Letters
February 2011 Letters to the Editor
Published on Mon, Jan 31, 2011Read More Letters to the Editor
Hopes of criminal justice reform in 2011
Dear Editor,
Happy New Year! Perhaps this is the year that our illustrious legislators enact some criminal justice reform.
Continuing to promote our punitive system is simply asking for future problems and more expense. The cost of incarceration is about $32,000 a year and triple that after a person passes 55 years of age. It takes at least seven taxpayers earning $50,000 income to pay the annual bill for each life lost to the prison cycle. Who is being punished?
The DOC is extremely proud of not releasing anyone early from prison even in light of the critical economical situation. We still have non-violent people spending their entire lives behind bars with the same sentence as heinous murderers. Does this make any sense?
Rather than releasing anyone, we prefer to eliminate the programs that have been proven to reduce the likelihood that people will return to prison. We need to break that cycle of recidivism. Our systems are stretched and our taxpayers are carrying a huge burden.
Criminal justice reform is long overdue. Our legislation is in session; let your legislators know that we need to change the sentencing laws and shift the focus so that tax dollars are better used.
Targeted invested new catch phrase in Washington D.C.
Dear Editor,
As mentioned in the State of the Union address, “Targeted Investment” is the new phrase of the moment.
Targeted Investment only means that the federal government will not slow spending, but increase it especially regarding education.
A strong-educated citizenry is very important and vital to the United States continued economic power around the world.
I do have issue with the federal government infringement on our liberties and continued expansion of their power.
In 1970, the federal government spent an inflation adjusted $31.5 billion on K-12 public education and by 2009 it increased to $82.9 billion. The increase of 188 percent has resulted in National Test Scores in Math boosting from the 1973 score of 304 (out of 500) to the whopping score of 306 in 2008.
We had similar incredible score increases in Reading from 285 in 1971 to 286 in 2008.
It is evident that the federal government prevents success through their bloated budgets and programs not built on competition, but instead on special interest groups and make great sound bites for the 24-hour news cycle.
We need to trust in competition for our children’s education and our own instincts as parents.
It was indeed about politics
Dear Editor,
Since that unfortunate day in Tucson, it has been nice to see many people offer various opinions on why it happened. In no way am I blaming Sarah Palin or the Tea-Party like so many individuals have been but on the other hand I believe it had to do with politics.
Jared Loughner attempted unsuccessfully to assassinate a politician.
I am by far no rocket scientist but that sure seems to me that it makes it all about politics.
Adopt-a-Math Book a huge success
Dear Editor,
We have completed the K-12 math curriculum.
We owe many thanks to many people that made the purchase of the K-8 books a reality.
We received over $53,000 in donations from staff members, alumni members, community members, businesses, grandparents, colleagues and friends, and grant funding, which is amazing support.
We also would like to thank the Macmillan McGraw-Hill publishing company for understanding our financial situation and working with us to piece the purchases together over the course of several months.
Thanks to the adopt-a-math book donations and grants, support from the publishing company, and district curriculum funds, we were able to purchase approximately 1,400 books for all K-8 students.
High school books were purchased two years ago with district funding. Since last spring, we have managed to purchase the K-8 books needed to have a fully aligned K-12 math curriculum. We are thrilled.
Dear Editor,
Happy New Year! Perhaps this is the year that our illustrious legislators enact some criminal justice reform.
Continuing to promote our punitive system is simply asking for future problems and more expense. The cost of incarceration is about $32,000 a year and triple that after a person passes 55 years of age. It takes at least seven taxpayers earning $50,000 income to pay the annual bill for each life lost to the prison cycle. Who is being punished?
The DOC is extremely proud of not releasing anyone early from prison even in light of the critical economical situation. We still have non-violent people spending their entire lives behind bars with the same sentence as heinous murderers. Does this make any sense?
Rather than releasing anyone, we prefer to eliminate the programs that have been proven to reduce the likelihood that people will return to prison. We need to break that cycle of recidivism. Our systems are stretched and our taxpayers are carrying a huge burden.
Criminal justice reform is long overdue. Our legislation is in session; let your legislators know that we need to change the sentencing laws and shift the focus so that tax dollars are better used.
Lowana Krewson
Stanwood
Stanwood
Targeted invested new catch phrase in Washington D.C.
Dear Editor,
As mentioned in the State of the Union address, “Targeted Investment” is the new phrase of the moment.
Targeted Investment only means that the federal government will not slow spending, but increase it especially regarding education.
A strong-educated citizenry is very important and vital to the United States continued economic power around the world.
I do have issue with the federal government infringement on our liberties and continued expansion of their power.
In 1970, the federal government spent an inflation adjusted $31.5 billion on K-12 public education and by 2009 it increased to $82.9 billion. The increase of 188 percent has resulted in National Test Scores in Math boosting from the 1973 score of 304 (out of 500) to the whopping score of 306 in 2008.
We had similar incredible score increases in Reading from 285 in 1971 to 286 in 2008.
It is evident that the federal government prevents success through their bloated budgets and programs not built on competition, but instead on special interest groups and make great sound bites for the 24-hour news cycle.
We need to trust in competition for our children’s education and our own instincts as parents.
Todd Welch
Lake Stevens
Lake Stevens
It was indeed about politics
Dear Editor,
Since that unfortunate day in Tucson, it has been nice to see many people offer various opinions on why it happened. In no way am I blaming Sarah Palin or the Tea-Party like so many individuals have been but on the other hand I believe it had to do with politics.
Jared Loughner attempted unsuccessfully to assassinate a politician.
I am by far no rocket scientist but that sure seems to me that it makes it all about politics.
Jeff Swanson
Lake Stevens
Lake Stevens
Adopt-a-Math Book a huge success
Dear Editor,
We have completed the K-12 math curriculum.
We owe many thanks to many people that made the purchase of the K-8 books a reality.
We received over $53,000 in donations from staff members, alumni members, community members, businesses, grandparents, colleagues and friends, and grant funding, which is amazing support.
We also would like to thank the Macmillan McGraw-Hill publishing company for understanding our financial situation and working with us to piece the purchases together over the course of several months.
Thanks to the adopt-a-math book donations and grants, support from the publishing company, and district curriculum funds, we were able to purchase approximately 1,400 books for all K-8 students.
High school books were purchased two years ago with district funding. Since last spring, we have managed to purchase the K-8 books needed to have a fully aligned K-12 math curriculum. We are thrilled.
Kathy Grant,
Communications Director Granite Falls School District
Communications Director Granite Falls School District
