Pot stores in West Richland? Citizens said no, and thankfully city leaders listened | Opinion

Rejecting pot was sound decision

On Aug. 6, the citizens of West Richland voted “do not allow” pot stores within city limits 55% to 44%. However, that was a non-binding advisory vote only. Then on Aug. 20, the West Richland City Council voted on the issue. The council chambers were packed and many citizens spoke in opposition to pot stores. Thankfully, the City Council listened to the citizens and voted to not allow pot stores. This was a huge win for the (city’s) families.

Keeping pot and other substances like it away from our families is critical. How critical you ask? As per a Duke University study, regular pot use by teenagers resulted in an 8- to 10-point drop in (teens’) IQs that lasted their entire lifetimes. That’s a sobering statistic. The buzz is just not worth it!

Dan Rickey, West Richland

Check to ensure you got discounts

Trip to the grocery store. With corporations using price gouging to increase the prices of our groceries, I have been using the weekly ads. The goal is to take the opportunity the grocery stores have offered to take advantage of the lower prices.

This is a good concept, and I appreciate the excellent idea. My concern is this: The weekly ad offers are not being populated at the checkout stand.

My last receipt showed a $40.00 overcharge out of a total $120.00 bill. How many people are trusting, like myself, that the register is correctly charging me the weekly ad prices and, who looks at their receipt to check that the prices are right? I specifically go to that store only to take advantage of their sale prices.

What can we do about this? I figure at least 500 people go into a grocery store every day, and if they are charged one-third more, then the store is making really good on their gamble that people will trust them.

Elaine Hetherington, Pasco

Trump tariffs boosted costs

At recent rallies, ex-president Trump said he would expand his stance on tariffs on foreign countries.

“We are going to have 10% to 20% tariffs on foreign countries that have been ripping us off for years,” he said at one rally. “We are gonna charge them 10% to 20% to come in and take advantage of our country because that is what they have been doing.”

American consumers were the losers because of Trump-imposed tariffs during the last Trump presidency,

An example is the effect that Trump tariffs had on Dollar Tree and Dollar Family discount stores’ merchandise, which sells to low- and middle-income families. A sizeable portion of this merchandise is imported and includes household, health and beauty products, food and hardware. Tariffs forced these stores to pay more to import these goods. Since they could not absorb the higher costs, they either raised prices to offset the costs or discontinued selling them.

As a result, many food prices increased from $1 to $1.25, having a direct impact on low- and middle-income family purchasing power. More Trumponomics would further increase low- and middle-income family expenses.

Rose Petrie, Richland

Trump facts listed by the number

Fun facts to know and tell:

• 0 evidence supporting his “Big Lie.”
• 1 insurrection.
• 2 impeachments.
• 3 Supreme Court appointments that took away women’s right to end a pregnancy.
• 4 pending criminal cases.
• 5 dead, killed on our democracy’s darkest day.
• 6 bankruptcies.
• 8 age he became a millionaire.
• 26 women that have publicly accused him of sexual misconduct.
• 32 counts of “willful retention of national defense information.”
• 34 felony convictions (now facing up to 20 years in prison).
• $75.00 in federal income taxes paid, for both 2016 and 2017.
• 88 pending criminal charges.
• “Nearly 450 times” that he pleaded the Fifth Amendment, when questioned about his business practices.
• $310,000 in documented hush money payments.
• “More than $100 million” estimated used from campaign donations to pay for his criminal defenses.
• $413 million gifted to him from his father.
• And ranked last, “worst in history” by a survey of 154 presidential scholars.

Michael Harrington, Pasco

Electing Trump will boost Putin

If Donald Trump gets elected president, the next day Vladimir Putin will be the most powerful man on the planet.

Craig King, Richland

Sessler is her kind of candidate

Jarrod Sessler has been so kind to me and my service dog Bentley. What I like the most about Jarrod is his faith in God and his integrity.

For example, when Tiffany Smiley was telling the world that Jarrod was a vegan and would raise taxes on their beef, he told me, “if God wants me to be a congressman, it will happen, but I will not stoop to my opponent’s level.” He put together a commercial showing he is a beef farmer, he eats beef and that he wants lower taxes for all.

What’s interesting (is) he did not mention Smiley’s name.A fter the primary was over, he asked Smiley to endorse him but she wouldn’t.

Jarrod won the primary by 33%. Without Smiley running, he would’ve won 53%. He won without using PAC funds that would compromise his integrity. Sessler is endorsed by the state Republican party and every county in the Fourth Congressional District and Donald Trump. Vote for a man with integrity who relies on his faith in God.

Kim Spencer, Pasco

Choose Harris, not cult leader

We have only a few weeks before we elect a new president of the United States. We must choose one who cares about you and your welfare and more importantly that of the United States. There are two choices. Donald Trump thinks only of himself with little concern for you or our democratic way of life. His whole campaign is based on lies and insults of his opponent.

His opponent and the obvious choice for president is Kamala Harris. Her qualifications begin with an exemplary career as a prosecutor and United States senator. She speaks the truth and has laid out her plan for the good of the country. Donald Trump cannot do that because he has no plan.

It is disturbing to me that many so-called Christians blindly believe the lies of Donald Trump and vow to elect him as president regardless of his false claims and what appear to be claims to establish himself as president-for-life. I wrote a book that exposes the hypocrisy of Christian Evangelicals and what I would call the Trump cult with Trump as the charismatic leader.

Charles Robinson, Prosser