Letters to the editor for Aug. 6

Help out pharmacies

The state Legislature will do nothing to help pure pharmacies while allowing manufacturers, insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers to make millions every year. The Legislature, along with the Congress, has been lowering the margins that pharmacies have been allowed every year while doing nothing to stop these others from making any amount of money.

To make matters worse for pharmacies, the state Legislature has done nothing to stop the Department of Revenue and various cities from levying a B&O tax on pharmacies. This tax is not levied on profits, it’s levied on volume. This is, of course, all money that comes into the business and has no regard for loss or profit. However, in this case, the government has control of the margins while taking money from pharmacies. A system that never allows us to make any money. We are required to pay an ever-increasing amount for the B&O taxes, services, supplies, equipment, rent, payroll, and of course medications, many of which cost us more to buy than the insurance companies will pay us for providing them. Instead, we are required to sell them at a loss, while the state does nothing to correct this.

I wrote letters to each state legislator, the state congressional representatives, the governor, and insurance commissioner, to no avail. These elected officials have no intention of correcting what all of them have to know is unacceptable. I am now asking that all of you write to these elected officials asking them to do something.

Ben L. Ray, Olympia

The Snaza brothers are a disgrace

I’ve never noticed Gov. Inslee politicize the coronavirus. Sadly, both of the Snaza brothers, both sheriffs, just did.

Lewis County Sheriff Rob Snaza grabbed a bullhorn at a right-wing rally awaiting the dreaded antifa, and told the crowd to not be sheep, in reference to wearing masks to prevent the spread of the virus and save lives. Then, like a typical politician, he tried to walk it back.

Thurston County Sheriff John Snaza said he won’t enforce the law either. He was quoted in ThurstonTalk three years ago that all he wants to do is enforce laws. I guess the sheriffs, pandering to their selfish bases, will decide to enforce the laws they agree with. That’s not how law enforcement works — that’s how politics works. Time for them to go.

Scott Howard, Tumwater

Let’s do it better

It’s an election year and the show is beginning. Let’s try something novel, a positive agenda, built better.

New York Gov. Cuomo and the President had a conversation about construction projects, specifically in the Northeast. But, the concept — large-scale public investment in infrastructure — should be applied across the US to relieve or reduce negative economic impact from the coronavirus, while improving our public facilities and creating jobs.

Remodeling the governor’s thoughts, we should strive to create a contemporary version of the WPA (Works Progress Administration) as launched by President Franklin Roosevelt. In the depth of the 1929 Depression, thousands were put to work building infrastructure throughout the country. Projects with real and long-lived benefit: putting people to work, creating functional entities that provided additional jobs, health care and other tangible benefits. From sidewalks in Whittier, California, to the Grand Coulee Dam, the Tennessee Valley Authority and many more.

Further, we should design a Public Service Draft, giving all Americans the opportunity to serve the nation in a number of activities to broaden their perspective, improve national unity, and provide foundation jobs to create a better launch into our economy. The added benefit is it would bring the government closer and more visible to citizens.

The social and economic value is tremendous: jobs, improved infrastructure, and an enlightened citizenry.

Employment, experience, infrastructure, culture and economics growing from wise investment.

Let’s do it, better this time.

Dave Ribacchi, Lacey