Letters to the editor for Nov. 28
Port seeks to hobble Tumwater with agreement
At 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 30, the Tumwater City Council will hold a public hearing on whether to sign an Interlocal Agreement with the Port of Olympia for the New Market Industrial Campus, 550 acres of Port land west of the airport and east of Interstate 5. Within this proposed ILA, there is a lease option with Panattoni, a national warehouse developer, for 199 acres.
Although Panattoni’s maps show a dense build-out plan of large buildings, the maps are only conceptual designs and not binding. If the ILA is approved, Panattoni will be able to develop one likely warehouse at a time, in a piecemeal fashion. This freedom for Panattoni would prevent the city of Tumwater from optimizing overall storm water management and tree protection and analyzing the cumulative impacts of increased truck traffic and air pollution.
The ILA also eliminates the ability for Tumwater to design a balanced business and light industrial campus with environmental amenities. This is a bad deal for Tumwater.
The Tumwater website has the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, the ILA, maps, and webinar registration (before 5:45 p.m.) and Zoom link to the public hearing.
It would be grossly unfair to Tumwater’s residents if the council takes a vote on the same night as the hearing. The customary procedure is to provide a reasonable period of time for public officials to consider citizens’ comments before casting a vote.
Please show your interest and concern by attending what could be an interesting hearing.
Sue Danver, Olympia
Don’t end the Safe Routes to School program
State Rep. Andrew Barkis is the ranking Republican on the House Transportation Committee. On the House Republican’s website, he recommends ending the Safe Routes to School program.
He says he wants to shift the Safe Routes to School program from the Transportation Budget to the general fund.
With projected Washington revenue collections for the 2021-2023 budget cycle $898 million above what had been originally forecast in September, why aren’t we fully funding the Transportation budget? Why risk moving the Safe Routes to School program to the general fund where it has to compete with other programs?
Our population has grown as have our Transportation needs. It will be a disservice to try to lower taxes on the backs of our children.
Madeline Bishop, Olympia
Climate change solutions
Whether you believe in climate change or not, there are things we can do that will benefit society.
The U.S. government needs to show some leadership on climate change and end the foreign deployment of some 200,000 military personnel stationed on 700 installations in some 80 countries. Overall, the Department of Defense is one of the world’s largest users of fossil fuels with the Air Force using about 70% as jet fuel. The cost to deploy the troops is estimated at $150 billion annually or almost $500 for every American man, woman, and child. Reducing the foreign deployment of troops would reduce CO2 emissions and save tax dollars.
The government also needs to repeal the zoning laws. The single-residency zoning has contributed to racial discrimination as well as sprawl. Now people drive more, especially women, who are left to do the shopping and take their children back and forth to events. Transportation accounts for 30% of greenhouse gases. That is a lot of CO2 emissions. Land use laws also have a large financial burden on families and reducing that will benefit many people, young and old.
As a Libertarian, I question a lot of what the government does. As a senior citizen living on a limited budget, I do not need the government to add to my burden when it can be reduced and we all benefit. It is time to bring the troops home and repeal these laws that cause pollution.
Michael H. Wilson, Lacey
This story was originally published November 28, 2021 at 5:00 AM.