Letters

Taxes

Tobacco taxes hurting jobs

I understand that yet another tobacco tax increase is being proposed. Don’t we, in Washington, already have the highest tobacco taxes in the nation?

As an ex-employee of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, I can tell you that the state of Washington had at one time dozens of sales representatives, with good salaries, benefits, company cars and retirement plans. In the Region Office, based in Redmond, there were also a dozen support people, also with good jobs, salaries and benefits.

These jobs today are all gone. Furthermore, people entering the job market looking for opportunities can not go to R.J. Reynolds looking for a job. These jobs no longer exist. Ditto for Phillip Morris, Brown &Williamson and other tobacco companies.

Then of course there are the jobs lost at the distribution level, managers, sales people, delivery drivers and warehouse personnel, working for “tobacco jobbers.” And of course there is also lost revenue and jobs at the retail level, since now many law abiding citizens can no longer indulge in the pleasure of smoking due to government taxes.

All these jobs, mentioned, have been looted by government. Government transfers wealth, resources, incomes, benefits and careers from real people in the productive private sector, in the form of taxes, to the unproductive government sector. Is there no limit to government greed? When is enough enough?

It is trickle down economics when government loots jobs and money, charges large brokerage fees and leaves us with scraps.

No more trickle down economics. Give the money back. Lower tobacco taxes and give the jobs back.

JOSEPH A. LOPEZ

Lynnwood

Schools

Charter schools would bring in funds

An extra $5 million in federal education funding is sitting on the table in Olympia. To collect it, all the Legislature has to do is to pass the “Rockefeller” version of the Charter School bill by May 30. The bill has bi-partisan support and is highly accountable to students. Our state Superintendent of Public Instruction, Terry Bergesen, has arranged for this funding. Gov. Locke supports this bill. In these budget-conscious times, why would we leave any money on the table?

Especially when it will go to support innovative education in our public schools. Now is the time. Washington needs to join the majority and become the 40th state to pass charter schools.

KATHY K. HANNAH

Shoreline

Grammar

Staff needs to go beyond spell-check

Evan Smith, please try to persuade Enterprise staffers to do a human check on their computer spell-checkers before their material ready for readers. As I’ve tried to point out several times, those clever machines can’t read our minds. Too often, they only give us the correct spelling for the wrong word.

Example: Three times in the story of the three mayor from St. Catherine’s school, boys assisting the priests at mass were called “alter” boys. Is there some attempt at social comment here? Where’s that nun with a ruler? And while you’re at it, please explain the difference between a “fellow classmate” and a “classmate” (front page caption).

Hey, Evan, if you keep closer check on the local weekly’s styling and spelling challenges, maybe there won’t be so much space for gripes about presidential picture ops. If Bush is so far out of line in his appearance as commander-in-chief, why not let the man complain about it? Of course, they respect the guy, so that won’t happen.

FRANK HUTCHINS

Mountlake Terrace

Shoreline

Closing streets not the answer to traffic

Oh look! Another opportunity to note what a joke our Shoreline City Council is. Another opportunity to note that they obviously do not bother to listen to the citizens. A chance to note they make snap judgments based in fact that comes from who knows where. They recently voted unanimously to close a small street in the Richmond Highlands. Nevermind there was plenty of opposition from longtime residents and newcomers as well.

Sure, closing 183rd Street is a zero story to anyone else. But for those of us who now have to travel 15 blocks out of our way to get from the Richmond Highlands to Aurora, it’s a major inconvenience, all to the pleasure of those in Happy Valley.

Happy Valley residents are upset over traffic in their neighborhood. Let’s be honest, we’re talking seven homes here on the thoroughfare. Seven vocal homes. Okay, so they don’t like traffic. They had the speed cop out there. They had the signs and nothing worked. It’s a drag, but they made the choice to live there. I moved to a street with a cul-de-sac and I paid extra.. wanna know why? Because I wanted a street with limited traffic. Yes, I get it. I have small children too. I didn’t call the city to make it private just for me. So put speed bumps in. Don’t close the entire street.

So Happy Valley is now a private drive. Message to Shoreline City Council members: aren’t there more taxes you can assess on them? Oh wait, that gives me an idea. I understand from this process it only takes a handful of people to make changes. Let’s all make each of our streets private drives! It’s a wonderful idea. Let’s work with this organization – the Neighborhood Traffic Management office. I say flood them. Make the garbage men, friends, neighbors, whomever drive a crazy quilt of street closures all in the name of decreased traffic. We’ll call it the Happy Valley rule – squeaky wheel gets the grease.

JAMIE O’LEARY

Shoreline