Letters to the Editor for Oct. 19, 2010

Support local Humane Society

I have been quite distressed in recent weeks to learn of the lop-sided financial support being given to local humane societies.

Several weeks ago, the Humane Society of Southwest Washington held a fundraising dinner/auction and raised well over a million dollars. At about the same time, the West Columbia Gorge Humane Society (our humane society) held the same sort of function and raised around $25,000. Quite a difference.

Last week, the estate of Donald and Jean Lewis, former long-time residents of Camas, donated $100,000 through the Community Foundation of Southwest Washington. These funds will complete the payment of the mortgage of the new SWHC building. On the other hand, the entire operating budget for WCGHS is around $150,000 per year. What a terrific difference that $100,000 would make.

At this time, the WCGHS is begging the City of Washougal for a measly $25,000. The City Councilors are not mean, they just don’t have the money – but maybe you do. It seems that for some reason, the residents of this area, who do care for and about animals, do not seem to want to support their own local no kill shelter.

Is it that people don’t know about the West Columbia Gorge Humane Society? These few volunteers and generous veterinarians toil 24/7 to see that our local homeless animals are fed, cleaned, neutered, walked and shown for adoption at locales around the county. They need a lot more support. They need your support.

I think they also need a new name – the Camas/Washougal Humane Society? They also need a donation mailing address that the average citizen can find. The Index Street address in the phone book is not a mailing address. Please note their mailing address is P.O. Box 270 Washougal, WA 98671.

When you are next planning on donating your time or your dollars, to the care of animals please don’t overlook the fact that these are our animals in their care. Unlike the practice of the SWHC, they will not be euthanized. The volunteers of the West Columbia Gorge Humane Society are the people to support.

Marilyn Tyrrell, Washougal

Rivers is best fit

The national elections always get a lot of press coverage, but in many ways the people whom we elect to represent us at the state level is an even more critical choice.

The state government plays a much greater role in our day-to-day lives than the federal government. Our state government still has the power to make changes that will significantly impact our lives for the better or worse.

Take the huge mountain of debt as one example. According to the Washington State Treasurer website, our state debt has swelled from a little over $7 billion in 2000 to well over $16 billion today. Every year for the past 10 years the Washington State legislature has run an annual deficit.

The mind set of our current legislators is stuck in an insane and infinite loop of spending more than existing revenue, imposing new taxes to cover the subsequent debt, only to raise spending even more based on the higher projected revenue that they hope to gain from the hike in taxes.

It is time to stop this economic insanity and elect state representatives that will exercise a modicum of fiscal restraint; representatives that will help pass a sustainable budget based on existing revenue instead of wildly optimistic projected forecasts; representatives that will stop focusing on spending and instead start focusing on economic growth.

That is why I readily endorse Ann Rivers for state representative in the 18th District. She is committed to reinstating I-960, the “Taxpayers Protection Act,” that requires either a two-thirds vote in each house of the legislature or voter approval for all tax increases.

Rivers will focus on policies that will help promote economic growth. She knows that small businesses and the jobs they provide are the means of getting our state on the path of recovery. As a small business owner, she understands how crucial it is to allow our local businesses to thrive and to not strangle the life out of them by over-regulation.

I hope you will join me in endorsing Ann Rivers.

Craig Feller

Camas