.png)
To the editor, Spend public money on county residents, not foreign corporations. Last week this paper reported that the county received $4.2 million from a state program called the Local Assistance and Tribal Sufficiency Fund. County Commissioner Robert Rosencrantz argued that the money should be spent on roads and public services to benefit Pend Oreille County’s citizens. John Gentle and Brian Smiley insisted that they wanted to give the public’s money to benefit foreign corporations, not local residents, under the questionable façade of economic development while pushing up property tax rates as quickly as they could instead of using the $4.2 million public needs.
Over the last decade, the county has squandered well over a million dollars of taxpayer funds on failed “economic development” programs that have actually hurt the county by damaging the tax base, made the county liable for hundreds of thousands of dollars in failed grants, and destroyed the credibility of county government and economic development process. For example, the County assessor slashed property taxes on the former PNC Paper Mill by 75% after Commissioner Gentle asked the bankruptcy judge to sell the property to Allrise Capital for crypto mining.
Commissioner Gentle and the EDC tried to conceal from taxpayers that the County is liable to the State to repay $300,000 grant to the EDC and Hi Test Sands.
Meanwhile, the County needs at least $1.6 million for unfunded repairs to county roads and funds for ambulance services. Communities like Newport and Cusick are struggling to provide clean drinking water and sewage services to residents. The Sheriff’s office and firefighting departments are undermanned and underequipped, and myriads of other needs impacting residents’ quality of life remain unfunded or underfunded.
Commissioners Gentle and Smiley need to prioritize their constituents over their business partners, family members, and foreign corporations.
-Ben Richards Usk
“Revenue Enhancing?”
To the editor, Our County Commissioners seems to be at odds on the use of the grant money provided under the American Rescue Plan. Per The Newport Miner, this amounts to approximately $4.2 million. It is also noted there is a “plan” in place for the use of said funds.
However, there has been minimal reporting as to the planned use.
One quote from a Commissioner was that the grant funds would be used for “revenue enhancing activities.”
The question, what are the planned “revenue enhancing activities?” It is a subtle proposal to increase funds for the EDC, which has failed for years to attract new business to our county? Are we “chasing windmills” for another industry? Was not the proposed smelter a lesson?
Blaming the shortfall on revenue to roads due to gas tax revenues falling and the lack of state funds is not a plan. It is using the excuse that the County has minimal control.
To attract any major business or industry, good roads are required for receiving, shipping and employee staffing.
As roads deteriorate it costs more in the future.
Agreed, a long-term plan is needed but in the shortterm road maintenance is required to alleviate future, major additional costs. What was being proposed by one Commissioner was raised for discussion. Instead, it resulted in derogatory, negative remarks.
You must ask the question, If I am a business wanting to relocate and view the County leadership would I choose Pend Oreille County?
-Robert W. Schutte Newport
Bad roads are product of no-growth rural policy
To the editor, What a surprise. Pend Oreille County doesn’t have the tax revenue to maintain paved roads.
The solution is to grind up the asphalt and have unpaved oil coated gravel roads. This is the result of a no-growth rural quality of life. The anti-growth people are finally going to reap the rewards of their opposition. It will be interesting watching an overloaded logging truck going 50 mph tear holes in the gravel and spew huge dust clouds.
Our hope is that people living on the West side of Washington will send us millions of their road and property taxes to bail us out. Those people are the Democrats you admonish with criticism over their social and civil politics.
How about some Republican pride that rejects being bailed out by the liberals?
Two county commissioners treading water in their economic life jackets want to wait for rescue handouts from the West side. Other solutions are available such as forming Local Improvement Districts that tax the property owners for the pavement. Another solution is to use available technology to read license plates and charge the drivers of cars that use the county road a toll to pay for the pavement.
I find it interesting that conservative Republican fiscal policies have failed to provide maintained paved roads. It’s difficult to remember the last time a Democrat held a public office in our community.
Our Republican commissioners could take a page from Trump MAGA and claim that we have the best and most beautiful roads in all of Washington. Big roads shining brightly in the summer sun. Then go to the tire shop to replace the tire that blew out in the pothole and get an alignment followed by a car wash. What would Trump call a county with unpaved roads and no resort golf courses?
-Pete Scobby Newport
Rosie raids the cookie jar?
To the editor, Last week’s Miner article, “Spend Money On Roads Or Economic Development?,” should come as no surprise to anyone who has watched Commissioner Robert Rosencrantz in action.
Rosencrantz proposed raiding the one-time windfall LATCF cookie jar to slap a band-aid on the county’s roads.
Under a Dec. 19, 2022 BOCC Resolution, signed by Rosencrantz, the $4.2M LATCF money was earmarked for Economic Development under the Future Enterprise Reserve Fund…for “Future Enterprise Endeavors for the betterment of POC sustainability.”
Granted, the county’s roads are in bad shape; but roads and the Road Levy are part of the normal budget process.
FYI – During the last budget cycle Rosencrantz made the motion to raise the Road Levy Tax to its statutory maximum. A motion which passed unanimously.
There’s just one problem with the normal budget process.
The budget is usually finalized AFTER the November General Election; offering minimal opportunities for political backstabbing.
The Public Works discussion highlighted the basic difference between Rosencrantz and fellow commissioners Gentle and Smiley. Gentle and Smiley approach a situation thoughtfully and practically, seeking the best outcome for the county.
Rosencrantz first and foremost focuses on grandstanding and political advantage.
You have to feel sorry for Gentle and Smiley.
They’re just not wired to recognize every opportunity for self-serving political showboating.
-Norm Smith Diamond Lake
To the whiners
To the editor, Anyone wonder why WE the people are continuously being fleeced by big oil, big pharma, big banks, big automakers, etc.?
Duh! The US is an experiment to determine if Democracy can survive alongside Capitalism. It worked for the buildup of the system, but now “Big” companies are determining gov’t policy at the expense the people.
You all know that these companies are ripping us off, and you all know that your representatives are taking in the profits from the companies political contributions. Not really hard to prove, you just need to do the research on Political contributions.
If you do that, then take a side and get rid of the ability of our representative to take advantage of this.
I realize this is a lot of general accusations, but I don’t have the time or the patience to do you research for you and hand it to you. Take some time and get involved! You are one of the ones that’s being affected. If you don’t get involved, don’t whine!
-Budd Colucci Newport
Dishonesty or lack of comprehension
To the editor, Some people are born gullible.
They are quick to believe what has been presented to them without question. When Mr.
Trump was put on trial in New York by a vindictive political prosecutor, and a like kind political judge who contributed to the Biden campaign, and whose daughter raises money for that same party, with charges that had long past the statute of limitations, is it any wonder Trump was convicted? The whole procedure was a sham. Those that have the audacity to call Trump a convicted felon are with reproach.
When the justice system is so corrupt, that in itself would be a reason for Americans to fly their flags upside down to signal distress to other citizens that might be fed up as well and demand change. Other concerns for distress include the tremendous amount of illegal aliens and drugs crossing the southern border on a daily basis and massive government spending that has increased prices on energy, food, hotels, restaurants, repairs and entertainment and an incompetent foreign policy leading to unstable relations with allies and enemies alike is a major reason to signal distress. For those with the incurable TDS that can’t see what has been happening in this country the last 3 1/2 years, Time to Take off your blinders!
-K.C. Hunt Newport
Crooked Supreme Court for a crooked president
To the editor, I have to ask myself what Trump holds over these six Republicans’ heads that they’re willing to kiss his feet for?
People like him are absolutely revolting. I remember as a child my mother warned me about people like him, Nixon she said was a bad person, Hitler, and most of the Russian government not to be trusted. Good advice, as I feel about our Republicans that are covering up all the crimes that Trump is done.
People’s lives were lost because of him wanting to overthrow the government because he didn’t want to not be president anymore. That makes me sick.
So many people are at risk right now, the elderly, the poor, the homeless, the gay, and the programs that are out there to help people. I am talking about Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, women’s rights, and any help for the needy, Obamacare, any health insurance that helps low income people – gone! I’m sure there’s those people out there that go I don’t need that I have a great retirement. Not all of us have that. It’s now a crime to be homeless even if there’s not a shelter. That makes me sick.
I certainly hope people will pull their heads up out of their shells and vote blue in November.
You just have a spoiled brat that never grew up that refuses to accept responsibility for his crimes. Every one of us has to pay for it.
I say impeach this Supreme Court and get rid of the one’s creating all this havoc.
-Jeannie Hutchins Newport
First debate
To the editor, I didn’t have the opportunity to watch the debate however the way cable news and social media blew up, it apparently didn’t go well for Biden.
Minutes after it ended, CNN hosts were talking about replacing Biden for another candidate. WOW! The day after the debate, media was buzzing about how to replace Biden. Democrat mega donors were pulling support and saying that after watching that, the Democrat party (as well as the MSM) have lied to America as to Joe’s mental decline.
I’ve seen clips of the debate and it showed Joe struggling to complete thoughts and even sentences. But that’s the thing, they were clips, snippets, chosen by someone. But when the MSM went off on him it must have been bad! They are saying he is not fit to be President.
Replacing Biden will not be as easy as you might think. Several states have rules that say you can’t take a party nomination off the ballot. At least one state says the name must remain on the ballot but the votes won’t count. Other states have time limits to remove a nominee but we are too close to the election for several of those states. It sounds to me like they are in a pickle. They maybe should have thought of this earlier. Maybe that’s why they had the debate so early. The normal debate cycle usually begins later in the summer and ends in the fall.
SCOTUS just ruled 6-3 that the “Chevron Deference” rule is dead. That was the rule that the J6 Committee used as “obstruction to a proceeding.” This ruling showed that it couldn’t be applied in the J6 cases, including Trump. This will positively affect about 350 J6 cases. According to this ruling, J6ers were imprisoned illegally.
Interesting times we are living in. Maybe historical.
-Glen Pierce Spokane/Cusick
