The Benton County public safety sales tax is working. Voters should renew it | Opinion

Vote Yes, former police chief urges

In response to a recent letter to the editor in opposition of the public safety tax, we believe the need is greater today. Violent crime, property crime, homelessness and continued challenges in dealing with substance abuse and mental health issues drive the need not only in Benton County, but also throughout the State of Washington to keep our communities safe.

When the voters approved the measure in 2014, we knew it would take time to implement programs and hire personnel. In hindsight, the ballot language restricted items the county wanted to expend funds on for public safety. The lessons learned over the last 10 years will enable our current county commissioners to maximize the funding for the intended purpose of public safety. State law dictates how the money is shared between the county and the cities. All of the cities have been accountable and expended their funds appropriately. We have confidence in our current county commissioners, prosecutor and county administrators that the funding will be expended prudently for public safety needs.

Ken & Trish Hohenberg, Kennewick

(Ken Hohenberg is the retired Kennewick police chief, serving in that position from 2003-2022)

Reader not a fan of sound barrier

After researching, I discovered the new sound barrier wall on the northbound side of the Blue Bridge in Pasco is a Washington State Department of Transportation project that cost about $3 million to build. I’m sure the idea had the best intentions, but now that the wall is nearly finished, it is atrocious.

With graffiti covering it even before its completion, I’m certain even those who it intended to help find it regretful. Not only has the state provided a canvas for delinquents to trash our city, but the wall will also be become a safety issue for people in the area as it will hide other nefarious behavior.

The trees surrounding the residences below the highway are among the most mature, beautiful trees in the Tri-Cities but are now mostly obscured from passersby because of this newly erected eyesore. Also, the resident next door who creates a yearly spectacle of Christmas lights for commuters and travelers alike is now blocked off. We have traded a Mayberry setting for an ugly vestige usually found in the concrete jungle of an urban city.

Unless the neighbors that this was really intended to help love it, my response is, “Gov. Inslee, tear down this wall!”

Charles Grimm, Pasco

Support funding for SNAP

As Washingtonians continue to face economic hardships — from ongoing inflation and high food prices, SNAP remains one of the most effective ways to reach kids with the food they need. It’s especially important for the tens of thousands of Washington kids experiencing food insecurity today.

But recently, the rhetoric around SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, has become rooted in myths and misconceptions. In reality, SNAP is one of our nation’s most powerful tools to end hunger and Congress has the opportunity to protect and strengthen it in this year’s Farm Bill legislation.

SNAP benefits, which can only be used to purchase groceries, are modest at just around $6 a day per person. Yet they do so much more than fill an empty stomach. Research shows that kids who get nutritious food through SNAP are healthier, do better in school and are even more likely to graduate.

I urge Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Washington’s sole member of the House Committee on Agriculture, to follow the facts and evidence and fight for a Farm Bill that provides support and resources for our neighbors, not more red tape from Washington, D.C.

Madeleine Vistica, Tacoma