Should our soldiers in Afghanistan take their gloves off and fight like we did in WWII, pull out like the president wants to do in Iraq, or stay and police the country like we did in Vietnam?

In response to the Nov. 13 letter, "Evil left," when we dehumanize either or both of America's two main sociopolitical groups with gross generalities, nothing is accomplished except greater division through malicious hyperbole.

The Richland City Council has voted for curbside recycling. They deserve our support. "Waste not, want not" is not just a lesson for kids.

A board comprised of the city officials from the Tri-Cities is examining the merit for funding various regional facilities. As Herald staff writer Kristi Pihl accurately describes their actions, they are on a merry-go-round on how they are going to pay for these projects.

There are two things our government in Washington, D.C., must above all else remember: the people of this, the greatest nation on earth, and our Constitution, the founding document this country was built upon. If they in any way endanger one, then both will be in peril. Then they will eventually lose or destroy both.

Your editorial on lowering the speed limit on Interstate 182 was the nuttiest in awhile. You postulated that the 70 mph speed limit was too high and cited two recent fatal accidents as "proof."

Immediately after taking office two years ago, I and fellow Kennewick School Board member Wendy London suggested that a facilitator (available through state) be brought in to aid in team building in the new school board. Dawn Adams replied, "I spend enough time with these people." Dan Mildon and Lynn Fielding agreed and no team building was approved.

President Obama has asked Congress to curtail any investigation into the Fort Hood massacre until after law enforcement and military leaders have completed their probes into the matter. Our president has conveniently asked our representatives to "resist the temptation to turn this tragic event into political theater."

In regards to Fred Jensen's "evil left" (Letter, Nov. 13). Fred, I've been a liberal all my life ( 'cause when I look around the universe I see God is a liberal). The things to which you refer that we liberals believe in, in your "primer," no sane person of any association would consider for a basis of any type of government let alone a political party.

Sentiments like Fred Jensen's (Letters, Nov. 13) have no place in your paper.

Several recent opinions referred to culture and the arts. After reading "Cultural oasis" (Letters, Nov. 2), I have to agree that quality performing arts at affordable costs are readily available right here in the Tri-Cities.

Ex-president Clinton met with some senators this week to promote "health reform" legislation. I found this meeting particularly disturbing. There was no discussion on how to improve the legislation; no discussions of tort reform or minimizing Medicare fraud or the effect of the budget deficit or anything else which would benefit their nation or their fellow citizens. Only how to score political points or avoid political risks.

I would like to thank Fred Jensen of Richland for his letter of Nov. 13 where he defined the "evil left" so well for us. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to categorize a group of political ideologies into a tidy package except for the sole purpose of discounting other's views and attempting to make them appear invalid.

I would like to ask everyone exiting off I-182 on the South Broadmoor exit to please merge into traffic and not stop. When you merge with traffic, signal and enter at the same speed that traffic is moving. I've seen too many accidents because drivers come to a complete stop. The exit has an outer lane that is there to help give you time to merge with southbound traffic.

You are now experiencing public option for health care. Seniors with a health issue if over 65 cannot get the H1N1 shot. Instead they are sending it to the terrorists at Gitmo. Dictating only youngsters, mothers, health care persons and terrorists can get a shot. In fact the regular flu shot is now in short supply because our president and his misplaced polices caused this. Where is the outcry from the media that whined about every step Bush took?

The Pasco City Council does not listen to the people. Our council funded a random survey of 400 city residents. A large enough sampling to support the validity of this statistical analysis.

On Nov. 18, 2001, Erin Klotz was killed by a drunk driver in North Bend. Erin was a graduate of Kamiakin High School, an honors student at Central Washington University, a talented musician, a loving sister and daughter, and a supportive friend. In an instant, her life was taken away due to someone else's selfish choice.

I walked into a local grocery store on a Monday night and saw the sweetest thing. I like to acknowledge when I see parents doing something good with their children. A family had two little ones that looked to be about 3 and 4 years old. Each child had a piece of paper with little icon pictures on them. It looked like a shopping page. I asked the little boy what he had. He said, "It's my list." He was so proud of it too! I pointed to an item and asked again what it was, again he said, "It's my list." I had to giggle. I told the parents good job. It was nice to see them teaching their children how to shop at that age. They weren't old enough to read but could tell by pictures what they were after. I was about three aisles over and heard the boy screaming, "Daddy, Daddy I found it!"

I fully support dropping the I-182 speed limit within the Tri-Cities to 60 mph. My experience basis is associated with entrance and merging with 70 mph traffic. Coming out of Richland towards Pasco, if you are not up to 70 mph almost immediately after leaving George Washington Way, you will be run over and you better be at 70 when you get squeezed between the freeway and traffic entering from the Yakima bridge exit. This is a dangerous area. Also coming off of Road 68 towards Richland, you will get run over by cars getting up to 70 mph immediately even though there is a very long dedicated merge lane; and merging with 70 mph semi-trucks coming at you on your left creates even more excitement.

Regarding the Planned Parenthood in Pasco debate. I'm pro-choice, I choose not to judge and thereby I choose peace. Sad thing is, peace is so easy if you just let things go, especially judgment, yet people are so reluctant to let go. Will having another clinic in Pasco directly adversely affect most people boycotting it? My guess is no, so why get worked up about it?

Thank you, Tri-City Herald, Washington Post and any other news media that reports on Naseem Rakha's The Crying Tree."

Who's going to volunteer to die next on I-182 in order to get the speed lowered to 60 mph? Over the past few weeks, three young people died there. While a 70 mph speed limit wasn't considered the cause, I believe it is a contributing factor.

Now that the voting is over it might be interesting to reflect back on Referendum 71.

When will the speed limit of 70 mph on the stretch of I-182 entering Queensgate heading east to Pasco through Richland be reduced to 60 mph? How many more accidents must happen and fatalities occur before this issue is addressed?

This Veterans Day the world, and our community, lost an amazing young woman. Brittany Hollenbach was a beautiful, talented woman who had her whole life ahead of her.

Frank Herbert in Dune said, "You are controlled by that of which you are unaware and by that which you deny." Please read that last sentence 10 times. I have just listened to 15 minutes of crap ... vague general statements by a politician who knows that most of the people listening do not have the ability to see through his crap.

The massacre at Fort Hood is truly appalling, but sadder still is the fact that I took the event in stride. While our nation's news outlets saw it as a huge story worthy of 24-hour coverage, to me it seemed like just another daily headline from our years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Another dozen people needlessly killed and, tomorrow and the days after, we'll read about another dozen or two or three killed in another shooting or bombing or air strike in Afghanistan or Pakistan or Iraq.

Kudos to Stan Kuick for his Nov. 8 letter, "Archeological pork."

I was amused and offended when Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele recently referred to the Republican Party as "the party of Lincoln."

Gather round folks, and I will tell you a tale about a farmer. Let's say he lived near Eltopia. This farmer worked really hard, and after several years he managed to accumulate 553 pigs. These pigs worked for the farmer but didn't recognize him as boss. They had every perk you can imagine -- swimming pools, bowling alleys, even a fitness room.

In its editorial on Nov. 10, the Herald editorial board criticized the good citizens of Franklin County for their rejection of the "criminal justice tax." Such criticism is misplaced. It's like a merchant criticizing his customers for not buying his products.

High school sports teaches kids about teamwork, perseverance, sportsmanship. Good and bad. My concern is the bad. Especially when it's the officials. No matter the sport or the teams and schools competing, there is always one team favored by the way the game is officiated.

Our congressman for the 4th District, Richard "Doc" Hastings, voted "No" on overhauling our broken health care system, joining all but one of his Republican cohorts in opposing the bill, H.R. 3962.

The trouble with Congress is they no longer are trying to serve the U.S., but rather themselves.

I am truly saddened to read that the Pasco Planning Commission has recommended against Planned Parenthood's new location. It is truly disgraceful to see how little Pasco residents care about women's health and fertility issues. Apparently, the paranoia of a few can lead an entire community to err on the side of fear rather than reason and common sense.

On TV the other night, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was absolutely glowing when she proudly announced, "The bill passed!"

Are we willing to lose the face of Kennewick forever?

In a community blessed with federal contracts, high wages and company-sponsored benefits, why would we want to say no to those less fortunate? In addition to the above, we have a legacy of Department of Energy-supported retirement and health care benefits rarely seen in this day and age. Is it considered a "right" for us, but not for those without a government job? That's the impression I have of our representative -- Mr. Doc Hastings. He takes credit for the sitewide DOE-awarded contracts, shows up for media events and seems to support little else. How about standing up and voting yes for basic health care benefits for everyone, Mr. Hastings?

Whenever my husband notices a rut in the road has been fixed, he says, "The mayor must have hit the hole and it's been taken care of." The implication being: if it affects you personally, you take care of it.

I believe "hate-crimes legislation" to be a bad idea. Offenders should be punished for what they did or tried to do, not what they thought, other than the intent to commit the act.

The argument against health care reform: we are already in deficit and need to wait for the opportunity to introduce universal health care. Yet no action to redress the cause of this unconscionable situation.

Thanks to the 2006 and 2008, elections the liberals, i.e., "the left," are firmly in control of policymaking in Olympia and Washington, D.C. I thought a primer on what the left believes would be important or we will get more of them in the 2010 election.

I was disappointed the Tri-City Herald did not mention one word (that I could find) about the remarkable demonstrations all around the globe on Oct. 24 in favor of bold climate action. There were at least 5,200 citizen demonstrations of incredible variety and creativity in 181 countries calling attention to the need to bring down the level of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere to 350 parts per million. That is the amount of CO2 which leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for us to avoid runaway climate change.

As an American citizen and voter, I feel it is my duty to be informed on the issues and stay aware of my surroundings, both politically and personally.

I am an exchange student from Pakistan on scholarship from the U.S. Department of State, and I am a senior at Kennewick High School. I thought I needed to write about my country and some about common misconceptions.

I have only been a resident of the Tri-Cities since April, but have traveled here from Spokane many times in the last 10 years. My biggest problem is the new roundabouts at the blue bridge. It has to be the worst design of a roadway ever, and I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way.

I appreciate our community for everything it has done to raise money for the Woodall and Teft families that were involved in the recent car accident that took the lives of Taylor Teft and Alex Woodall.

The U.S. has always failed at foreign policy.

As Americans we are the most blessed people on the planet. We live in a land of unbelievable beauty. We produce most of the food for the world. It's amazing the amount of agriculture we have right here in our state.

In his Nov. 3 letter, Robert Budd claims many technical articles suggest the fundamental cause of global warming is sunspots. He is wrong. I have reasonable familiarity with the relevant scientific literature and there is no "strong evidence" sunspots are the fundamental cause of global warming. There isn't even weak evidence for that claim.

With election past, our lives still hang in the economic balance!

Nov. 14 is World Diabetes Day.

After World War II, the United States owned half the world, and we gave it all back. President Roosevelt was against colonies.

The Senate health care committee just approved a proposed bill that accomplishes two things that we all can support. First it will ensure that everyone in the U.S. will have some form of health insurance coverage. The second important thing is that over time, this proposed bill is designed to reduce the national debt. We need to thank the TEA parties, because I believe they convinced the politicians that deficit spending must be stopped, causing the health care committee to propose this new feature so that legislation will help reduce the national debt.

Having been a CASA volunteer for many years, I can tell you that the CASA programs in Benton County is not a luxury in the judicial process. The investigations performed by and the information provided by CASAs are in many cases a crucial element in helping judges see the true frontline picture in divorce, custody and dependency cases. Without this information, judges would often be forced to make decisions without complete information and possibly place a child back into a home that is unsafe, dangerous or possibly even lethal.

Whether you agree with them or not, the financial linchpin of economic stability in the health care reforms being proposed is the individual mandate requiring everybody to purchase health insurance. Costs can only be controlled if more people (younger, healthier people) are brought into the system to pay premiums equal to the ones paid by those in much worse health. They, theoretically, provide the money to fund benefits to the poor, to those who lose their jobs and to those who come into the system with pre-existing conditions.

If we are considering sending 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan, then we should also consider reinitiating the draft. Depending on the few (small percent of our total population) brave men and women willing to give life and limb for our safety is no longer an ethical course of action. Because the number of volunteers is insufficient, many now serve multiple tours of duty.

Why is it so hard for people to correctly navigate two- and four-way stop intersections? I feel that many people would benefit from re-reading the drivers instruction manual, especially the part that deals with right of way at two- and four-way stop intersections. I specifically have in mind the ability to cross Lee Boulevard at Goethals (two-way stop) and the Knight Street and Goethals (four-way stop) intersections.

Concerning the current trends in high unemployment rates, has anyone asked those unemployed some of the reasons for them being unemployed. For some, the reason is that they are living too far away from the work sites they are applying for and the employers seem to automatically disqualify them for this fact. Even though this is not a legal form of discrimination, it should be considered as one.

Someone wants to open a marijuana dispensary in Richland? Do they understand that cities across the country are shutting down hundreds of such clinics after realizing the mistake they made in allowing them? They cite an increase in crimes such as burglary, robbery and loitering in the vicinity of the dispensaries; the public use of marijuana on the streets and sidewalks near the dispensaries; an increase in DUI citations, street dealers competing with the dispensaries for customers; and an increase in the sales of other illegal drugs near these dispensaries. And let's not forget the easy access to marijuana by children.

A great Native American legend tells about two wolves. One is evil and one is good, and an eternal fight rages between them. A young brave asks his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?" The grandfather replies, "The one you feed."

You reported that the people whose tires were slashed on Halloween were not at home and did not give out treats.

I was deeply disappointed to read in the Herald that the CASA/ GAL program for Benton/Franklin counties was on the chopping block. I have spent 40 years working at Hanford, nine years working as a reserve police officer at West Richland and one year as a CASA/GAL volunteer. In that one year at CASA, I have seen more pain and more hope than in the combined 50 years of my other two work activities.

Your recent editorial about the possible sale of the fairgrounds mentioned the importance of protecting the needs of the Tri-City Horse Racing Association, along with other longtime users.

With the newer restrictions for getting one's identification, I don't think many people know the extreme difficulty for some young people to simply get their ID.

To reduce the need for political favors and allow those elected to devote their time to governing rather than returning favors and raising funds, here are some suggestions:

The veteran who touched me the most epitomizes all of the good in those who serve our country, along with so many of the tragedies associated with their stories.

It was with great interest that I read the recent spread in the Herald about the excavation of Hanford artifacts. Then the Herald had its own editorial on the poignancy of seeing how people lived at Hanford in the 1940s. I'm afraid that I have another perspective on this.

The front-page report of Connell's art project should not go unnoticed. Pretty cool wheat, I think! Whimsical sculptures at key locations in town. Functional art as picnic tables and benches. In Connell!

My seventh-grade daughter had a recent class assignment on a story about two teenagers having to deal with the consequences of playing Russian Roulette. As she was telling me this part of the story my mind was going back to when I was in middle school and was assigned books like The Outsiders and Rumblefish. Given that the world is much more complicated now than it was 30 years ago, I had no qualms about this story. But then the scary part happened. My daughter told me the teacher had to pull the assignment because of some uproar by some parents.

As a Vietnam Era veteran, I can tell you each and every veteran is a part of not only my life, but a part of those of whom never served as well. Those who went before me and those who went after are the very essence of why we have the freedoms we enjoy today. Perhaps if more had served, or would serve, this country would have a better sense of values that's instilled by serving in the military. I'm thankful for every veteran!

The veteran that most influenced my life was my father, Ray Davis. He served in WWII, and when he came back from the war he raised my brother and me. He raised us to be honest, self-sufficient, and to love and respect our nation. Because of him I learned what "hard work" meant, and that honesty was the best policy, regardless of the circumstances.

We honor members of our family past and present who made the commitment to serve in the armed forces to protect this country and what it stands for.

I am awed that there are those who would volunteer to defend and protect this country from all enemies both foreign and domestic all the while realizing the ultimate price may very well be the giving of their life for their country. I do not recall a particular one from this area. However, several years ago I read of one who had a leadership position in the war in Iraq and lost a leg in the fighting over there. After the external wounds had healed and he was fitted with an artificial leg, he was ready to return to the war. This soldier had learned to really move on his artificial leg. Being a leader and participating in the battles, he was known and was targeted by the Iraqis, yet he was ready to return to the battlefield. This particular story really touched me. I do not recall his name but I am thankful for many like him and all of those who serve our country.

"Swine-flu vaccine: Shortage is severe" reads the headline in The Seattle Times. Mr. Obama has declared a national emergency for H1N1 situation.

Paranoid? Not me! I am a member of the Three Rivers Collective and although I haven't known Chet Biggerstaff for more than 6 or 8 months I believe he has the best intentions for us as a group. Not just anyone can become a member. You must meet certain criteria. We are not here to hide anything. We just want to be able to control pain associated with whatever ailments each member may have, and it varies from patient to patient.

This question cannot be answered in the singular. As a 12-year Air Force veteran, my sympathies go to my wife who had to do all the "family stuff" every time I had to leave home. I can't over-emphasize all the families (technically they are not veterans) who have to accept the separations and in the worst scenario, a death.

I am the daughter, niece, sister and mother of a seaman and three Marines, who served in WWII, the Korean conflict, Vietnam and in peacetime. The four of them touched all of our lives by their willingness to serve our country.

As a veteran, I cannot say I can think of any individual veteran who has touched my life. However, I was honored to serve with a great number of dedicated men who each helped shape a piece of my life during the Vietnam Era and in the years that followed. I continue to be impressed with the men and women who are helping to protect this country.

To deniers of climate change I say this: You are wrong. Just because we don't want to face the bad news doesn't mean the bad news is not incontrovertible. How long did it take for the flat-earth folks to settle down?

Having been a partner in a Pasco business for 40 years before retirement, I am still concerned about what goes on in Pasco. The planning commission made the right decision recommending against Planned Parenthood's attempt to move to Pasco in the location chosen. There are many negatives against this site. The location fronts on a busy arterial in the middle of the block creating a possibly serious traffic problem. The businesses and professionals who would be their neighbors do not want them there. The location is next to a school. There is concern about protests, and there will be many. The planning commission's decision got a standing ovation from about 50 people, indicating the citizens do not want Planned Parenthood either.

Everyone of them. Those who went and those who stayed home. Men and women, girls and boys, ones I know and ones I don't. Each one has moved my heart and touched my life.

My husband was "our hero." As his wife, his daughters and grandchildren he was a hero to all of us. Now deceased, he joined the Air Force, was commissioned an officer and trained as a pilot. He flew B-17s in the European Theatre during World War II. He was part of the "Bloody One-Hundredth" bomb group, so called because of the many losses. It takes a hero to fly over enemy territory, get shot at from both the ground and enemy fighters, climb back into the cockpit and do it again day after day -- each time not knowing if you will return.

There have been members of my family who have served our country since the Revolutionary War. Five of these veterans have had a personal impact on my life. They are my heroes, epitomizing self-sacrifice and love and obligation to country. These five brave men did not see their service as extraordinary. It was something that came along with citizenship. What they encountered during their military service was terrible -- the worst of what one human can do to another. They served in World War I and World War II, the Vietnam Conflict and most recently in Iraq. Each of them has suffered the lifetime consequences of their experiences.

I was appalled to read the responses to the Fast Focus question, What are your ideas for closing the gap between the Hispanic and Anglo communities? (Fast Focus, Oct. 4) The theme of most seems to be "I don't need to change; you do." I think we need to adopt the old East Coast custom of requiring the study of foreign languages in high school. Maybe even earlier.

In the article "Mormon muffins get their own calendar" (Oct. 27), I am entirely disgusted with those so-called "Mormon mothers." The story states that Tami Roberts, Miss May, has three daughters, and attends The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and is raising her kids with Mormon values. What a great example of Mormon values!

I was appalled to read the responses to the Fast Focus question, What are your ideas for closing the gap between the Hispanic and Anglo communities? (Fast Focus, Oct. 4) The theme of most seems to be "I don't need to change; you do." I think we need to adopt the old East Coast custom of requiring the study of foreign languages in high school. Maybe even earlier.

This concerns the Herald editorial "Potential organ donors should be sure to register" (Our Voice, Oct. 26)

Coal is the main energy source in the U.S. for producing electricity. Natural gas, or methane, rates right up there too. Burn these and you get the main greenhouse gas -- water. Carbon dioxide is also produced. The green plants and the ocean pretty much take care of it. A little nuclear and hydro also contribute. They are "clean" since they do not combust anything. Very expensive wind and most expensive solar also help out a little. Recently the president awarded grants of billions to study alternative energy and better batteries -- much of it to foreign countries.

The individuals controlling the steelhead's future seemingly are hell-bent on reducing the runs using wild vs. hatchery.

Congratulations to the city of Kennewick for NOT allowing someone like Loren Nichols to get away with something that awful and so discriminatory. He should take some history classes and know that the days of segregation were over LONG time ago.

My daughter goes to school at Enterprise Middle School in West Richland. We live in what is considered "walking distance" to the school. This walk is more than a mile if you take the paved route. If she crosses through undeveloped land, it is a bit less than a mile. This route is a dirt trail and is nasty during the winter months. We all know how the wind can blow and make conditions miserable this time of year. Add to that winter conditions and the walk to school is even more of a misery.

So, our senators who represent us in Congress have capitulated their duties of setting governmental policies to the Obama czars. Who are these people and what are their qualifications for setting national policy? What is their background and where do they come from? We really don't know.

U.N. bigwig Martin Sheinin filed a report suggesting that we "abandon the 'war paradigm' and enshrine the principles of gender equality and non-discrimination." He wants to rethink security checks at airports that "focus attention on male bombers who may be dressing as females to avoid scrutiny and make transgendered persons susceptible to increased harassment and suspicion."

Not only was a national single-payer approach never allowed on the table -- since it would have been the death knell for the private industry (would you care?) -- but even the public-option bills contain major concessions to the insurers, including sharp limits on who could qualify for a government-run program and delays on when the new program might take effect.

This administration speaks of "economy recovery!" Where is it, and are the citizens benefiting?

There has been a lot written about the blue bridge interchange project. However, has anyone noticed how dangerous it has become to merge from Highway 240 onto northbound Highway 395?

In an editorial cartoon Oct. 14, a reporter asks President Obama this question: "What do you have to say about the BBC report that shows we have seen no global warming over the last 11 years?" In fact, the conclusion reached in the article the cartoonist refers to is contradicted by the UK Met Office (aka Hadley Center) from which the journalist got his data.

Many years ago I was privileged to see a list of proposed uses for the Fast Flux Test Facility. It was a long list. Many of the proposals were clearly designed to be profitable. Even so, the government insisted there were no proposed uses for the FFTF. It was an obvious fiction back then.

Several letters recently seem to be supporters of the Democrats holding the majority of both houses of Congress and, obviously, the presidency. They all have a similar thread related to bipartisanship and the Republicans standing in the way of passage of "the health care" legislation being pushed by the administration and a large (but shrinking) number of the controlling majority party in both houses.

Global warming is either a hoax or sloppy science -- or both. It may prove to be the final event that drives our country into hyperinflation, bankruptcy or both.

I would like to address this highly sensitive topic by giving my own account of how this affects every American.

Are we using the wrong decision model to come up with the wrong solution to the wrong problem with regards to regional facilities?

During this election season, we are inundated with all kind of pleas. Vote for Sam, Just Say No, Support Me. Whatever.

I've been struggling to understand the irrational behavior of Congress that is damaging America -- the continuing onslaught of regulatory constraints on business to "protect the consumer" versus encouraging responsible, or discouraging irresponsible, behavior of the individual.

After living in the intense and volatile whirlwind of performing arts that is New York, we braced ourselves when we retired to the Tri-Cities. We knew that the Inland Northwest was environmentally a desert and feared that it might be culturally as well. We were wrong!

Tri-Cities Laboratory: Hold your position!

Speaking in broad general terms, cities, counties and states should seriously work harder at establishing the so-called rainy-day accounts. Washington has such a law. It is something that should have happened a long time ago, but it didn't. As we look at the state of our nation currently and how rapidly this came about it should be a signal to us, not to drive ourselves so fast that we would not be able to properly react should something suddenly appear in our headlights.

Sharon Brown is who we need on Kennewick City Council. Sharon has years of experience working with businesses. Additionally, her training as a lawyer would be an asset to the council. She is articulate and when presented with an issue she has the knowledge to know where to go to find answers. She is not afraid to ask the tough questions.

The question raised is "How can local and state governments deal with budget shortfalls?" The question should be "Why do local and state governments have budget shortfalls?" The answer is very simple; they are living beyond their means.

Here's what I'd like to see asked:

I urge every voter to educate themselves about I-1033. Please do your research on both sides of the initiative to make an informed decision. Although on the surface I-1033 looks inviting with its promises of controlled government revenues and reduction in property taxes, it creates unfairness to the citizens of our state and would have a negative impact on many programs and services.

West Richland needs a FULL time mayor! The salary stays the same for a full-time mayor and we need someone like Donna Noski to attend to business, every day, all day, and not have to get permission from the boss to leave his job (as our current mayor must do) to attend to business for our city! In fact, Ms. Noski will also assume the position of city administrator, a job she has held in the past, thereby saving the city money that can be used for more essential needs, i.e. more police, for one.

It's simple. Have Obama print you some money. Duh.

I am writing in support of Don Britain for Kennewick City Council. I have known Don for more than 20 years and found him to be an involved and well-informed lifelong resident of Kennewick who is passionate about the city and its future direction. Don's work experiences with local businesses and state agencies, including the state prison system, social services, and Kennewick Police Reserves provide him with a well-rounded background to help the city steer its future course. As a parent of two children who have attended Kennewick schools, he is familiar with the school systems and their importance within the community.

Ideally this is a simple problem with a simple solution. You tell the people what the cost is and its benefit for the present. You then tell them what they will lose and how much they will save if the money is not there. They vote "yes" or "no" whether to cut the budget and 51 percent wins the contest. Because voting on every measure becomes impractical we must depend on our elected representatives to make the best decision he/she can as to what the people desire.

Budget shortfalls of 5 percent ($1.5M/$24.5M) are not limited to Franklin County. West Richland also is facing a 5 percent ($200K/$4 M) shortfall for a second year in a row. Reserve fund balances are intended to provide some cushion from unexpected shortfalls, but reserves are not always maintained at adequate levels. West Richland addressed the $200,000 budget shortfall in 2009 by drawing from reserves and may have to do the same this year. Kennewick's current reserves (~$2M) would be almost totally consumed by a $1.5M shortfall in 2010.

Always, always: less BILLS and more BUCKS.

There are ways out, but with three decades of fiscal conservatives arguing for immediate fiscal austerity, it has become a mantra. So there is a a lot of misunderstanding about deficits. If we are going to generate growth and shared prosperity out of the mess we are in, expanded public investment must be a centerpiece of any new economy.

Voters in the 16th Legislative District should keep in mind that nearly 70 percent of the state budget goes for public education. It is obvious to many of us that someone with a lot of experience in public education would be extremely well qualified to make decisions on, provide input for and know what effect the laws the Legislature passes will have on the children of the district. Such a qualified individual is the incumbent on the ballot, Rep. Laura Grant.

When voting for this initiative please consider what and who this will affect in our state and local communities. Please ask yourself if you will ever use the social system in Washington or have a loved one who does or will.

Shortfalls seem to happen because government likes to spend more than it has. But officials look at the taxpayer as a horn of plenty or a bottomless pit. If they run out, just get more taxes.

During a recent TV interview, the West Richland chief of police reported that our city has budget problems and staff layoffs are possible. One person losing their job? More than one? Services cut? Property taxes increased?

It was ironic that the Tri-City Herald chose to publish its editorial concerning Referendum 71 on the same day that thousands of LGBT Americans and their supporters were marching in Washington D.C. demanding equal treatment under the law (Oct. 11). Unfortunately the Herald editorial board could not muster the courage to do the same and could only offer a weak appeal to voters to "vote their conscience."

Jim Smith's view (Letters, Oct. 16) on I-1033 expressed a common misconception when he said, "Growth will pay for itself. One hundred houses pay for 100 houses of service." Studies around the county have demonstrated that this is not true. Property taxes almost never support the service demand in municipal government.

Looking at the results of the primary election, it's clear that voters are ready to see some new faces representing our local interests. If you're one of those people and you live in the Port of Kennewick district, then you need to vote for Jeff Losey. Jeff is the candidate who will bring a fresh, new perspective to the Port of Kennewick. He has watched local politics very carefully and decided that now was the time to step up and do something about it and take on the challenge of a public office.

We support Phil Lemley for the Richland City Council. Phil has demonstrated energetic dedication to improving the quality of life in Richland. His extensive service involvement includes positions on the city of Richland Parks and Recreation Commission, Richland Rotary, Forestry Council, Board of Directors for the Blue Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts, and works as a Richland Volunteers in Police Service. He has the commitment and energy to be an outstanding member of the Richland City Council.

Donna Noski has the passion, experience and knowledge to run and lead the city of West Richland. She is in touch with the local citizens and business owners. Donna has the passion to listen to the problems we have in West Richland. With the growth of West Richland and many of the problems facing our city, we are in need of a full-time mayor. With a full-time mayor, a citizen or business person can make contact at 9:45 in the morning or 2 in the afternoon.

People with homosexuality already have the same right as people with heterosexuality; they, too, can marry someone of the opposite sex. Furthermore, current law allows the important hospital visits and certain other contractual rights associated with marriage. Society recognizes a heterosexual marriage because it benefits society; heterosexuality is the only way children can be created, and heterosexual marriage is the only way they can enjoy the all-important security of having a father and a mother. Besides security (which has been proved statistically), the mother and father help to make the child familiar with masculinity and femininity. Divorce has hurt marriage and placed great difficulties on children and parents in single-parent homes, but that's an argument against divorce, not an argument for children being raised without a mother and a father. In fact, it's just another argument for traditional marriage.

Todd Samuel is the person who is deserving of your vote for Pasco City Council. I was chairing the Pasco Planning Commission when Todd Samuel joined the commission. He was a great addition to the group. From my personal experience I can tell you that when you vote to elect Todd Samuel, to the Pasco City Council you will have a person who will show up at meetings prepared and having read the material. You will have a councilman who will understand the simple and complex processes that are necessary to conduct the business of the city and will not have to ask inane questions to get clarification of the issues.

In some well-managed civil organizations, fire code interpretations are made by fire department personnel trained and experienced in interpreting fire codes. In West Richland, the agreement with Benton County Fire District No. 4 for fire code interpretation was terminated by Mayor Dale Jackson.

Having known Terry Nealey since the late '70s, I am writing in support of his bid for our state representative from the 16th District. I believe that it's time for a change and that terms should be limited and rotated with highly qualified newcomers for our state government representation. I can attest that Terry will commit himself to this position 100 percent as I have witnessed so many community achievements and contributions over three decades in Dayton, giving of himself for the causes of the local Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club, economic development and numerous community projects.

Let's face it -- we're all tired of politicians who promise to listen to us and do our bidding, but as soon as they get elected the only people they listen to are those who contributed to their campaign.

Tom Larsen seems to pride himself on being a maverick, claiming he does it to "protect your rights" and "take the city back." But being a maverick is being willing to fight for something, not against everything. It is not just saying "no." Pasco citizens don't benefit from having a council member who arbitrarily opposes everything and who consistently demonstrates a lack of respect for his fellow council members, the city manager and staff.

I would like to encourage residents of West Richland to vote for Richard Bloom for city council. Richard has a thorough understanding of city government and the issues facing West Richland today. His knowledge of the budget as well as the city's comprehensive plan, traffic improvement plan and municipal code is outstanding. As the Herald rightly pointed out, Richard "seems motivated by a desire to preserve West Richland's semi-rural lifestyle." However, I disagree with their belief that "his ideas seem out of touch with the majority of West Richland voters." Richard believes that West Richland can create economic growth without destroying the rural atmosphere that most residents currently enjoy or putting undue strain on the city's infrastructure, to the detriment of its citizens and their quality of life.

Please join me in supporting Todd Samuel for Pasco City Council. Mr. Samuel offers the citizens of Pasco a real chance to improve upon our representation on the council. I have personally observed the Pasco City Council in action and have watched the pubic broadcast of our council and planning commission meetings. I encourage my fellow citizens to do the same. After watching these meetings, I conclude that in Todd Samuel, we have a great opportunity to improve our representation in Position 7.

I would like to take this opportunity to write about the state of the Richland City Council and the great lack of interest and willingness of the citizens of Richland in serving on the city council. This year's election proves my point. We have five positions up for re-election and only two positions had a challenger file against the incumbents. Even more disappointing is that several incumbents after having served for more than 12 years decided, after indicating a desire to pass the baton, to change their mind and file again!

Skip Novakovich is running for the position of Port of Kennewick commissioner. My work relationship and friendship with Skip is the reason I am asking you to support him with your vote. He is a visionary who not only sees the way things can be but also has the leadership qualities to bring that vision to fruition. He is responsible as well as responsive, diligent as well as deliberate and cooperative as well as caring.

Candace Bluechel is not one of the "good ol' boys." In fact she is an extremely qualified independent candidate for the Kennewick City Council who is willing to stand up for the citizens against predetermined agendas put forth by political action groups. She is running to work with the few existing council members who also want to develop a course of action that is proactive, not reactive. She has a strong background in economic development and accounting so she can really understand the ins and outs of a city budget and factor the true cost versus value of a new job being created or another roundabout being installed.

The League of Women Voters forum for Kennewick School Board candidates made this very clear: Uby Creek's positions are contradictory. She claims she wants parents to be more involved, yet advocates taking away parental choice for "doubles" classes. She stated that some teachers don't like "doubles." But 99 percent of parents want those extra classes for their children to bring them up to grade level.

RE: Candace Bluechel's city council race. Read this over a few times, from the Tri-City Herald (Oct. 11): "But it is Parks' stand on making Kennewick an English-only city and not allowing illegal aliens to live in Kennewick that most concern Bluechel."

Uby Creek's supporters are trying to win this election by making much ado about the fact that Heather Kintzley is Dawn Adams' niece (Robert Haug letter, Oct. 18). Instead of talking about the issues, Creek is trying to convince the voters that Heather is nothing more than a mirror image of her aunt with no mind of her own. Allow me to set the record straight.

It is inconceivable to us that anyone Hispanic would want to eliminate the Ready! for Kindergarten program. We and our relatives have attended for five years English and Spanish sessions.

Vote for Bob Parks! It's that time to vote again, folks. It is my pleasure to vote for Bob Parks, knowing that I am represented by someone who has strong government ethics and is not afraid to support the Second Amendment and tackle immigration issues.

I have to say that I am extremely happy to see so many candidates running for local offices this year, particularly in the Kennewick City Council and Port of Kennewick races.

I would like to express my support for Skip Novakovich. I have personally known and worked with Skip since before he moved to the Tri-Cities. I have found him to be a fair and honest businessman.

West Richland voters have a golden opportunity to have a mayor who will work full time and also save more than a half-million taxpayer dollars during her first term of office (based on the proposed 2010 city budget).

I was hoping I didn't need to write this letter but an apparent reversal of opinions should not go unnoticed.

I don't understand why Tim Eyman keeps putting dangerous measures on our ballots! Measures like Initiative 1033 are just completely ridiculous because they can make governments have to cut funding for public services, which would put our public servants on the unemployment line. That will jeopardize the safety and well-being of everyone in the state of Washington.

I simply wanted to offer my full support of, and encourage those in his district of Kennewick, to re-elect Bob Parks to the Kennewick City Council.

I am writing to ask everyone to join me in voting for Jeff Losey, who is running for the port commissioner District 3 in the Port of Kennewick.

Skip Novakovich is a man of utmost integrity and honesty. He is dependable and above reproach. He is always diligent to work a task until it's completed.

Hi, my name is Tony Maya and I was a former candidate running for Pasco City Council Position 7 at Large.

In regard to the race for 16th District House of Representatives, it's time to put party labels aside and vote for the person who can actually get things done for her constituents here in Eastern Washington. It is not in our best interests to vote for a candidate simply because he has an "R" (or a "D") next to their name.

Taxpayers of Kennewick you have the opportunity to make a drastic change in the political life of the Kennewick City Council by electing five new members. Voters, you have to decide if you are happy with this council's decisions. Having to pay $3 million for the lawsuit for Columbia Park; $860,000 for the carousel; wanting to build a building for the carousel when they don't even know where it is going; $73 million in capital improvements for Southridge; $98,000 for a fake river and salmon with trees that are dying on Canal Drive (this was stimulus money; what a waste). Could it have been used somewhere more sensible? $320,000 in HUD money for a lighthouse on Clover Island (which the port should have paid for entirely). Wanting to close the airport; $250,000 for the mechanics for the curtains at the Toyota Center; another $250,000 for other improvements to the building.

Wonder how to select a company or choose a product to use? Do you use the internet, friends' recommendation or the yellow pages? Better idea, drive Highway 240 between Kennewick and Richland. Look at those ornate business vehicles proudly displaying their logos; restoration, landscaping, general contracting, well drilling and the cleaning companies. Note the vehicles that seem to blow your doors off or tailgate to a point you believe you are one vehicle. What kind of service would you expect from that company? Use the companies that will respect you on the road. Those are the companies that will respect and support your job.

I have known Don Britain for more than 20 years, both professionally and personally. As a professional he is hard working and focused. Personally, he is a dedicated family man with children the same age as mine.

I am a former superintendent of schools in Kennewick and have watched as the present school board race has unfolded. In general I have been supportive of the past few years' focus on basic skills. I have one major concern, though, and that is the extreme attention given to testing. Too much time is being spent on testing. Time is not the only problem, but a great amount of money has been spent enriching those who make careers in the testing movement. All this, to me, has led us away from the rich and broad curriculum all young people need. If you follow the money, those really making out are the test publishers. I am not willing to place much trust in information given by tests or their makers.

Last week I received a political flier from Dawn Adams and Heather Kintzley, Kennewick School Board candidates. I became concerned and alarmed when I read their disparaging comments about two present school board members. It is not right or ethical for Ms. Adams to make derogatory comments about other current board members. She is working against Wendy London and Kathy White and is denigrating them to the voters of Kennewick, though neither White nor London is running for re-election at this time.

Elections are coming fast and I would like to encourage you to learn about Skip Novakovich, who is seeking to be elected to be a Port of Kennewick Commissioner, District 3. Skip has been a business owner in the Kennewick downtown since 1989. I have known Skip for a number of years and I know him as a man of integrity and high values. He takes the time to listen to people's concerns and does not have a private or personal agenda. He has given, and continues to give, his time to improve our community by sitting on boards, commissions and many other volunteer organizations over the years. Skip was recognized for his dedication when he was proclaimed Kennewick Man of the Year in 1999. A well-earned accomplishment. Please join me and cast a vote for Skip.

Health is a personal responsibility -- not your doctor's, insurance agent's or the government's. Too long we've held the attitude that, "I'll just do what I want and let the doctor fix it when something goes wrong." That's a painful, costly and self-limiting decision and mindset that has created a national crisis, but a bankroll for drug companies and Madison Avenue.

Supporters of Dawn Adams hope voters realize just how highly regarded Kennewick's pioneering educational programs are nationally, and what a loss it would be if they are eliminated. Here's what one award-winning literary expert said just this week:

I was troubled by Mr. Valiant's letter to the editor (Sept. 30).

Sharon Brown is running for Kennewick City Council Position 2. In our conversations I found she is willing to work to bring more jobs and business to Kennewick.

President Obama would have you believe that health care insurers who oppose Obamacare are fighting to preserve their immoral profits. Folks, get your fact checker out. Last year, Morningstar reported that the profit margin for health insurance companies averaged 3.4 percent, hardly an outrageous profit. However, pharmaceuticals, strong supporters of Obamacare who are never attacked by our president, earned a hefty 16.4 percent. Ever wonder why they support his plan?

I listened to a discussion about a small class of sixth-graders in a "double class" who could not subtract 79 from 324. They could not "carry," a skill usually mastered in third or fourth grade.

As I was considering my votes for this fall's election I read your editorials and the materials about and from the candidates. In your editorial endorsing Kintzley and Adams, you said you "were convinced of Kintzley's independence." Shortly thereafter I received a JOINT campaign mailer from them, which clearly indicates that they are running as a team and share the same views. Even more disturbing, a portion of their mailer was devoted to criticizing Uby Creek and purporting that she was part of a "special-interest group" that is "determined to eliminate successful programs ..."

Colorado, Colorado -- all the talk about what happened in Colorado is not relevant! It is not our fault they are fiscally inept.

Please support Todd Samuel for the Pasco City Council. I serve with Todd on the planning commission and know that he is honest, fair, open, objective, hardworking, well-qualified and fiscally responsible. He genuinely wants to hear from and represent all of Pasco's citizens. Todd's commitment to openness was demonstrated by his participation in the recent candidate forum: His opponent did not because he said there was "no need" to.

We need to re-elect Bob Parks to the Kennewick City Council. Bob believes in an open and responsive city government, which translates to a city which will be responsive to community needs and accountable to the citizens of Kennewick.

At election time we often sit down to mark our ballots without a clear understanding of what we're asking our candidate to do. That's especially true for many folks who don't have personal interaction with ports.

Why are Prosser city leaders trying so hard to influence the Benton County election for Fire District 3 commissioner?

I'd like to encourage voters to cast a vote for Don Britain for Kennewick City Council, Position 1. I've known Don for more than 30 years. He is honest, hard working, and his desire to represent his constituents is genuine. If you have concerns or questions, Don will listen with a fair and objective ear.

I read your endorsement of Laura Grant for 16th District Representative. Your reasoning to support Rep. Grant is flawed. To elect someone as a Democratic voice in a Republican area is not a good reason for support. If every district elected a representative based on the current majority of the Legislature, in one or two election cycles the entire legislative body would be one party.

I had an unexpected encounter with one of our city council members the other day. I found Tom "Guarding my rights" Larsen placing one of his campaign signs in a vacant lot that I co-own without permission. When I asked him to remove it he got quite upset. I then did the unthinkable; I asked about an issue that the council has been dealing with for the last few months. What followed was a tirade that continued for several minutes with him having no intention of listening to anything I had to say.

Plain talk as the election is upon us.

I'm not usually one to write a letter to the editor, but I felt compelled to once I found out that Jeff Losey was a candidate for the Port of Kennewick commissioner position. I met Jeff when he became the executive officer of the Home Builders Association and have had the pleasure of working with him for the past several years.

We elect our city council and county commissioners to keep our best interests in mind, not the watch repairman from Seattle.

We ask the voters in West Richland to elect Brent Gerry for West Richland City Council. As longtime residents of West Richland, we love the unique character of our community. However, times are changing, the community is growing, and it is critical that West Richland city government be up to the challenges of the future. Challenges facing the community include attracting new businesses to build a solid sales tax base, relieving the property tax burden on homeowners while maintaining necessary services and maintaining the quality of life that we all enjoy in West Richland.

Two years ago the good people of Benton County Fire District No. 3 sent a loud and clear message with your vote that you want a fire commissioner with experience in the fire service as well as someone who will be a good steward of your tax dollars.

In response to the letter "No tear here" ridiculing the TCCCC (Tri-Cities Conservative Confederate Crybabies), I admit that my heart and soul are crying at what is happening to our country (Letters, Oct. 14). As a lifelong member of the Democratic Party, I believed they were governing and making the very best decisions to keep us safe and solvent in our resources, that they were following the Constitution and Bill of Rights our founding fathers provided.

I have been a fourth-grade teacher in Kennewick for 20 years. I have never written a letter to the editor before, but my deep concern about Tim Eyman's I-1033 has forced me to act. I-1033 threatens education, health care and other basic services.

Over several years I've asked elected officials to have West Richland be a city of resolution and not litigation. Unfortunately, they continue to litigate -- a waste of tax dollars that in my opinion works against us in attracting new businesses.

Pat Hailey will be a voice for agriculture, education and small business. However, I have another reason for supporting her for the position of state representative of the 9th District.

Unfortunately, several of the candidates who are seeking my vote in the upcoming election have convinced me that they don't deserve my vote. This has nothing to do with their positions on the issues or experience they might bring to the office. My decision to not give them my vote is based on these candidates' poor judgment and lack of concern for their fellow citizens. These candidates litter the front of our homes with their pamphlets, often wedging them into the crack of our front doors. This practice is more than an inconvenience for a homeowner. It is also a message to anyone who passes by that the homeowner is not home to receive or remove the pamphlets.

West Richland's city council race for Position 4 pits two candidates with polar opposite views on economic development. One claims that "bigger isn't necessarily better," while the other, incumbent Mark Hanneman, realizes that one of the ways to get an even better quality of life in our community is through carefully managed growth.

More than 210 organizations across our state now oppose Initiative 1033.

I have known Jeff Losey since he moved to the Tri-City area more than 30 years ago. I can say with 100 percent certainty that he is one of the most honest, hardworking and moral people I know. He is committed and determined, but more importantly, he has the ability to maintain his composure, listen intently and bring a group with differing opinions and perspectives to a consensus.

Even though I will never forgive the Tri-City Herald for not endorsing my favorite Republican candidate, please continue publishing your endorsements based on editorial discussions and then publishing reasons for your final decision -- or avoidance of a decision.

I am concerned about the state of our economy. We continue to spend money we don't have by means of borrowing and printing. If you print money it leads to a decrease in the worth of the money. For example, if a group of people stranded on an island use shells as currency and one day one of the islanders finds a cave filled with shells, the businesses on the island will raise the prices of their products with the hope of gaining a greater profit until you can buy the same amount of goods with a greater amount of shells.

I support Gail Brown and Brent Gerry for West Richland City Council. West Richland needs representatives with vision, an understanding of local issues, and a willingness to listen to the public and make well thought out decisions using open-minded intelligence. Gail Brown has proved she has all these qualities. Gail is a lifelong resident of West Richland, she has served the citizens for 12 years on the city council, she is thoughtful, intelligent, and her knowledge and expertise is what the city needs.

Sure, why not? You do the research and it improves my aim with the darts.

Randy Fox is the clear choice for Fire District commissioner, Position 3. He has proven himself as a well-prepared leader as commissioner and is a level-headed man of reason. Randy listens, researches, and weighs the facts in making decisions. He cares about the firefighters and the citizens of this community and takes seriously the task before him. He is a hard-working man of integrity who has served in this position for four years, helping lead through a transitional time of upheaval and unrest on the local fire department. The Prosser Fire Department is now running efficiently, working together for the good of our community.

In the 26 years I have taught high school English in Kennewick, I have seen our district make a well-intended and monumental shift towards bringing our low kids up, but there have been side effects. One negative has been the neglect of our students who don't need remediation.

No, the Tri-City Herald should not make political recommendations.

I have known Bob Parks for 30 years. He is a family man, a vet and a lifelong resident of Kennewick. He is a man of integrity and vision. I trust that Bob has my best interest and the best interest of all residents of Kennewick at heart when he makes his decisions. That is why I hope you join me in making the decision to vote for Bob Parks for Kennewick City Council.

If the TEA Parties, which are against growing government and out-of-sight taxes, are so pitiful, why are they so upsetting to some people?

The Kennewick School District has met some amazing goals in the past and can continue to do so with a lot of hard work on the part of everyone involved, from the students and their families to the teachers, school staff and district administrators. The community can contribute to this continued success by electing qualified candidates to the school board, such as Heather Kintzley.

Richland residents will be extremely well served by electing Sandra Kent to retain her current position on the Richland City Council. After serving two years on the Richland Planning Commission, Sandra was appointed over several very creditable candidates to fill a vacancy on the Richland City Council for very good reason: One cannot imagine how a city council person could be better qualified!

If Referendum 71 is rejected then Senate Bill 5188 will be rejected as law and marriage will remain only between a male and a female.

2 letters against R-71

It seems a majority of the Tri-City Herald's editorial board never took logic in school (Our Voice, Oct. 11).

The Tri-City Herald is a great mid-size city newspaper with some very informative opinions. It is not necessary to agree with everything printed either in the editorial column or in the letters to the editor.

I'm glad Candace Bluechel is running for Kennewick City Council because she has shown time and again that she's an effective leader. As a graduate of Leadership Tri-Cities and as a past LTC board member, she developed a broad understanding of the community. Her work on Kennewick's planning and arts commissions and the Benton Franklin Council of Governments Economic Development Advisory Committee has given her valuable experience in city government and specific knowledge about the issues facing Kennewick.

Dawn Adams is a proven leader, a highly skilled professional and an outstanding school board member. She has the experience the knowledge and the passion to lead the Kennewick School District in its formidable goal of preparing our children to be successful adults. Dawn knows that our students will need more than a high school education to succeed and she understands that to continue their education, our children must have sufficient math and reading skills. She knows that far too many district graduates are spending considerable time, money and effort taking noncredit, remedial classes at college due to lack of core skills in English and mathematics.

Contrary to a rumor, Rita Mazur is well and ready to continue to serve the citizens of Richland. She has served on the council for many years, helping to "shape its course" (Our Voice, Oct. 14).

My vote will go to Tom Larsen and Alicia Greenaway for Pasco City Council. I have known Tom for a long time and he reviews the issues and listens to the people. As I went door to door for him I was amazed at how many people had felt his kindness and influence over the years.

Please vote for Sharon Brown for Kennewick City Council.

The truth is, developing new areas of our community, especially in the Port of Kennewick District, can be expensive. We can't put the entire burden on the taxpayers, but neither can we expect private businesses to take all of the responsibility. In order to make sure the "job" of development of the Port of Kennewick gets done in the most efficient and cost-effective manner to all, we need to make sure that Jeff Losey is elected as a Port of Kennewick Commissioner. He will keep a good balance of port-sponsored activities that involve the private sector when formulating business plans.

I invite Richland citizens to join me in voting for Creighton Knight for Richland City Council Position No. 3. I have known Creighton for several years, and have found him to be a person of integrity and foresight. I believe he will do all in his power to protect the citizens of Richland from higher taxes. Having a degree in economics will enable him to understand how to help our city stay on a budget, just as we citizens must do. He is also forward looking, and will work to attract new businesses to Richland.

When I vote for an elected position, I research candidate qualifications and experience. Researching the Port of Kennewick, District 3 candidates showed me a severe disparity. Based on education, experience and success in business, economic development activities, civilian and military leadership, along with community involvement and respect, Skip Novakovich gets my vote.

Todd Samuel has proved himself as a capable public servant for the city of Pasco, having served in the position of director of the planning commission for several years. He has negotiated the commission through several difficult issues for the city and has always listened to the citizens over parochial interests. Todd Samuel deserves our vote this November for Position 7, Pasco City Council.

I'm writing to endorse Candice Bluechel for Kennewick City Council Position 4. She currently serves on the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments Economic Development Advisory Committee and is the vice chairwoman of the Kennewick Planning Commission. Throughout her service to the community she has shown good judgment. For example, when she saw the plan to expand the golf course and put in an RV park in Columbia Park, she voted no because she knew that this kind of growth would not benefit the city. Her opponent ignored the Planning Commission's recommendation and voted to support the development. Now the city is engaged in a costly lawsuit.

The city of Kennewick has the opportunity to re-elect Bob Parks for city council. I encourage you to vote for Bob. He has been an outspoken advocate for the citizens of Kennewick. Bob has championed improvements to Columbia Park, downtown Kennewick and development of an entertainment district. Bob has never lost sight of accountability to the citizens of Kennewick or the city's budget. He is a vocal opponent of government waste and believes in a transparent government. Bob was born in Richland and with the exception of his military service, almost all of Bob's life has been spent living in the city of Kennewick. Bob has a wife and two children and has a vested interest in the prosperity of Kennewick. I urge you to re-elect Bob Parks to the Kennewick City Council.

I am supporting Ritz Mazur for re-election to the Richland City Council.

Of the two choices we have to represent us in the Legislature, Terry Nealey is the best. My No. 1 criterion for an election is: Who will increase freedom the most? Mr. Nealey prevails.

We spent all our working lives avoiding any appearance of colluding with other dentists about fees. Price-fixing has been illegal for quite some time. Now we see our government trying to raise money through health care fees and taxes, setting it up so that everyone must identify their past year's income to determine the rate for the next year's health insurance. There appears to be at least five different categories of coverage planned and three different premiums for the same insurance. This violates the principles of our free market. Our goal is not to increase insurance companies' balance sheets.

Your votes for Kennewick City Council positions are critical. We have a superb current city council. They work well together. There are no egos, no personal agendas. Councilmen Olsen, Parish, Parks, Hempstead, Young, Moak and Councilwoman Price are prudent overseers of our tax dollars, ensuring they are spent wisely. This council runs a tight budget while promoting economic development to enhance our sales tax base. There are no frivolous expenditures. It's imperative every Kennewick citizen gets up to speed regarding our city's issues by attending Tuesday night meetings or by calling their councilperson -- find their number at www.ci. kennewick.wa.us. Don't rely on what you read on the editorial page. Most taxes collected are mandated to a specific expenditure. The artwork cropping up in the city is the result of the Arts Commission, made up of volunteer citizens who applied for grant money. No tax dollars are spent. Councilwoman/Mayor Pro Tem Price, councilmen Parks, Hempstead, Young and Councilman/Mayor Moak are doing an excellent job as your council representatives. Please join me in voting for experience. Retain Marge Price, Bob Parks, Steve Young, James Hempstead and Tom Moak.

I am a 9-year-old who would like to tell my great experience with the Tri-City astronomy club to the public. The club has regular monthly meetings and additional telescope viewing events.

The West Richland Area Chamber candidate forum presented a diverse array of residents willing to take on thankless, but important, public servant positions. Attendees could easily be swayed by glib answers and smooth speeches.

Signs along almost every road announce an option to choose who will lead us. Few of those signs display their intentions in leading us. None of the signs announces understanding of our economy, which is a central purpose in seeking office.

Let me think, the Nobel Prize is awarded to great peace-makers, inventors, donors to better the human race, etc. A worthy award proudly bestowed.

Pat Hailey, 9th District state representative candidate, lists education as her top issue. Her experience includes public school employee, school board member and PTA president. Her breadth of concern includes threats to cut levy equalization (this would hurt every district in Eastern Washington), smaller class size, increasing school transportation, enhancing vocational education, links to trade unions, partnerships for higher education with business and industry, and preserving local control of public schools.

This year our Benton County assessor arbitrarily increased the market value of our home by more than 40 percent. The actual change in resale prices of homes for 2008 was a negative 1.3 percent. (County information is available on WSU's website, www.wcrer.wsu.)

I don't understand the fetish on fish. Inferior smaller more acidy native salmon must be protected. Better tastier bigger salmon are only for production numbers of concern.

Gale Brown has done a great job for West Richland the past 12 years. Let all of West Richland people in the community keep her working for the good community of West Richland. Come and join me to re-elect Gail Brown for another term as city council position No. 3.

I am writing to encourage Kennewick voters to re-elect Bob Parks to the city council. I first met Mr. Parks fours years ago when I started attending council meetings. During this time I found him to have a solid understanding of the role a government should play.

West Richland residents have an opportunity to elect a mayor who will bring experience and excellence to this vital community role. That person is Donna Noski.

Elected officials should not be involved in decisions that bring profit to themselves or someone close to them; this is generally described as a conflict of interest.

Martin Bensky's letter was a welcome reprieve (Letters, Oct. 14). I share his anger toward those Americans who would rather see our president fail than work to overcome a crippling financial disaster. Sometimes the GOP's ill will toward Obama amazes me, mostly because thus far it is unwarranted. He has accomplished many large (small) victories in the short time he has been in office. Even if you disagree with his politics, you have to admit that he is a fine American and is doing a ton of good for our nation!

A recent Herald letter of the week (Forum, Oct. 16) proposed a fascinating idea -- pool our money in a "community chest" to pay for things we need, like roads and safe water. That's a great idea, and I support it! However, there are some things to consider.

I urge the voters of Benton County Fire District No. 3 to re-elect Randy Fox as their fire commissioner.

Candice Bluechel is a candidate for Kennewick City Council. She has no allegiance to any agenda nor does she follow any organized party line for this nonpartisan position.

As a now-retired person who taught high school for 34 years, I saw firsthand the consequences to students who failed to learn to read adequately in elementary school. By the time these students reached high school, they already faced limited educational and career opportunities.

I notice in the newspapers and on television how people are becoming concerned about the direction our country is headed. This has given me hope. It seemed that most people were content with government handouts and loss of freedom.

We need common sense in Olympia!

I would like to encourage others to join me in endorsing and supporting the re-election of Bob Parks to the Kennewick City Council.

Rita Mazur and Phillip Lemley both have a long record of civic accomplishment in the Richland community. Mazur has served on the council for many years but I believe it is time for a change. Increasingly in recent years, Mazur has shown a disturbing tendency to flit from issue to issue, stirring up the pot, but rarely accomplishing anything.

Does President Obama deserve the Nobel Peace Prize? Not yet, some say (not us).

We are pleased to endorse Donna Noski for mayor of West Richland. Donna is honest and trustworthy and values family and community. She encourages citizen feedback and input. Donna is a leader you can count on to help our community grow in a way that protects the rural lifestyle we value and enjoy so much. She has the leadership skills to guide our city during this time of rapid growth and is committed to protecting the investment of our tax dollars today and for the future.

A few short months following the initial engagement in Iraq, we began to see a group of people protesting the war on terror almost weekly along George Washington Way in Richland.

West Richland faces many challenges as a growing community of choice in the Tri-Cities, continuing to keep our city with low crime rates, growing its economic base, and planning and controlling growth. Then support Brent Gerry for West Richland City Council, because I believe he is well equipped to meet these challenges.

How do I select a candidate? I do my homework, and vote for people with integrity, vision, courage and compassion. Integrity that demonstrates this person has earned the trust of their peers, the vision to go out on a limb and fight for something you think would add value to your community, the courage to be independent and take a hard vote, despite the consequences, and the compassion to understand another's point of view. Maybe even change your mind.

I'm writing to voice my support for Randy Fox as Benton County Fire Commissioner. I've worked side-by-side with Randy on the Prosser Fire District 3 Fire Board for the last three years. He always is very prepared and ready to listen to all aspects of different issues, and then make an informed decision that best serves his constituents in the large and short term.

To all my fellow residents of Kennewick I would like to strongly urge you to replace the current city council members who are up for re-election. Whoever voted in favor of spending money for the Canal Drive "beautification" project needs to be replaced. That money could have been spent so much more wisely.