the situation unstoppably became more violent on both sides, with each potentially claiming self-defense.

I have one simple question: Why didn't the driver just stay put and call 911 before any bicyclist was hit by his car?

We pay for police to be trained professionals in dealing with conflict; let's use them.

— Gary Yngve, Seattle

Seattle experiments

Nickels sounds like a parent

In regards to the new bag tax and the closing of roads to encourage biking and walking ["A vehicle-free experiment," Times, Local News, July 31]: At what point did the mayor become my dad?

I ask because that is exactly how this all sounds. "I am taking this away; you will thank me later." Or another my dear dad pulled out from the ol' adage toolbox: "Because I said so." Mayor Greg Nickels sounds like my dad.

Trouble is, I am 31, my real dad long ago stopped making proclamations for my greater good and started actually speaking to me and, more importantly, treating me like a normal human being.

— Mark Hulen, Seattle

Rossi vs. Gregoire

Dino's ad aims to deceive voters

Behind a sparkling stream lined with lush trees, Washington voters see "Rossi" lit up in gold font. Gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi's first TV ad is a deceptive farce: Rossi would like to brainwash us into believing that he supports clean streams and education, but his transportation proposal says otherwise ["Rossi's subtle editing," Times, Postman on Politics blog, July 30].

Rossi wants to replace Highway 520 with an eight-lane highway. He will use $3 billion out of the general fund for this project, taking money away from schools and health care. Meanwhile, the highway expansion will damage the Arboretum and other local habitats. And here's the icing on the cake: Rossi's eight lanes will actually increase congestion in our Montlake and Bellevue communities.

The "subtle" appeal to environmentalism in Rossi's ad is sickening. He has a terrible record on the environment. In addition to his transportation proposal, he has opposed efforts to clean up Puget Sound. He questions the existence of global warming. Moreover, he plans to cut money from our children's education — as he did in the state Senate — in order to pay for his anti-environmental policies.

Rossi lacks a coherent plan for the future of Washington. This cheap ad can't hide what he is: a desperate candidate trying to deceive voters.

— John Gerlach, Sammamish

Griswold vs. Griswold

In last Sunday's Northwest Voices, letter writer Mark Griswold of Mill Creek opined that gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi has been swimming in "self-serving intrigue and truth-evading maneuvers" for the past four years ["Ironic political satire," Times, July 30].

Well, this Mark Griswold of Tukwila, who happens to know Dino personally and has also been a candidate for office himself, disagrees. Through my own involvement in public life, I've had the chance to meet several leaders, and I can think of no one who is more selfless and who cares more about this state's future than my friend Dino.

In the three-year interim between races he has been doing what only a noble person would do: trying his best to change Washington for the better any way he can, both through informing citizens through the Forward Washington Foundation and directly helping our community by revitalizing vacant buildings.

And what has his opponent done during that same period? Increased the budget by 33 percent, created positions for her biggest supporters and political cronies, released dozens of felons and failed to repair the viaduct.

The voters have an easy choice this time around. Vote for Rossi. Vote for change.

— Mark Griswold, former 43rd Legislative District candidate and former chair of the 43rd District GOP, Tukwila

Gov. and the bar

Bouncer did the right thing

Regarding the incident concerning the bouncer who refused to let Gov. Christine Gregoire into his bar ["Bouncer turns Gov. Gregoire away from Olympia bar," Times, Local News, July 30]: It was noted that the young man "needed more training." This bouncer was simply doing his job.

I have been a bouncer for years, and regardless of whether the customer is familiar or obviously over 21, the law states that in order to be in a bar you must actually possess your ID; having it on your person.

This protects the bouncer in case a Liquor Control Board officer enters the establishment and checks customers for their IDs. Should a customer not have identification on hand, the establishment is hit with a large fine and could even find its license in jeopardy. Furthermore, the fine is often passed on to the employee and the employee is terminated.

I give kudos to this bouncer for not yielding to the strong-arm tactics of the elite who think they can run roughshod of state laws. He should be commended for showing courage under pressure.

— Michael Gill, Bellingham