Letters urge ‘no’ on initiatives, lobby for free college, and paint portrait of mass shooters

Vote NO on Initiatives 2109, 2117, and 2124

Washington voters are being asked to weigh-in on four statewide initiatives. Three of the measures are billion-dollar decisions that would kill critical programs, disrupting education funding, climate resilience and accessible long-term care. The fourth would open the door to expanded dependence on natural gas, a dangerous greenhouse gas.

The League of Women Voters asserts that the state is responsible to adequately fund education. We need a balanced tax structure that is fair, adequate and flexible. Discarding the capital gains tax to benefit a small number of Washington’s most wealthy people will hurt children in our public schools, child care and early learning programs. Initiative 2109 is misguided.

The League recognizes that climate change poses a significant threat and supports pricing mechanisms for carbon emissions. Throwing out Washington’s most effective climate response tool through Initiative 2117 would be a big mistake with long-term consequences.

The League recognizes that 70% of Washingtonians will require long-term care at some stage. Today, only people of means can afford long-term care insurance. It is inevitable that most of us will face significant medical financial stress at some point. Killing the state’s groundbreaking long-term care benefit, which guarantees access to vital long-term care and home health care services, by approving Initiative 2124 would be short sighted and just wrong.

Your vote matters. Vote NO on Initiatives 2109, 2117, and 2124.

Annie Cubberly, Olympia

College needs to be free

Did you know that nearly 30% of community college students drop out within their first year due to financial stress? Also, 78% of students reported negative impacts on mental health due to financial stress.

As a student at South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC), I see this reality every day. Growing up in a low-income family with three siblings, the thought of attending college seemed like a distant dream, overshadowed by the financial burdens that accompany higher education. However, I believe that the lack of action from policymakers to provide cost-free community college and invest in wraparound services is preventing students like me from reaching our full potential.

Cost-free college is more than just an economic issue; it’s a matter of equity and opportunity. Wraparound services, such as mental health resources, tutoring, and basic needs support, are crucial in helping students not only stay in school but also thrive. These services ensure that students are supported holistically, providing the necessary tools for success beyond just the classroom.

For students like me, who have grown up in financially struggling households, being able to pursue higher education without the constant fear of debt would be life-changing. The wraparound services we DO have helped me stay on track, and with proper investment in them, more students could have the chance to succeed.

I urge our policymakers to invest in our students and Washington’s future by offering cost-free community college and expanding wraparound services.

Jackson Feaster, Olympia

On gun violence: Even perpetrators feel despair

Like every year in this country, many lives are lost to the endless gun violence occurring at places that conjure safety and calm for students and everyone alike.

That many lives are both lost and entirely shattered by the shootings should also become an eye-opener to a reality no one dares to address: Our country brims with loneliness, depression, and the longtime tradition of placing blame on everything.

Throughout the years, research has suggested most of those who carry out gun violence attacks in public places do not have a clear motive. Their life-altering terrible decisions have roots in the solitude and lack of human companions the perpetrators suffer from. Mass shooting perpetrators, moreover, are emotionally fragile individuals who fall prey to indifference, and they lack solid social companions that would guide them to healthy habits instead of hurting other people.

As a community, caring for socially and emotionally broken individuals, even those who cannot see the consequences of their actions, is the first step in saving lives from gun-related violence and helping those individuals to embrace healthy responses to their lives.

Erick Dietrich, Olympia