Letters for Friday, April 26, 2024

Don’t skimp on insurance

I can empathize with the losses in the Medical Lake, Elk and other fires in recent years. The general rule of property and casualty insurance is to protect the homeowner from losing everything built or stored on a piece of land. My insurance has covered a flood and a volcano. There is not an insurance company I’m aware of that will insure the dirt itself.

I was an insurance agent for a few years and finally quit because I became so disgusted with people. People generally will not take the time to listen to the agent explain what they are actually insuring. People want the cheapest insurance they can get but when there is a loss, they want the insurance company to “buy the farm,” so to speak. Cheap insurance doesn’t cover much. As you purchase more or as replacement cost inches upward, you have to take the time to increase your insurance.

Driving a car with $25,000 worth of liability coverage doesn’t mean much when the vehicle you hit has a $90,000 replacement cost. In my opinion, one today should have less than $500,000 liability insurance on their vehicles to rest easy. I understand “I can’t afford that,” but then understand you will be liable for the rest. To say, “I can’t afford,” really means “that is not a financial priority for me.” The purpose of insurance is to “reduce financial uncertainty and make accidental loss manageable.” You are transferring your risk (uncertainty) to the insurance company.

Wilma Koski

Spokane Valley

Bird’s endorsement won’t mean much

The state GOP delegates captured enough votes to endorse Semi Bird for Washington state governor. The Republican Party has a small faction of libertarians, and this faction made a substantial impact on such endorsement. Be assured, most Republicans will reject the delegate’s position. It will be proven that the Republican Party will NOT move to a far-right position, even though it has caused a huge division in the party. Dave Reichert, candidate for Washington governor, has made himself known as a “law and order” guy. His vision for Washington state is what the term “Grand Old Party” stands for.

Marlene Larson

Spokane

Find another way

I recently read a letter to the editor of The Spokesman-Review, along with other local forums, that highlights the same diatribe, lambasting the notion that one or more local politicians have suggested raising our property taxes to fund a “safer city’ or other specific goal. The letter writer says, “There’s got to be another way to tackle these problems. It’s so easy to say more money.”

I would encourage all of us, me included, to not just levy criticism on our elected politicians, but offer suggestions instead that may stimulate conversations that could reduce our taxes. Assuming, based on the comments, many writers have had a solid course in economics or accounting during their high school years, how about we all focus on what is causing our current deficit spending, e.g., union contracts, requests for more local services (police, fire), better roads, etc.

Using our own personal financial skills, rather than saying, “There’s got to be another way,” let’s help stimulate discussions targeting solutions. For example, the city of Spokane is over $40 million dollars in the red. On a personal level, how would you address this issue if you were a new homeowner, and the previous homeowner left you with a $40 million dollar line on your property? Faced with this difficult task, would you want your family, mortgage lenders, utility providers to simply say, “It’s your problem, fix it,” or would you encourage greater dialogue to seek out solutions in a more professional manner?

Michael Pearson

Spokane

Wanted: rational adults at Spokane airport

It is outrageous that our airport won’t comply with the Washington Department of Ecology’s recent order to begin PFAS clean-up planning. PFAS contamination was discovered at the airport in 2017, but these findings were not disclosed to state environmental officials.

We would be beyond naïve to trust our airport to “move forward with its own investigation.” Moreover, they chose not to participate in the 2023 FAA Airport Environmental Mitigation Pilot Program that provided grants to mitigate impacts on water quality within 5 miles of an airport.

We need new, informed and responsible individuals to replace all current members on the airport board and the one county commissioner who serves with them.

Mary Benham

Spokane

Vote ‘yes’ for the lid lift

The Walla Walla County Fire District 4 Board of Fire Commissioners has my gratitude for placing a fire levy lid lift on the August primary election ballot. This is our first funding request in almost 40 years and would help keep up with rising costs to provide emergency services.

Costs to provide service increase 4%-5% per year, but state law limits the district’s revenue to just a 1% increase per year. Our call volumes have increased 30% from 2018 to 2022.

Of our calls, 68% are for medical emergencies. We require additional personnel to reduce response times.

We also need to protect the health and safety of our firefighters. The lid lift would fund renovations at Station 41 on Howard Street to upgrade the ventilation system and replace apparatus that has aged out of service.

The fire district can meet its daily operational and capital needs through this request, which means paying cash instead of borrowing money, which costs taxpayers more in interest payments.

Please learn more about the lid lift at wwfire4.org.

Lt. Jim Nagle

Walla Walla

One last chance for Idaho

Last chance on Saturday!

Are you tired of legislators who only do the work of party insiders and outside-funded PACs?

Are you tired of Idaho legislators who ignore the real needs of average Idahoans?

The Open Primaries Initiative will give Idahoans more freedom and better leadership. This initiative gives all voters, regardless of party affiliation, the freedom to vote in all elections and elect more leaders who focus on solving real problems.

There’s one last chance to sign the Open Primaries Initiative petition in Moscow on Saturday at the intersection of Main and Sixth Street next to One World Café. Dedicated volunteers will be there from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., rain or shine.

Let’s elect leaders who listen to all their constituents and not just a narrow sector.

Karen Hansen

Viola, Idaho