Regarding the June 17 letter, “Residents can’t afford new hike”: I totally agree. When was it, early May? When Washington state acted like there was spare throwaway funds, so let’s change the name of Highway 99! Cost will be new signs, labor costs to install them, etc. And that is in addition to the costs to businesses for address changes in their records, business cards, advertising and etc. Whee, huh? Well now, as I somehow just knew would happen, the Snohomish County Council is proposing a tax increase. Surprised? I’m not, but I am disgusted and sad. And you can’t vote on the decisions of the County Council either. Why not take this potentially wasted money intended for the unnecessary highway name-change, and give that to the County Council? Oh, maybe that would make too much sense? It amazes me how there are so many tax and spend events taking place in this state that we voters are not allowed to vote on, and there is a total lack of “connect” between Olympia and the counties. The best thing in this entire situation would’ve been for Olympia to give out their “excess” money to the counties, and spare the taxpayers another tax increase, just once.

Janet Waite

Lynnwood