Letters: Ballot security, virus testing, Zintle dam and more | March 5

Primary ballot not all that secure

I’ve had concerns in the past re: the security of our Washington state mail-in voting process, but had been convinced that its security and integrity are maintained through a thorough machine review and as needed several human reviews of signatures on the outer envelope to assure that the ballot is coming from the registered voter who signed it.

However, this year’s 2020 presidential ballot process has raised concern once again. The voter is required to identify on the outer envelope of the ballot their declaration of being registered as either a Democrat or Republican. If the envelope is mailed through our normal US postal system, multiple individuals handle your ballot envelope before it is opened and counted. That includes your mail person/all postal workers in Pasco, all postal workers in Spokane, the mail handlers delivering it back to Prosser, the staff in Prosser.

Any one of these folks could decide to eliminate either Democratic or Republican votes quite easily and nobody would ever be the wiser. Doesn’t sound like a very secure system to me.

Virus testing needed at airport

I’m a concerned parent.

My daughter works at the Tri-Cities Airport. She has informed me that an airline has sent workers home due to flu-like symptoms and has not referred them to be tested. I have contacted the health department and they gave me an 800 number to call, and it was just an information number. I contacted the Port of Pasco (and) they said they are just basically landlords.

Where do I go to raise this concern of possible exposure at the airport and my daughter?

Reader declares it’s no emergency

Mostly anonymous state health officials declared Washington state into a new state of emergency, because one Washingtonian died in Everett, of an infection he got while visiting China. Some precautions have been suggested by the medical folk, and certainly should be practiced, since it might limit future infections from both the coronavirus and the flu. But at the moment, the threat of a coronavirus epidemic or pandemic is mostly media hype.

The oldest Washington state emergency is that Jay Inslee is our governor. He has electrified his Democrat legislators like mini-frankensteins into eternal life. Together they promise to single-handedly save the entire planet from environmental doom, using our tax moneys and the lifeblood of our businesses any way they choose, or maybe such as Sanders or some barmaid might dictate.

Just last week, Vice President Pence reportedly phoned Inslee to enlist Washington state in a unified national preparation for a possible coronavirus epidemic. Inslee reportedly told the vice president to bug off, that Washington state needed no help or information from anybody non-democratic. I assume Inslee has now blocked all Olympia phones to stop all future incoming non-Democratic phone calls.

A reader forecast for 2020 election

Here is what is going to happen for the rest of 2020. Beginning with the nomination of the Democrat candidate for president, the Russians and FOX News will spread so much misinformation and disinformation about the Democrat nominee that Trump will be re-elected. Encouraged by their successes, the Russians will extend their interference into the 2020 Senate and future House races because they want Republicans elected.

The reason why Fox News supports Trump and Republicans is no mystery: It is and always has been a right-wing propaganda dispenser. But why do the Russians want Trump and Republicans elected? The answer should be obvious: Trump and Republican policies will eventually destroy the U.S. economy and end U.S. world leadership, which are Putin’s major objectives.

Use Zintel dam for ag water storage

A few years ago, following another KID water restriction year, I suggested to the board, at one of their meetings, that maybe they should pursue using the canyon behind Zintel Dam as a reservoir for water to be used during low Yakima River water years. As therefore customers would have a better chance of receiving all the water they were paying for every year.

The response to my suggestion came from the individual, identified as the KID’s attorney, was, “That would cost money.” Now reading about the land grab, granted with a payment to the owner, KID wants to spend millions of dollars to create what already exists.

A dam built by a federal agency storing water that is owned by a federal agency. It made sense to me when I made the suggestion and today makes more sense to me instead of condemning private property, at a cost, and disrupting people.

A KID engineer told me that, at that time, the high water mark on the back side of the dam was less than two feet. That tells me that the reason the dam was built in the first place truly is not needed for that purpose today.

Tax-Aide offers free tax help

The tax season is with us again.

Are you wondering whether new provisions of the tax code affect you? Free help is available through April 15 with tax assistance, preparation and e-filing. Tax-Aide volunteers have gone through a rigorous training program and passed the IRS certification test at the advanced level. All tax returns are prepared by one volunteer and checked by a second volunteer. You do not need to be a member of AARP or a senior citizen to use this service.

Tax-Aide volunteers prepare over 2,000 tax returns for the citizens of our Mid-Columbia communities, mostly in Benton and Franklin counties.The Tax-Aide preparation sites are in all of the Tri-City libraries and senior/community centers except for the Kennewick Center.

To locate a Tax-Aide site, call 211, 1-888-227-7669, or visit the web site http://www.aarp.org/applications/VMISLocator/searchTaxAideLocations.action to find preparation sites and times near you. When visiting a site, bring a copy of last year’s return along with all current W-2’s, 1099’s, Social Security statements and any other applicable tax documents. You will also need Social Security cards for yourself and dependents and a picture ID for all taxpayers. Remember, all services are absolutely free, including e-filing your return.

Drug rehab center questions to ask

Sheriff (Jim) Raymond is correct in stating in the Tri-City Herald there is a need for drug rehab center in Benton-Franklin counties. The Benton County commissioners gave $12,500 to help fund the study and the Franklin commissioners turned down the request made by the Kennewick Hospital District 1 commissioners, which was appropriate when you approach the need and the method proposed to solve the drug rehab center location from a different perspective.

The structure, location, cost to buy old hospital, cost to restore and meet health standards, Certificate of Need by state, taxpayer funds being used, KGH went bankrupt in the amount of approximately $312 million dollars. The present commissioners who are still functioning are the lead in this endeavor. During the bankruptcy and sale to RCCH, a for-profit corporation which owns the present old and new hospitals of the district, they signed a Community Care Agreement with RCCH giving them 80 percent of the tax money of $1.5 million collected in Benton County. This leaves them with a 2020 budget of (-45$). There are many things that need to be considered, such as an equal tax on Franklin County taxpayers to pay for the funding costs.