Expanded Child Tax Credit walloped child poverty. Newhouse should fight to restore it | Opinion

Child tax credit reduces poverty

I am asking Tri-Citians to ask Rep. Dan Newhouse to encourage his colleagues on the House Ways and Means Committee to reinstate the Child Tax Credit as it was in the American Rescue Plan of 2021. During 2021, child poverty was reduced by a significant 46%, as reported by the Census Bureau.

The credit was passed into law in 1997 by a Republican-controlled Congress to provide support to households with children. The expansion of the credit in 2021 was especially effective because it helped the poorest working people. By contrast, three million children fell back into poverty in 2022 as 19 million lost all or part of the credit. Poverty is not good for the individuals and families affected, our economy or our national security.

In December 2022, economists wrote in an open letter to Congress: “Extending the expanded Child Tax Credit is one of the easiest, most effective, and direct tools at our disposal to help families deal with the impact of inflation on family budgets.” Please ask Rep. Newhouse to help expand the current Child Tax Credit so that more working families with low incomes receive the full benefit.

Barbara Puigh, Richland

Pick Rassmussen for Benton port

As a north Richland business owner, I appreciate the broader vision Commissioner Christy Rasmussen brings to the Port of Benton supporting the current vision which is right on track.

The success of the Port engaging in economic development in support of small businesses and industry is what our business community has asked for and the Port has delivered. When one boat rises, we all rise!

We’ve appreciated the efforts of the port to bring grant opportunities to our business. This ensures the implementation of the vision for a clean energy future. Most importantly, Rasmussen brings a collaborative approach. She has the natural ability to work well with others, share ideas and foster cooperation which is essential for the success of the Port and our community.

She’s a proven commissioner who has a passion and the energy to serve our community. The engagement she brings enables strong partnerships with government and local agencies.

Vote for Rasmussen for Port of Benton commissioner. Keep the port right on track.

Monica Hatcher, Richland

Franklin 3, Franklin PHD, Walla Walla 5

Franklin County Fire District 3, Franklin County Public Hospital District 1 and Walla Walla County Fire District 5 have requests on the upcoming election ballot. You do not pay taxes to all three. You will have just one request on your ballot depending on which agency provides you with emergency services.

Franklin 3 and Walla Walla 5 provide fire suppression service, wildland fire response, prevention education and emergency medical service. The Public Hospital District is the only agency in its service area to provide ambulance transport for medical emergencies and responds to motor vehicle accidents.

We are writing this piece together because all our agencies are facing similar challenges to maintain emergency services for our communities.

Our area in Eastern Washington has grown to the point that revenue is not keeping up with the demand for emergency services. You may not like growth, but we are sworn to serve it. All of us — chiefs, firefighters and volunteers — would lay down our lives to save yours. It’s more than just a job; it’s a commitment to make our communities safe and help people on their worst days.

All of our communities require additional emergency personnel to respond to rising call volumes. More calls mean added wear and tear on apparatus, which then needs replacing sooner. Facilities need renovations to accommodate emergency personnel to improve response times by responding from a station as opposed to their homes.

Each agency is asking for a “lid lift” for these projects. Again, you are not taxed by all three; you do not vote on all three, just one for your service area. You can read specific projects each of the lid lifts would fund on our individual websites.

We were born and raised in Eastern Washington. We are naturally skeptical of government and tax increases. The need is there or we wouldn’t be asking and we welcome your questions anytime.

Chief Ken Woffenden, Franklin County Public Hospital District 1

Fire Chief Mike Harris, Franklin County Fire Protection District 3

Fire Chief Mike Wickstrom, Walla Walla County Fire Protection District 5

Newhouse taking a hard right turn

Pusillanimous Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., yields to the extremely dangerous Freedom Caucus. Caucus member Jim Jordan’s refusal to testify before the House Select Committee on the Jan. 6 attack should have led Newhouse to support criminal contempt charges.

To the contrary, Newhouse cast a vote that could have put Jordan third in line for the presidency as Speaker of the House. He cowardly hid among other despot-fearing Republicans who don’t yet want to be identified with the perversely named Freedom Caucus (née Tea Party).

That Republicans cloak the details of their choking-off-government plans plainly expose their reason for seeking unchecked power. Republican dog-whistle signaling leads one to expect a diminishment of Social Security and other steps that will lower our standard of living. Believe what they say and reject them.

The Republican regime used their power to keep Trump in office for a full term and tried for more. This despite corruption being well on display from his earliest days in office.

I am ashamed that voters have not yet replaced our write-off of a representative.

Ivar Husa, Richland

Oct. 18 headline was misleading

The McClatchy papers’ bias was on full display with the Herald’s Oct. 18 headline “Airstrike kills hundreds at Gaza Hospital.” The only source cited for the airstrike claim was the Gaza Health Ministry, not exactly an unbiased source.

The term “air strike” is normally used for a ground attack from an airplane. Given that only the Israeli air force is in the air over Gaza, the clear implication is Israel was the cause (deliberately or by accident). However, it has been reported for years that Hamas fires off low-quality missiles that often go off-course, some landing in Gaza itself. The fact that Israel is now conducting airstrikes in Gaza is reported in the story, but there was not a single word about the possibility that the explosion could have been caused by an off-course Hamas missile.

Given the absence of a credible source for the airstrike allegation, an objective report this soon after the event would have been “Explosion kills hundreds at Gaza Hospital.” An objective article would have then explained it could have been caused by an airstrike, or by a Hamas missile misfire. But objectivity would be too much to ask for from today’s journalists.

Richard Engelmann, Richland

Brown is best for Pasco Council

As a community servant, there are decisions that are difficult, and there are those that are very easy. Endorsing Irving Brown Sr. for Pasco City Council District 3 is perhaps the easiest I’ve made this year. I look for many qualities in an elected official: love for community, hardworking, ethical, thoughtful, dedication, toughness and professionalism. Council member Brown exemplifies each of these attributes. His service on city council has proven that he is exactly what Pasco needs. His fellow council members clearly see it too, as they unanimously chose him as mayor pro-tem on October 2, 2023.

Pasco is a city on the rise. We need leaders who understand who we are and can shepherd our city toward continuing prosperity. Irving listens to community concerns with compassion and care. He understands what businesses need, what homeowners need, and what the children of Pasco need. He balances the needs of every person who lives or works in Pasco with the need for our future growth.

We need a leader with a positive vision. A leader who has a moral code. A leader who puts others over self. We need Brown to retain his seat on Pasco City Council District 3.

Craig Maloney, Pasco