Letters to the editor Oct. 18

Problem into a solution

The homeless population in our area is getting worse. Due to the rising costs on everything, more and more people are finding it harder to keep a roof over their heads. If the worse happens and they lose their home, the homeless shelters offer a temporary solution. 

I believe people should have a hand up once in a while, but I also believe that there should be some kind of exchange for these services. Instead of just letting people stay in these places for free, let’s get a program worked out to give them a way to earn that right. 

I have been a contractor in the valley for the past 24 years. I have worked throughout the winter and summer. Its not fun freezing your fingers in zero degrees or getting heat exhaustion building a deck in August, but you work to earn the right to have a home. 

It is not fair to hard working Montanans that are able to have nice things threatened by vagrants roaming the streets and neighborhoods looking for an opportunity to steal. It used to be you could leave your doors unlocked and think nothing of keeping your vehicle running to stay warm while you shopped. Now because of this influx attracted by our community offering more and more free services, we no longer can feel safe. 

My solution is to make people earn the right to stay in shelters. Set up work crews every morning from these places to clean up the sides of the roads, rake leaves, plants trees, etc. Those that choose not to work will not have earned the right to stay. Then like the rest of us who contribute to society, this turns a problem into a solution. 

What this really does is separate out our true neighbors that were forced into homelessness from vagrants that wander from town to town looking for freebees and that have no respect for the communities they destroy. 

— Chris Zarcone, Kalispell

A more stable government

Those who own their own businesses or are leaders in any company know that stability is key for any long-term success or growth. As a health care executive, this is especially true in my line of work where much of our stability is dependent on political decisions around Medicare and Medicaid. That’s why instability in our politics makes stability in health care more difficult.

We’ve seen some drastic changes to our politics in Montana in recent years. Political shifts from left to right or right to left have ripple effects far beyond the state Capitol. That’s why we need CI-126 and CI-127. These initiatives create a pathway for a more stable government that represents individuals and businesses, not political parties. The growing influence of political parties today pushes candidates to increasingly extreme positions, and it’s hard for more moderate, thoughtful candidates to get elected.

By giving voters the ability to vote for the person, not the party, CI-126 takes power away from political parties and gives it back to the voters. CI-127 makes our government more responsive and representative to us. And both measures together restore stability and sanity to our politics. Please join me in voting yes on CI-126 and CI-127.

— Jason Spring, Kalispell

Privilege of voting

With my morning coffee, today’s paper and my monthly budget I prepare my ballot for voting. I remember my first presidential vote: Nixon vs. Kennedy. Richard did not win! Nevertheless, I was proud that I had voted and was satisfied that President Kennedy would be successful and represent us all. 

Through all of the years of elections since 1960 I have not missed an election — school, city, state or federal. Because of all those votes and elections some that I won and some that I didn’t, I hold the privilege of voting the highest responsibility I and all Americans have to insure that the United States of America will remain free and that our government will be “of the people by the people and for the people”. 

It saddens me that in the 2020 presidential election only 66% of eligible voters turned out. I believe that I (1940-20??) have absolutely lived in the “best of times.” Do 33% of us not believe that also? 

I would encourage those who haven’t planned on voting this year to rethink that decision. Register and go vote. As divided as our country is, can’t we all do one thing to narrow the abyss, count our blessings, wave to our neighbors, and go vote? 

I care not for whom you vote as I trust your intuition and when you have deposited your ballot may you turn, stand tall and say “God bless America.”

— Dale Haarr, Kalispell