Letters to the editor for Aug. 31

More inflation coming to Olympia

Americans are presently hit by an inflation rate of 8-9%. But due to two proposed rate/tax hikes, we Olympians may see a higher jump in our local inflation rate. We should be aware of them:

First, Puget Sound Energy is requesting a 15.8% overall average hike for us residential electric customers in 2023.

Second, the proposed new Regional Fire Authority (RFA) requests a 47% increase in its Olympia and Tumwater budgets. Their proposal is perplexing because the RFA doesn’t clarify its new “Fire Benefit Charge,” which could represent up to 60% of its new funding. Note that presently most of our calls for fire and emergency services are for emergency medical services, not putting out fires, although huge firetrucks are often sent along with an EMT vehicle in response to a medical call for an individual.

We may see more of this proposed RFA on our 2023 ballots.

Frank Meriwether, Olympia

We can curb greenhouse gas emissions, if we want to

The article “Federal climate bill to bolster wave of new state laws” is right on. Not only will the newly enacted measure incentivize investment in renewable energy — such as wind and solar — on the national level, it will complement state efforts to fight climate change.

Here in Washington state, proposed legislation is expected that will put a direct price on greenhouse gas emissions, recognized by leading scientists and economists as the most effective way to achieve the necessary reduction in greenhouse gasses to control climate change.

Canada has recently enacted such a price in the form of a fee on fossil fuels, which is returned as a quarterly dividend to Canadian citizens. We in the U.S. could do the same, and thus provide incentives to business and individuals to shift to renewable energy such as wind and solar, and do so in a revenue-neutral package.

The reductions in the burning of fossil fuels generated by the climate provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act far outstrip the additions (by a factor of at least 23 to 1, according to the nonpartisan research group, Energy Innovation LLC), a pretty good trade-off in my book.

Going forward, successful passage of this Act is a reminder not to give up or abandon an effort to pass legislation in Congress, even if it takes a frustratingly long time!

Sam Merrill, Olympia

Bravo to Rep. Strickland for housing allowance proposal

Accolades to Rep. Marilyn Strickland for introducing a Department of Defense measure addressing inequities in calculating the housing allowance for our members of the military. It would provide one year for the department to re-examine its current system with the hope for periodic updates.

Because Rep. Strickland’s proposal is part of the national defense bill that passed the House in July and is currently awaiting Senate approval, we must look to our Senators Cantwell and Murray to support.

Let us remind our elected representatives that struggling to find affordable housing is a problem shared by many constituents, especially those of fixed or low incomes.

By way of the short-term solution found in the Children’s Tax Credit, many of us were able to reckon with rent payments with the increased CTC monthly payments. Coincidentally the CTC is the most significant investment in reducing child poverty in a generation. Removing it was counterproductive.

We can address the housing and rent dilemma now by both re-examining housing allowance calculations by the Defense Department, and extending an expanded CTC for the families with the lowest incomes. The current year-end tax package holds both opportunities.

Nancy Curtiss, Olympia