Letters to the Editor

Here we are again...
The Editor:
Well, here we are again, the city wants to take more of what you have very little of – your money. This is to support a maintenance levy for the streets, money that was supposed to be set aside for that purpose but was frittered away under the previous administration on cost overruns on some of the city’s other projects.
Before you vote on this take a look at how much you are paying out to the city already for your utilities, property taxes, stormwater fees, school bonds and on and on. The city is not planning on cutting any of the useless overstaffed positions at city hall to try and fund this levy, instead they want to reach out and touch you again.
At the first pubic meeting held at the senior center, Mr. Shught, said that if this fails to pass he plans to cut essential services like police and fire services. This is not the time with the country on the brink of terrorist threats and possibly war to be cutting those services. He wants to place your safety and health care and fire protection at risk. That may be fine on his planet, but not this one.
He should be cutting out the wide array of consultants that are hired which would save thousands of dollars, and instead form citizens groups to study projects, reduce the number of middle management positions within the city, as well as clerical positions which are not needed, and let the city manager take a cut in his over $100,000 a year paycheck if he truly cares about this city.
For all of the years that the people of this city have kept giving and giving to this city, it is about time the city starts to give back to the taxpayer in these tough economic times of no growth in this town, and reach into their own pockets.
At least when the school board asks for money you see some real tangible results and that’s why they are operating in the black. When the city takes your money all you get is reasons as to how they mismanaged the use of it.
It is time to put a stop to this and tell them to take it from their budget not your pockets.
David White
Blaine

America’s roots?
The Editor:
When the founders created a document pathway for a new nation they used many countries’ ideas and founding documents. They took in the scholars of old. From Aristotle a belief in citizen participation of government, providing they were not poor; from Cicero only the people should give approval of government and law is everlasting; from Locke property ownership is equal to freedom and individual rights; from Machiavelli, the whole should govern; Montesquieu, a societal structure with intolerance to slavery, and in three governing powers executive, legislative and judicial; from Plato, a just person will rationalize to control his appetite and a moral person is the only happy one; from St Augustine, justness comes from Christianity; from St Thomas Aquinas, a limited form of elected monarchy. Not only did the founders use scholars, they consulted the Magna Carta and the eventual creation of a parliament of the people. The French Revolution was also an example.
Why then with so many individual rights taken into consideration, so many just laws taken from so many countries and scholars, so much beauty of America, why do others come here to escape the tyranny of their countries, then want to change America back to reflect what they ran from? Why can’t we be just Americans?
Grace Hofer
Bothell, WA

A bit of clarification
The Editor:
Thank you for the coverage you gave us for our upcoming event at the Bachman Manor. We would like to correct an important point made in the article which was a result of a misunderstanding. The article states “The Association has commissioned plans for” the Clubhouse expansion. It was the Birch Bay Village Social Club who dedicated $2,000 of their 2001 treasury to develop a preliminary plan. This fundraising drive is being done by all the individual clubs in our community and not by the Birch Bay Community Club, Inc. Approval of the expansion lies in the hands of Birch Bay Village Board of Directors and the Architectural Review Committee.
We are looking forward to a very festive time on the 14th of September, Saturday afternoon from 1 - 4 p.m. This will be a rare opportunity to view this lovely manor which is the former home of Randy Bachman of Bachman Turner Overdrive. As you pointed out in the article, there will be music, refreshments and tours through the manor as well as a silent and live auction with city manager Gary Tomsic as auctioneer. This should be a fun. Tickets at $25 are available from me at 371-0308 as well as 371-3712, 371-7340 and 371-8108.
Ruth Lees, Auction Chairperson
Birch Bay

Good Samaritans
The Editor:
On Saturday evening, August 17, 13 high school students and two adult leaders from Spokane were returning from a wonderful week in the mountains of the Canadian Coastal Range with Young Life’s Beyond Malibu program. At around 7:30 the alternator of our bus failed on Highway 15, about five miles north of the border. We pulled over and spent the next several hours trying to get a bus, a U-Haul trailer and 15 bodies across the border into Blaine where we would need food and lodging and help getting our vehicle fixed. The kids were hungry and road weary and had to use the bathroom and the leaders were tense as they tried to keep kids off the two lane highway where semi trucks sped past, the bus shaking from their wind. What transpired was a great story of God’s faithfulness shown through human kindness and hospitality.
As we waited for AAA tow vehicles to show up we made calls to procure a place to stay. Paulette Tremaine received our phone call at her bed and breakfast and quickly began calling around to other hotels.
Coming up empty, she called Lisa Barnes with the Blaine police department. Lisa thought of her friend, Debbie Harger, who works in the next office, because Debbie is active in the local church. Debbie called Rod and Kelly Smith and somehow Ken and Rachel Ely got into the loop as well as Kelly’s sister Becky Lipton.
The upshot of all this is that total strangers who love Jesus are willing to open up their homes late Saturday night to a bunch of teenagers. They patiently waited until almost midnight while the kids ate at Denny’s and the vehicles were towed and then drove us to their homes where fresh beds were waiting. The kids woke up to hot showers and a feast of a breakfast. We were given assistance with our vehicle, invited to church and fed another feast for lunch. No money was accepted for the expenses these families incurred and we were all treated like old friends. The church service was a tremendous blessing to these kids and Ken Martin’s sermon about Jesus’ relationship with his father, God, was exactly what these kids needed to hear.
As I reflect on these events, the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) comes to mind. You folks in Blaine are truly neighbors to us who were stranded on the side on the road. Watching your love for God played out in your generous hospitality was, perhaps, the greatest lesson of the week for our students. Such a strong example will inspire them to obey Jesus’ command to “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37).
Thank you and God bless.
Jamie Mann
Spokane, WA

Letters Policy
The Northern Light welcomes letters to the editor; however, the opinions expressed are not those of the editor. Letters must include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters must not exceed 350 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality, length and good taste. Thank-you letters should be limited to 10 names. A fresh viewpoint on matters of general interest to local readers will increase the likelihood of publication. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis. Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published.

Please send your letter to:
225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230 or fax 360/332-2777.
E-mail:editor@thenorthernlight.com

Letters Policy

The Northern Light welcomes letters to the editor; however, the opinions expressed are not those of the editor. Letters must include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters must not exceed 350 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality, length and good taste. Thank you letters are limited to five individuals or groups. A fresh viewpoint on matters of general interest to local readers will increase the likelihood of publication. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis. Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published.

Please email letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com