Letters

Presidential election

Environment getting short end of stick

What about the environment?

It’s not surprising President Bush didn’t say a word about the environment during his State of the Union speech on Jan. 20. After all, he’s supported widespread logging, drilling, mining…and that’s just for a start. He’s declared war on the environment, but it’s a silent war.

What was extremely disturbing was that neither National Public Radio commentators or Democratic leaders said anything about the environment either.

Sen. Tom Daschle and Rep. Nancy Pelosi., in the Democratic rebuttal, were far more concerned with questions of national security and economy than of the environment.

What about us? Daschle asked about small-town residents who want more jobs. I would ask that same question about dozens of species facing habitat destruction and genocide. The Bush administration’s refusal to allocate anywhere near enough money to environmental agencies, particularly the Fish and Wildlife Service, is crippling their ability to defend animals on the endangered species list, if those species even make it onto the list at all.

Daschle also talked about the need for every child to go to a good school. But what about the need of every child to breathe? Asthma in children is reaching epidemic proportions. Now, according to a study by ABT Associates, the 51 coal-fired power plants that were in process of being prosecuted – and have now been entirely let off the hook – kill 5,000 to 9,000 people and cause hundreds of thousands of asthma attacks every year.

Everyone – President Bush, the Democratic candidates and the commentators – talked about what the American people want. And of course, we do want lower taxes and better health care and education and more jobs and freedom from fear. But we also want a clean environment.

It’s about time we let our government know that. We need to call our leaders, or write, or e-mail, and demand that they fight the war for the environment as well as the war on terror.

LAUREL EDDY

Lynnwood

Edmonds

Candidate won with work, dedication

The oaths of office were barely taken before the nay sayers were carping on the recent elections for City Council. How discouraging for the people who had just put their minds and souls into winning a seat on the council. The election was certified over two months ago. It is time to get on with life.

I worked on the Peggy Pritchard Olson campaign and yes, Peggy did have some money to work with, but this had nothing to do with her winning the race.

What won the race for her was her own hard work and the work of her election committee. The committee was formed by people who had worked with her on other civic issues, such as the annexing of the library into the SnoIsle system or the fight to keep the sewer plant off our waterfront. We knew of her ability to build consensus and draw people together.

The committee sealed and stamped envelopes, telephoned, scheduled appointments, passed out flyers, wrote letters, stood on street corners with Peggy waving signs and Peggy, with the help of the committee, doorbelled most of the homes in Edmonds. The “sign people” put in hours and hours putting out signs or replacing signs that had been damaged or stolen, and who can forget the “war wagon” seen all over the city with signs front to back. And while we were doing this we were asked to remain positive in our campaigning and not to be negative about the opponent.

This is why Peggy won. Along with her election committee, she worked harder!

What has happened to the committee? Most of them are continuing to work and volunteer with groups working for a better Edmonds.

JUDY McADAM

Edmonds

Improving parking will help business

Let’s start a business in Edmonds. The application fee is $65 with yearly renewal only $25. That’s reasonable.

We need a commercial location so we also need an Addendum for Commercial Business and a floor plan for the Building Division. The floor plan also requires a parking plan, both to city specifications. Then a Compliance Permit costing at least $30. OK.

If our business is different from the business that was there before, we also need a Change of Use Permit and at least $60. Fortunately, we are not locating our business in a building that was once a single family residence. That would require a meeting with city staff.

I hope no remodeling or alterations are required. Then we’d need a Tenant Improvement Permit. The landlord pays that fee and any building permits, but he’ll probably pass on the cost to us. Oh well.

What other permits may be required? Signs, re-roof, fence, plumbing, fire alarm, fire sprinkler, etc. That’s just the Building Division.

The Planning Department needs to verify the business is allowed in the zoning district and there is adequate parking. They also may require a floor plan and parking plan.

What if we need a sign, or need to re-paint the exterior, or add a few landscape plants, or change the lighting, or change street furniture? Then we must get approval from the Architectural Design Board.

Let’s say we navigate this maze, along with the requirements from the Fire Department and Police Department. Nothing can stop us now! Right?

Wrong. If our business requires more parking than the previous business occupant, we may be denied a business license.

The City Council has started the fix. Parking is the largest barrier to new business in Edmonds. I urge the downtown merchants, representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, and any other knowledgeable citizens to read the most recent May 2003 Parking Study and give public input. New business would be good for Edmonds.

DON KREIMAN

Edmonds