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Letters to the Editor
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To the Editor:
The Republican, Democrat, and Libertarian Parties in a bi-partisan effort are challenging the constitutionality of the Blanket Primary. Some say it is an issue of the right to associate. That may be so, but it is at the very least common sense that each party be able to select from its own ranks their own candidates.
The ultimate decision, the American vote, is strongly supported by all parties. It is essential that the electorate decided from among the selection of the varying party candidates and anyone else attempting to run independently.
Common sense dictates that a public vote to select individual candidates from the various private party organizations is un-American. Restriction of our rights to select our own candidates allows nonmembers of a party to convolute the results of that party's attempts to select their own candidates. The right of individuals in their respective parties to select their own candidates is as basic as our right to vote.
We must preserve the purity of the American Vote by allowing candidates that accurately represent the members of the various parties.
Roger W Hancock
He Sells Schell
Dear Editor,
In thinking about the choices in the upcoming Mayoral Primary in Seattle, my most important criteria has been the candidates' commitment to community building. By that I mean strengthening our sense of being part of a community, participating in community activities, protecting our environment and taking some responsibility for the well being of all of our fellow citizens.
Mayor Schell has done a terrific job of community building in and among our neighborhoods, including the downtown neighborhoods. In addition to the significant expansion of the Neighborhood Matching Fund, which engages the partnership and energies of thousands of Seattleites in projects which improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods, he kept faith with the citizens who devoted countless hours to the development of neighborhood plans, by budgeting funds for plan implementation.
Mayor Schell's leadership in obtaining voter approval for fixing and expanding the libraries and parks, his unwavering support for such community building efforts as the P-Patch program, and his commitment to expanding low to moderate income housing and accommodations for the homeless have been exemplary.
There are other important issues, such as public safety and transportation. In the area of public safety, Mayor Schell has made some notable mistakes and appears to have learned from those mistakes. His opponents can only talk about how they would have done better, but who knows?
Transportation and traffic congestion are serious problems, indeed, but their causes are primarily based on regional growth and extreme dependence on the automobile. Solutions are expensive, slow and entail a high degree of cooperation among local, state and federal agencies and private entities which have jurisdiction and funding resources. Mayor Schell has been a leader in bringing all of these interests together to develop and fund workable solutions. Mayor Schell's opponents claim they can do a better job, but who knows?
With respect to Seattle generated traffic congestion, the Schell administration has improved on previous adminstrations by developing the City's first transportation plan, paving and repairing a record number of streets and opening the possibility of an elevated rail system. Would his opponents do better? Who knows?
I plan to vote for Mayor Schell because of his track record in community building, his values and vision, and because he has already had the on-the-job training which any new mayor would have to acquire.
Frank Kirk
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