Ben Franklin Transit, Mitch McConnell, redistricting and other letters to the editor
Does bus system have a surplus?
Considering recent local media publicity, what do you know about Ben Franklin Transit, an apparent self-governing (by its board of directors) entity that is seemingly responsible to only the Washington Department of Revenue?
BFT was formed in May 1981, when voters in the service area approved a 0.3 percent sales tax; in March 2002, voters approved an additional 0.3 percent sales tax. If my memory serves me correctly, that additional tax was requested by BFT to fund the current facility on Columbia Park Trail in Richland. Interestingly, neither of these tax levies has an end date, which according to the 2019 BFT Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, has resulted in almost $42 million in surplus funds. Those funds are invested in a variety of interest-bearing instruments and continue to grow.
Why can’t some of the multi-million-dollar surplus be used to build and staff a Benton County mental health facility?
Research also indicates that BFT receives significant funding for its vehicles from the federal and state governments.
The bottom line is that we need to end the 0.6 percent sales tax dedicated to BFT and replace it with a 0.1 percent sales tax for its annual operating budget.
B.E. Beldin, Richland
McConnell no friend indeed
According to the Washington Post, on June 1, in response to a question at a Chamber of Commerce event, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell was asked which of the last four Democrat presidents would he would prefer to work with. McConnell replied, “Biden, and I did four bipartisan deals during the Obama administration. I consider him a personal friend,” he said. “I think Biden is a first-rate person.”
Despite his profession of friendship, he delayed more than five weeks before acknowledging Biden’s victory, allowing Donald Trump and his allies to delegitimize Biden’s election in the eyes of tens of millions of Trump supporters.
Asked about Trump’s election lies, McConnell instead attacked Biden as a socialist and said, “One hundred percent of my focus is on stopping this new administration.”
McConnell vowed to fight the COVID-19 relief legislation “in every way that we can.” He filibustered bipartisan legislation to create a commission to examine the Jan. 6 insurrection, equal pay legislation requiring employers to show that they don’t discriminate against women, and voting rights legislation.
To date he has not endorsed bipartisan infrastructure legislation, saying he would wage a “hell of a fight” if Democrats go it alone.
A friend indeed!
William Petrie, Richland
Extreme heat of 1961
Well, this recent heat wave has inspired our Governor Inslee to even more efforts on dealing with climate change. Good for him, but he is a bit late as 60 years ago, in 1961, the extreme heat at the end of June 2021 matched the heat of 118 degrees of August 1961.
Yes indeed, there is climate change and it started long before Governor Inslee showed up to champion this cause. Go for it Governor, but please be on your toes a little better than you have been doing.
J.L. Davis, Walla Walla
GOP should alter climate policies
A 2021 Gallup poll on global warming found nearly two-thirds of Republicans aged 18 to 29 believe human activity is the main cause of global warming. A 2019 Pew survey found that more than half of Republicans under 38 said the federal government should do more to prevent climate change.
If the Republican party continues to block effective action on climate change, it risks losing its next generation of voters.
Democrats need Republican members of Congress to help pass effective and durable climate policy. Republicans have understandably opposed the high price of Biden’s American Jobs Plan.
Rather than continue to risk losing young Republicans, Republicans should instead advocate an effective climate policy that is consistent with their values of fiscal conservatism, pro-business, small government and personal freedom.
The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act is an effective climate policy that does not grow government, sends a clear market signal that businesses and families can plan on, protects families with a monthly carbon dividend, and preserves consumer choice. To pass Congress, it needs more support from both Democrats and Republicans. Check out energyinnovationact.org and express your support to our Congressional representatives Dan Newhouse, Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray today.
Steve Ghan, Richland
Credit check ban boosts insurance
I received a letter from our insurance company last week stating that our rates for both our auto and home policies would be increasing, due to a ruling by the Washington Insurance Commissioner that insurance companies could no longer use a person’s credit score as a factor in determining rates. This upset me, so I sent them a letter of complaint.
Today we received a letter from our insurance company stating that our our combined rate for home and auto would be increasing by more than $40 per month. Now I passed upset and have progressed to downright mad. I have now sent them an additional letter venting my frustration.
This appears to be one more way I am being penalized for living within my means for over 70 years and having to subsidize those who haven’t. I don’t mind at all helping someone short term when they’ve hit a speed bump in life, but there should be limits.
If you agree, write a letter to the insurance commissioner stating your concerns.
Daryl Wuennecke Sr., Kennewick
Keep redistricting fair
The redistricting process is underway in Washington state and the Redistricting Commission needs your input. Every 10 years, after the federal census, Washington state redraws the boundaries of congressional and legislative electoral districts to ensure each district represents an equal number of residents. Our population has grown by more than 14% since 2010, and district lines will shift to reflect this growth.
Responsibility for drawing new maps rests with the Washington State Redistricting Commission, which consists of four voting members — two Democrats and two Republicans — and a fifth, nonvoting chairperson selected by the commissioners. The Redistricting Commission’s site — https://www.redistricting.wa.gov — offers many ways to provide public input: testifying at a virtual public meeting (July 24), emailing or mailing comments, or voice mail. Comments in any language are welcome.
The League of Women Voters has created tools to help residents craft effective personal testimony. You can find many resources on their Speakup website (https://lwvwa.org/speakup). The state League will present a mapping recommendation to the commission. They are hosting listening sessions regionally and statewide to get feedback from community members on draft versions of these maps. Follow this process at https://lwvwa.org/redistricting.
Please join us in advocating for maps that fairly represent our changing demographics.
Diane Molleson, League of Women Voters of Benton & Franklin Counties
Op-ed distorted GOP’s message
America must be ready to adapt to the “real news and absolute truth” of progressives like Mark Mansperger (Tri-City Herald op-ed, July 18), such as: The Republican Party directed the Jan. 6th assault on the Capitol, wants to rig elections to suppress votes to dictate the affairs of the nation, suppressed votes of non-white Americans (e.g., systemic racism), and will have to destroy democracy to remain in power. If one were to believe such, he can probably offer you the Golden Gate and Brooklyn bridges for sale.
The Republican Party supports the party tenets of Lincoln:
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and independence.
You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.”
The image of the Republican Party portrayed by Mark Mansperger and reported by the mainstream media is distorted. Believe it or not.
Don Curet, Richland
Patient safety bill needed
I’m writing to express my support for Senate Bill S.1567, the Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2021. As a nurse in the state of Washington, I am keenly aware of the strain I and my coworkers experience on a day-to-day basis. This strain existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has only gotten worse as we’ve seen nurses burn out, leave the profession, retire early or find themselves sick or injured. Unsafe staffing is like speeding. Hospitals can get away with it sometimes, but it is always dangerous. And when it catches up to you, someone is harmed.
Andrew Louviere, Pasco
This story was originally published August 9, 2021 at 12:20 PM.