Irresponsible closure
Dear Editor:
Reading the article re: the proposed withdrawal in the Sept. 5 edition of the News, I was struck by the fact that with all the publicity that there appears to be no indication of opposition.
Why is this? We are talking of about 10 percent of the entire county (that’s a lot).
While I believe in doing all we reasonably can to maintain a sound ecological base and have always considered myself to be a bit of an environmentalist, it has always been bothersome to me that all resources are not taken into account when considering changes of this nature — and I’m old enough to recognize a fad-based move when I see it. Irresponsible mining practices such as occurred in the distant past (and, yes, even, to some degree up to my early days in the profession) are long gone. Mining footprints have diminished considerably (especially compared to some of our county’s home developments up in the hills, or some of our shopping areas), mining is not permanent, and nowadays required mine closures obliterate most of the effects of mining.
Closing such a large area seems irresponsible to me. Whether or not to allow mining should be done on a case-by-case basis and should be allowed with controls. Closing up an area like this is akin to closing or vacating a road because someone dumps garbage there; that’s not a reason for closure.
Don Hruska, Omak
The real 1 percent
Dear Editor:
Dan Aspenwall may be correct in saying that some of the highest per capita income counties are near Washington, D.C. (Aug. 29). But his conclusion that this means those counties are where you find “the greedy One Percent” is ludicrous. The real “1 percent” make more than $450,000/year or have over $7 million in net assets. Per capita income in the richest counties near Washington, D.C., was under $60,000 (2010 Census).
The billionaires and other super-rich don’t usually live in D.C..Their mansions are elsewhere. The people keeping up per capita income in the D.C. area include many lawyers and lobbyists who represent the richest individuals and corporations. Very few represent what Dan calls “molecules” (presumably clean air or clean water interests), or endangered species, as Dan claims. Nor are they the government regulators.
A very senior government regulatory attorney maxes out at about the same income as a brand new law school graduate just starting in one of the big corporate law firms. Senior law partners may make 10 times that. This is where the corporate lobbyists come from.
It is easy to find actual figures on where the big money goes in D.C. The federal Lobbying Disclosure Act requires expenditures be reported quarterly. The figures for 2017 show $2.3 billion spent on mostly business lobbying.
Corporate health care (including Big Pharma) spent $563 million. Energy industry lobbying was $318 million. Of that, oil and gas interests spent $126 million. Exxon alone spent over $13 million lobbying.
As for Dan’s “molecule and species” protectors (i.e., environmentalists), their total lobbying for protecting our planet — for all its creatures, human and animal — was just $17 million.
These are just federal figures. I believe that business interests outspend environmental interests at state and local levels by similar orders of magnitude.
Please don’t forget that the 1 percent are the same, very rich folks that another Dan (Newhouse), caters to every day in the House of Representatives. Please vote for Christine Brown to replace that Dan with someone who cares about the 99 percent.
Randy Brook, Twisp
Hawley for sheriff
Dear Editor:
As many of you may know, I work as a communications sergeant for the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office. I have served the county in various positions for the past 24 years, and have also been a firefighter for 31 years (three years with District 7-Riverside Fire and 28 years with The Omak Fire Department). I grew up in this area, and I am proud to call Okanogan County my home. It has been an honor to work with many honest and hard-working deputies, officers and other first responders. With that being said, it is my pleasure to endorse Tony Hawley for sheriff. Tony is fair, level-headed and able to stay true to his values and principles, even in dire times. Tony has the sense and training to diffuse crisis situations, and has put those skills to the test when making some of the hardest decisions of his career. With all the chatter and behind-the-back talk this election is dredging up, there is one person I can trust to hold himself above all of that, and be judged on his integrity, ability and character, and that person is Tony Hawley.
Susie Ortiz, Omak
Asking questions
Dear Editor:
In 2016, Okanogan County’s voters made a clear statement on values by ousting the two county commissioners who were up for election at that time. Issues included: lack of transparency regarding plans for housing juvenile offenders; failure to listen to the public regarding vacation of Three Devils Road, which is needed for public egress during wildfires and for access to public lands; lack of accountability in expenditure of county tax dollars for travel expenses to promote transfer of ownership of public lands to the states and counties nationwide; and payments of huge legal fees resulting from lack of respect for county employees. Jokes had been made during commissioners’ public meetings about politicians of the opposite party, the “ridiculous” theory of climate change, and environmentalists.
New commissioners Branch and Hover do not tolerate such inappropriate public behavior. Mr. DeTro has toned down his rhetoric a bit and is up for re-election this year. Has Jim changed his opinion on important issues or not? The public and press should raise this question, since Jim was quoted in an article as deciding to run because he has “unfinished business.”
Perhaps more importantly, has Jim’s attitude changed or not? My guess is “not,” considering his recent Facebook promotion of a poster suggesting “spaying and neutering of all environmental extremists.” His support of the takeover of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge accomplished little but hysteria. Driving an ATV into Winthrop, thereby challenging local laws and eventually causing the resignation of a good mayor, is not an indication for success in the arena of clear thinking.
Visit the web page of Salley Bull, vote4sal.com, and the Facebook page of Jim DeTro and ask yourself which candidate has the best chance of moving toward the goals of intelligent, respectful problem-solving of our county’s substantial challenges.
Isabelle Spohn, Twisp
