Mayor Anderson doing good job

Attempts to recall Sedro-Woolley Mayor Mike Anderson are unfortunate for the city as well as Mayor Anderson. Although Mike and I have been political opponents in the past, I have a lot of respect for him.

He has done a great job as mayor working to rebuild the infrastructure that is so vital in economic development. Mike is highly visible throughout the community and works like a full-time mayor on a part-time salary.

His long history of service to the city as a councilman and his support for youth recreation opportunities should not be forgotten. Mike is honest, has a lot of integrity and loves Sedro-Woolley.

The Deluxe application is only one issue among many to be dealt with, and regardless of whether you are against or in support of it, to place the blame on Mayor Anderson is unfair. He can do nothing without council approval.

I hope the citizens of Sedro-Woolley will recognize the recall effort for what it is, an attempt to damage Mayor Anderson’s reputation. After all, Mayor Anderson has nothing personal to gain either way — unlike other elected officials in our county, who the Skagit Valley Herald refuses to editorialize about.

Ted W. Anderson
Sedro-Woolley


Jailing beggars is not answer

A recent Skagit Valley Herald article covered an ordinance on aggressive begging that Mount Vernon’s City Council was favorably considering. People aggressively begging could face 90 days in jail or a $1,000 fine or both. Are these council members wanting to fill up our jails? What panhandler is going to be able to pay such a fine? Are they ready to send John Chaffee to jail — the man interviewed who lost his house in a fire and is now paying $425 out of $725 of his disability check to rent — for holding up a sign asking for help?

I understand that Seattle has passed a similar ordinance. I recently read an article about Seattle in The Smithsonian magazine whose author praised Seattle for its readiness to accept people of many different nationalities. But will Seattle close its door to these people if they ever need to ask for financial help? 

 I used to attend a church in downtown Baltimore, Md. Every Sunday following worship service when we left the church, we’d be approached by men asking for money. One Sunday, when a panhandler asked me for money for food, I took him to a restaurant for a meal. As we ate together, I asked why he started panhandling and why he didn’t have a job? His answers were not very encouraging, but I still felt my approach was more in keeping with the faith I profess.

It is not easy to know how to help people like that. But Jesus’ parable of the good Samaritan forbids me from merely walking by on the other side of the road when someone asks for help. This approach is more in keeping with the faith I profess.

John Mote
Camano Island


Will new jail punish offenders?

I have been following the progress of the new jail (law and justice center) for a time now. In all of the meetings and/or presentations that I have seen, there have been discussions regarding reducing the recidivism rate amongst offenders.

Sheriff Grimstead’s plan is to include social services (treatment) in the design to address this issue. I wonder at what point does incarceration cease to be punishment and become a reward?

The answer for Skagit County, as far as I am concerned, is when we build the new jail. I am assuming a lot here since no real designs have been released, but it is clear to me from the discussions and comments that the sheriff may be designing a facility that will encourage offenders to repeat rather than discouraging the activities that landed them there in the first place.

This concerns me as a voter who is going to be asked to provide the funding for this project. A no-nonsense approach to managing a jail is what I would like to see in Skagit County. I would like to see Skagit County take a page or two from Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County in Arizona who has programs that have been effective.

Punishment is a real deterrent to reducing recidivism if it is real punishment (just look at Texas). As a registered and active voter in this county, I will not vote for a bond issue (tentatively scheduled for November of next year) that asks me for more money to fund anything other than incarceration and punishment.

Steve Bonnette
Sedro-Woolley