Reader wishes more council members were responsive

Dear editor,

Our council members have a lot of demands on their time, from various department meetings, public appearances, weekly council meetings and possibly trying to fit in other job related demands and family. Granted we are also just coming to the end of the summer, vacation time and back to school.

What can Renton residents reasonably expect from council members in addition to all the above responsibilities? Should we expect our council members to respond to email inquiries?

There is one long standing member of the council who has also juggled all of the above demands during years of exemplary public service, but has always presently and in the past been available, receptive and supportive with regards issues large or small, who is also the most knowledgeable and experienced council member.

In the past few months I have emailed all members of the council many times, asking questions and addressing concerns regarding large scale developments planned close to downtown. It is the council after all that makes decisions about what will be approved, is it not?

I have had replies from the permitting department, but I have not received one reply from any council members, except from the one exemplary long standing member mentioned above, who has a very informative blog about what is going on in the city.

What moves the masses is a mystery to me, when it comes to electoral voting. Considering the results of the recent local mayoral race, and responses to me from only one council member leave me wanting, I would respectfully suggest that the wrong persons will be competing in the mayoral elections in November.

Life is a mystery.

Sincerely,

Nicola Robinson

Renton

Local advocate pushes for congress’s help with Alzheimer’s

Dear editor,

Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t strike just the elderly. The 200,000 Americans diagnosed with dementia before age 65 also need services that include in-home care, transportation and caregiver support.

I watched my close friend’s brother suffer for 10 years after being diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 57. I know from experience the heavy burden (and the eventual painful loss) that families in this circumstance endure.

Alzheimer’s Association advocates have asked members of congress to co-sponsor the Younger Onset Alzheimer’s Disease Act, which would amend the Older Americans Act to serve these families as well as families of the elderly.

I am grateful that Congresswoman Kim Schrier has co-sponsored this bipartisan legislation because she serves on the committee that must approve it. Please join me in urging Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell to join her as a co-sponsor of the bill.

All our members of congress must continue to actively support policies that address Alzheimer’s disease as the national public health crisis it is.

Sincerely,

Ken Geisen

Maple Valley

Reader questions use of the word “invests” in public art article

Dear editor,

An article in last week’s Reporter by Haley Ausbun is titled “Renton invests in art more than before.”

Perhaps she should look up the word “invest”. It means to put forth something of value with the intent that it will appreciate and become more valuable. People invest by buying stock or starting a business. The end goal is to get a return on the investment.

Politicians, i.e. government officials, discovered the word “invest” a while back and love to use it in place of the word “spend”. Invest sounds wise and prudent. Who can object to the government investing its funds for a better tomorrow? Spending, on the other hand, implies frivolous indulgence on things that may not be necessary.

While public art may or may not be a wise use of taxpayer money, it is hardly an investment. What will be the payoff? Is there intent to sell that art at a profit? Of course not. It is discretionary spending, pure and simple.

Politicians love to spend our money and camouflage it behind the euphemism of “investing.” A responsible newspaper should not fall into that trap. Please call things what they are.

Sincerely,

Gary Winn

Renton