Letters

Forum response

Charter schools sound better than they’ll be

Attention: Mr. Evan Smith

Dear Mr. Smith,

We’re already seeing what happens to education when for-profit entities get their toes in the door. In our public schools administrators are feeling the push, to use a capitalist metaphor, of an “invisible hand” to promote their sponsor’s products and encourage their consumption.

Just imagine how a school owned and operated by Nike, Coke, or Philip Morris would operate? Even if they don’t operate their own schools, you can bet that they’ll at least “partner” with charter schools, and to a greater degree than they are allowed in our public schools.

You say to give them a chance, and pull the plug if they don’t work. When business or government goes haywire, how often, and how quickly, do we actually see the plug being pulled?

There are things best left to free markets, and there are things best managed by the people for the people.

I’m still for overhaul, not demolition.

A couple of decades ago HMOs were touted as a free market solution to spiraling medical costs. Today those of us fortunate enough to be insured are all “managed,” but the quality of our care has declined, and costs are spiraling even faster.

In your position you have significant influence in matters such as these. I hope that if/when charter schools prove to be better at selling product and increasing shareholder value than they are at educating our kids, when they prove better at producing consumers than critical thinkers, you’ll be in the front of the pack calling for their dismantlement.

R. CUPLIN

Brier

Mill Creek

City planning staff should be commended

It is with ambivalent feelings that I did not resubmit my name to be a Mill Creek Planning Commissioner. It has been a pleasure working with my other community volunteer commissioners and with those dedicated members of Mill Creek City Community Development staff.

My hat is tipped to Bill Trimm, director of community development, and his knowledgeable and professional staff. During my three-year tenure I have always been impressed with this group’s expertise. There is no doubt their planning knowledge and devotion to their job has lead to our community becoming a better place to live. Mr. Trimm and his staff’s well thought out advise has helped the Planning Commissioners and has led our City Council members toward making informative and critical futurist decisions.

So it is with due respect that I encourage our City Council members to officially recognize the community development staff by proclaiming a day of special thanks to the whole department.

As I travel throughout our community, very often a warm feeling will overcome me. I really do enjoy our city’s beautiful new amenities. And for these added city features I am thankful to our city staff members. I know without these dedicated men and women’s input and daily services our city could not exist.

I have an appreciation for our elected officials, our city staff and our numerous city volunteers. I know first hand that without these individuals coming together as a team our city would not be the municipality that I am proud to live in. I truly believe it is our civic responsibility to become active members of our community. I encourage my fellow citizens to step forward to be counted among the many volunteer advisors to our City Council.

Remember it is “We the People” who make up our city. Together we will continue to assist our elected officials to make our city government work in an efficient manner.

CHUCK WRIGHT

Mill Creek

Lynnwood

City doesn’t set good development example

In response to the many of you who feel that my words are uncharitable and portray Lynnwood in a less than accurate light, I say Poppycock.

If you feel Lynnwood has anything positive to contribute to humanity, then I prescribe three solid weekends of wandering mindlessly through Alderwood Mall. There you will swim in a sea of easily-fascinated nitwits, picking through the latest in Britney Spears fashion and buying up unnecessary junk that will soon be shipped to your local landfill like yesterday’s craze.

Lynnwood is a corner store on the road to somewhere else. It has the charm of gingivitis with the sweeping appeal of Mad Cow Disease. Lynnwood is Mecca to the McJob pilgrim. Lynnwood’s motto should be “Paper or Plastic?” or “Would you like fries with that?”

There is no limit to the quantity of business a single community can attract. There is however, a limit to the quality of business. Good commerce has to be nurtured. Good businesses have to be attracted by quality neighborhoods filled with thoughtful and compassionate people. Attracting great business to a community is not like attracting flies to dung. We don’t keep large piles of dung around the house and hope one day the maggots sprout arms and start painting the place. We have to attract the sort of businesses that cultivate a highly-enlightened community. We have to set standards for the type of business we seek for our community.

Perhaps I am alone but I fail to see the wisdom in promulgating the virtues of minimum wage. We need well-reasoned and deliberate objectives. We need a plan. We need community leaders that will lead and not merely dazzle the city accountants with short-sighted, revenue-generating shenanigans. Afterall, Mayor McCheese might trade an old dollar for a shiny quarter and call it good business but I wouldn’t.

MAREK SOLOMON

Mountlake Terrace