Letters to the Editor
Published 1:30 am Saturday, July 25, 2026
LIBRARY LEVY
Celebrate our nation, vote ‘yes’ for Prop. 1
We can truly celebrate our country’s 250th anniversary as a democracy August 4…. by voting to support the Sno-Isle Library Prop.1 replacement levy. Consider the words of Andrew Carnegie who was one of the richest men in the world when he used his massive fortune to provide .2,509 libraries world wide 1,689 in the US and 43 in Washington, because he believed, as do supporters of libraries today, that” there is not such a cradle of democracy upon earth as the Free Public Library, this republic of letters, where neither rank, office, nor wealth receives the slightest consideration.”
Candace Jarrett
Snohomish
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Protect the sanctity of our homes
I am horrified to think what the Coker and Ham families had to endure as the peaceful setting of their homes were inexplicably being struck by flying bullets. I can also empathize to a degree at their frustration about the official response they received to their distress.
Many times a day the quiet of my home is disturbed by the unsettling thump, thump, thump of overamplified sinewaves in the bass register emanating from the audio systems of passing cars. Marysville Municipal Code 6.76.060 (8) stipulates that audio that can be heard 75ft from its source constitutes disturbing the peace. Though officialdom has seen this as enough of a problem to draft an ordinance about, getting it enforced to any degree is frustrating.
The peace of our homes, it seems, can be invaded by a whole category of people who are oblivious to the unpleasant and unwanted side effects of their recreational activities.
Were any of us to casually walk into the home of the offenders, uninvited, to show them photos on our phones, or our tattoos and piercings there would be no question that we were violating the sanctity of their homes, but they seem OK with disturbing our homes with stray bullets, or penetrating soundwaves from audio systems and exploding fireworks. How are we going to raise their consciousness without doing to them in kind, if we can’t enjoin law enforcement to help?
Thomas J. Munyon
Marysville
RESPONSE TO SCHWAB
Trump’s mixed messages
Syd Schwab’s recent commentary on President Trump’s week and his prime‑time address captured something essential. The speech was striking not for what it claimed, but for how sharply it diverged from the administration’s own decisions.
If the president is truly concerned about election security, it’s hard to explain efforts to dismantle the bipartisan U.S. Election Assistance Commission, the agency created to help states run secure elections. It’s equally difficult to justify cuts to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, whose specialists work directly with state and local officials to protect voting systems from foreign interference.
If President Trump is genuinely worried about China’s influence, the contradictions deepen. Removing experienced China analysts from the National Intelligence Council, allowing TikTok to continue operating despite repeatedly calling it a national security threat, and relaxing restrictions on advanced AI chips for the United Arab Emirates (that may be shared with China), all run counter to the concerns he voiced.
These inconsistencies matter. Washington doesn’t need more televised grievances or dramatic pronouncements. We need policies that strengthen the institutions responsible for safeguarding our elections, our security, and our technological leadership. The president’s address may have been forceful in tone, but it did not align with the actions required to meet the challenges he described.
The American people deserve leadership that matches words with deeds.
Mark Rohde
Snohomish
VOTING
Just say no to ridiculously named Save America Act
As ballots arrive, voters should consider what the proposed Save America Act would mean for Washington. The measure would require voters to include a copy of their identification with their ballot. That sounds simple—until you realize how many people lack easy access to a copier or printer. Imagine finding a library, making a copy of your ID, and ensuring it matches your voter record. Long‑time residents, newly married voters, and those with out‑of‑state IDs could all face hurdles.
Even if you manage that, there’s another issue: ballot theft. Adding personal identification to mailed ballots increases the risk of stolen information. Thieves could snatch ballots from mailboxes or even remove entire ballot boxes. This proposal creates new vulnerabilities instead of solving existing ones.
Washington’s vote‑by‑mail system has worked securely. Our Secretary of State, Steve Hobbs, who serves as President‑Elect of the National Association of Secretaries of State. continues to lead bipartisan efforts to protect election integrity. The Save America Act would undermine that progress by adding unnecessary barriers and privacy risks.
This is a solution in search of a problem—and it would make voting harder for everyone. Just say ‘no’ to the Save America Act.
Cathy Ozog
Granite Falls
ENERGY STRATEGY
We can’t just permit our way to an effective grid
I appreciated a recent letter to the Herald calling for clean‑energy permit reform. That’s important work. Waiting five to ten years to approve and build transmission lines isn’t just inefficient; it’s unacceptable.
But we also shouldn’t pretend that new energy permitting is the only barrier to affordable, reliable electricity.
While we wait for new transmission, we can make the grid we already have far more effective. Rooftop solar, balcony solar, home batteries, and virtual power plants can generate and store electricity right where people use it. Smart meters and demand‑response programs can cut expensive peak demand. And grid‑enhancing technologies, including like dynamic line ratings and high‑performance conductors, can move much more electricity over existing lines without building new towers.
Some of Washington’s most potent “power plants” may turn out to be millions of homes, businesses, water heaters, thermostats, batteries, and electric vehicles working together. They don’t need smokestacks, just a bit of hardware and software.
None of this replaces the long‑term need for new transmission. Washington is growing, and we will need them. But when we build them, using highway rights‑of‑ways we already own would speed permitting, reduce costs, and avoid cutting untouched forests.
Permitting reform is essential. So is deploying practical tools that strengthen reliability, lower costs, and modernize the grid we have right now. Washington deserves an energy strategy as innovative as the technologies we’ve already developed.
Mark Rohde
Snohomish
