To the Editor
May 15, 2012
Issaquah Alps
Untapped land has more potential for youth use than just hiking parks
It is unfortunate that the Issaquah Alps Trails Club thinks their lack of youth participation is a marketing problem. It’s not.
I recently bumped into the head of the Washington High School Cycling League and asked her how it was going this, its second year. She said the team in Issaquah had doubled from the first year and would likely need to split up because it was too big to be one team. She also told me she is seriously considering starting a middle school league because she has had to turn away so many interested kids.
The especially concerning part is that the Issaquah Alps Trails Club worked against the expansion of mountain biking in Issaquah. It won, and the most modest of recommendations made it out of the Park Board.
To the Editor
May 8, 2012
Absentee legislators
Doing the people’s business means not always being present to vote
In the May 2 article regarding “Local legislators top list…” the statistics stated give only half of the story.
The big fact is the 5th Legislative District has three of the top legislators in Olympia. Sen. Cheryl Pflug, Rep. Jay Rodne and Rep. Glenn Anderson provide much more than warming their seats in chambers. That means they are off the floor, holding committee hearings, drafting laws, lobbying others for needed support, meeting with constituents and state officials. All of this demands a great amount of time and may conflict with voting for three of the hardest-working and best-respected public servants in the state Legislature.
Additional Saturday and special sessions can also be convened for voting on literally dozens of noncontroversial bills at once. So, if a legislator isn’t in his or her seat for a couple of hours, he or she can miss a dozen votes at once. Even super legislators can’t be in two places at the same time.
I can honestly say Sen. Pflug, Rep. Rodne and Rep. Anderson are there when the chips are on the table and their vote is needed. The records supplied by WashingtonVotes.org are admittedly only partially representative of our elected legislator’s role in government. Next time, let’s keep the headlines in context to the situation.
Terry J. LaBrue
Issaquah
To the Editor
May 1, 2012
Planned Parenthood brouhaha
Protestors are showing clients that there are options
A rebuttal to Laurie Clark about the Planned Parenthood protesters:
Many years ago, I walked into an abortion facility, nervous, ashamed and terrified that I was making the wrong decision.
I wasn’t sure what I should do but felt I had no options. So I did what both my boyfriend and parents told me I should do: I had an abortion.
To the Editor
April 24, 2012
Issaquah School District bond
Issaquah residents care for the school district’s youths
Volunteers for Issaquah Schools wants to thank the Issaquah School District community for passing the maintenance and construction bond.
Each community has its own set of priorities. This community demonstrated that education is a top priority by approving the maintenance and construction bond during challenging economic times with a 70 percent yes vote.
We are honored to live in and be a part of a community that holds the education of its youth as a high priority. Your investment in our youth will pay off for years to come. Thank you again for investing in our youth and reaffirming the deep commitment this community has to education.
Lesley Austin
VIS Board
To the Editor
April 17, 2012
Central Issaquah Plan
Read the facts, not propaganda
Issaquah is a special place to live. Many of us cherish this beautiful city we call home. Many of you put in countless hours volunteering for the betterment of our community, always trying to find ways to improve what we treasure.
We all know that growth and enrichment for our city is to be expected. The question is, do we want to manage it in a carefully planned manner or have it thrust upon us? Either way, it’s coming.
Recently, I noticed several Eyes on Issaquah signs pop up in my neighborhood as well as on the Issaquah Valley floor.
This website illustrates an example of propaganda-charged material posted in an effort to instill doubt in the minds of the community to put a stop to the Central Issaquah Plan under the guise of convincing people to get involved.
To the Editor
April 10, 2012
Issaquah School District bond
A yes vote improves learning environment for 17,000 students
I am an 11th-grade student at Skyline High School and on behalf of my peers I urge and implore you to vote for the Issaquah School District’s capital bond.
You have doubtlessly heard about the virtues of the capital bond from various respected figures in the community, ranging from City Council members to state legislators. However, they are not affected by the capital bond as my peers and I are. Seventeen thousand of my peers are relying on your vote to improve the conditions of our schools, to maximize our potential and to make our educational experience the best it can be.
It may seem that making costly improvements to stadiums is a silly waste of money that could be spent on other things, but athletics is exceptionally important to my peers; it builds character, and brings in extra revenue and press to the school district. It may seem that rebuilding Clark Elementary, Issaquah Middle and Sunny Hills elementary schools is a waste of our money when there are cheaper alternatives, but fixing the problems with those schools now will prevent us from having to take a costlier path to fix the problems later. And it may seem that your taxes will increase with this bond, but they will actually decrease. There are no losers when you vote yes.
To the Editor
April 3, 2012
Future growth plans
Get involved if you care about our city
Eyes On Issaquah and the Issaquah Environmental Council keeps a close eye on many of the city’s plans. For decades now, when the city has either been blind to its own rampant and run-amok processes or simply looks the other way, activists, concerned citizens and common-sense people in our town have stood up and told the city what they want our town to be.
This massive growth plan that the city wishes to foist upon all of us, now, more than ever, people who “love Issaquah” had better get involved, fast, because this steamroller of big-city-here-forever growth is going to stop for no one. Get involved, get moving, Issaquah — this will be your last opportunity to put a focus on what you want your town to look like — forever.
Bryan Weinstein
Issaquah
To the Editor
March 27, 2012
Plastic bags
Other topics are more important, need city’s attention
I spend all my time thinking about plastic shopping bags, not traffic, nor parks — bonded and promised six years ago — nor the highlands, where the Microsoft campus, the movie theater and promised retail shopping aren’t.
Well, I don’t. Yet, I wonder why this City Council thinks about plastic shopping bags instead of other pressing issues where their credibility is at stake. Talk about a distraction … What next — unicorns and ponies?
Bryan Weinstein
Issaquah
To the Editor
March 20, 2012
Red light cameras
Challenge their constitutionality or elect new council members
I am amazed at the number of people who seem not to understand the recent state Supreme Court ruling on red light cameras. They all seem to think that our initiative process translates into a pure democracy (one-person/one-vote) form of government where the people can override what their representatives on the City Council authorized.
But our republican-democracy is not a one-person/one-vote form of government. Under our Constitution, we elect representatives to vote our interests when it comes to new laws.
If the opponents of the red light cameras want to have their voices heard, they could challenge the constitutionality of the cameras. Another way of changing the system is to elect a new majority of City Council members who would vote to get rid of them.
Rightly or wrongly, that is how our republican-democracy is supposed to work.
Hank Thomas
Issaquah
To the Editor
March 13, 2012
Signs on Front Street
Burma Shave-style campaign came to Issaquah, gave positive messages
Did you see the Burma Shave-type signs lining Front Street around noon on a recent Saturday? If you are just a “whipper snapper,” Burma Shave signs used to line our highways, giving bits of info and positive statements, punctuated at the end with the advertisement for the product, of course.
Thanks, Issaquah, for the thumbs up and smiling faces as we shared the Move On.org message for a better America. The signs read; “invest in America’s infrastructure,” “create 21st century energy jobs,” “invest in public education,” “offer Medicare for all,” “make work pay,” “secure Social Security,” “return to fairer tax rates,” “end the war and invest at home,” “tax Wall Street speculation” and “strengthen democracy.”
Democracy is not a spectator sport. Find your voice. Join a cause. Make a difference. Vote.
Margo Campbell
Issaquah
