Letters to the editor

The following are letters to the editor that appeared in the Sept. 30 print edition of The Peninsula Gateway. To submit a letter, e-mail gatewayeditor@gateline.com. Please keep letters submissions to 250 words.

County Auditor Shabro deserves our vote to keep her in office

“Nobody pays much attention to the Pierce County Auditor until election time … ” So begins a recent “Scoop du Jour” column by Gateway Publisher George Le Masurier.

Some people do pay attention, and those who do are extremely impressed with the performance of Pierce County Auditor Jan Shabro.

That’s why she won the endorsement of the union that represents the people who work for her, the American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees Local 120.

She also has endorsements from Cathy Pearsall-Stipek, a former Pierce County auditor, Attorney General Rob McKenna and Secretary of State Sam Reed.

That kind of bipartisan backing is the kind Le Masurier should appreciate, since, as he points out, the position has officially become non-partisan. That’s why the county council appointed Shabro to the position. Otherwise, Democrat party bosses would have made the selection, since, under the old rules, the appointee would have been a Democrat, like Shabro’s predecessor, Pat McCarthy.

Le Masurier also implies wrongdoing because Shabro “had her name put on the primary ballot envelope.” McCarthy put her name on voter materials when she was auditor, too.

Given Le Masurier’s perspective, I would suggest his reservations about Shabro unintentionally send a clear signal to the discerning reader that she is doing a wonderful job as county auditor and deserves our vote to keep her there.

Jody Doggett, Gig Harbor

Let the facts come out in police internal investigation

Re: Gig Harbor Council Meeting on Sept. 14.

We are appalled at the abuse the Gig Harbor Police Department, the mayor and the city council took at the meeting.

Objectively, all parties in this litigation acted according to the best interests of the defendant. The internal investigation was delayed to give him the best opportunity to defend himself. This internal investigation is totally independent of the trial.

Internal investigations are conducted by many outside entities that protect and serve the public and preserve the honor, integrity and quality of their officers. We are proud of these qualities in the Gig Harbor Police Department and its chief, Mike Davis.

The Gig Harbor Police Department is well-respected and thought of throughout the area and Washington state.

Davis is responsible for initiating pride and morale in his duties, which he has done admirably. He also must investigate any question and adverse conduct or behavior that affect the department.

That’s his responsibility to the public. He must do so to keep the pubic confidence in the department, and to have officers follow policy and procedures.

So let the internal investigation continue, and let the facts speak for themselves. The truth does not lie.

Thank you, Chief Davis, for running an excellent and efficient department. Many people, businesses, city employees and we the people are proud to have you here as part of a progressive Gig Harbor community.

South Sound DUI Victims Panel, Puget Sound

Watch out for pedestrians, especially if they have right of way

I am an 85-year-old woman who has been driving my scooter for three years to my doctor’s appointments, the grocery store, grandchildren’s baseball games, etc.

I have had good comments from other motorists on my reflexes. I am recognized as a pedestrian on a sidewalk.

Last week, as I was going on my right of way at a stop sign, a woman proceeded to go through the stop sign. The only reason she didn’t broadside me was because I quickly swerved out of her path.

I have met many courteous motorists during my travels — among them was a female Gig Harbor teacher. She took my scooter apart, put it in her car and took me home when my battery died.

Bless you, teacher, and all others.

The woman who almost hit me (within a distance of 1 inch) broke two laws, because she was also talking on a hand-held cell phone.

Please treat me as a pedestrian on a sidewalk.

Betty Aliesch, Gig Harbor

AT&T should work to provide Key Peninsula better service

Is the Key Peninsula ever going to get cell phone service from AT&T? I’ve had a phone (AT&T cell) for more than 10 years, and I have never been able to use it in my home. I have to drive seven miles to Purdy to get service.

Last winter, during the bad snow storms, my Comcast service was out for more than a week, and the power was off part of that time, too. I had no way to reach anyone by Comcast phone, no computer and no cable TV.

In July, someone at the AT&T offices in Gig Harbor said there were new towers going into this area, and we would probably have service sometime in September for the first time.

But I called again on Sept. 14, and nobody knew anything about service going into the Key Peninsula area.

What will it take to get AT&T service to Lake Holiday? There are thousands of people who live on the peninsula, and I feel like I’m being discriminated against.

AT&T sells new phones, but we can’t even use them. I’ve been told that if more people on the peninsula would complain about a lack of service, they would probably provide it.

We all need to let them know what we want.

Barbara Julian, Gig Harbor

Chapel Hill congregation lifts spirits of correctional officers

It was so surprising, so positive, so inviting and genuine that I gained renewed hope and faith that citizens in Gig Harbor appreciate our services.

I’m a correctional officer and work at the Washington Corrections Center for Women in Gig Harbor. Recently, while I approached the front entrance of the institution, I saw there were big signs inside the building that showed appreciation for the services, dangers and many unknown situations we face as correctional officers each moment, each hour and every day we work.

There are non-custody staff, such as the medical staff, that also deal with a variety of dangerous situations and service the offenders in the most efficient and professional manner.

Not only were there signs, but the same citizens had bought, cooked and serviced a delicious variety of food items to correctional officers who were coming on and going off shift.

It was very gratifying to see the human heart and soul giving and thanking the individuals who protect volunteers, visitors, contractors, the community, staff and offenders.

Not only was it gratifying, but for me, it was spiritually uplifting and gave me a peace of mind.

The group of individuals who displayed this wonderful outpouring represented Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church, which has a large congregation that pours their hearts and souls to many ministries that go across the borders of the United States.

Chapel Hill also has many citizens who volunteer at WCCW, guiding the offenders onto a spiritual pathway of life full of positive messages.

We are role models, teachers, mediators, counselors and many other positive social titles and act in the capacity of the social titles.

I constantly keep in mind while interacting with the offenders that I may be impacting all those extended family members outside of the institution who live throughout the state.

There are occupations in our society that take on many dangers and risk, but there are very few occupations that communicate, take on potential dangers of life and death, whether it’s medical or emotional.

We constantly protect human beings, 24 hours a day. Many risks and dangers are always present.

Steve McConnell, Gig Harbor

Non-violent offenders should not spent lives behind bars

Many states have already opted to change their sentencing laws, abolishing mandatory sentences and/or reforming their parole policies.

It is time that Washington follow.

The taxpayer has become the victim. The economic cost of unnecessarily keeping those incarcerated for their entire lives is an expensive situation.

The state cost of more than $32,000 each per year tallies to an enormous figure.

It is probably even much higher for these long-term residents, due to the need for increased security and the ever-increasing medical expenses of aging people.

Not all incarcerated people are dangerous, violent offenders; in fact, most are not.

We have many non-violent people in prison who are serving their entire lives without the possibility of parole.

Many incarcerated people are illiterate, many are drug addicts and many suffer from mental illness. Some have a combination of two or three of these disabling problems.

Do these conditions really warrant being kept behind bars forever?

Sam Donaghe, Steilacoom