Opinion – The Columbian

In Our View: Amendment 22 would improve voting process

The Columbian — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 13:03:41 +0000

Voting for county leadership is a citizen’s right and a duty. But should there be two elections when only one or two candidates are running?

Harrop: More children cut off parents

Froma Harrop — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 13:01:15 +0000

An in-law, age 95 and on her deathbed, was having some final conversations.

Letter: Perez protects workers

Phil Landesberg, Vancouver — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 13:00:45 +0000

After 11 workers died in a chemical tank implosion in Longview, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez successfully fought to restore funding for the Chemical Safety Board after the Trump administration proposed eliminating it. The CSB is a federal, nonregulatory agency that investigates chemical disasters and recommends ways to prevent similar accidents. Its work helps workers come home safely.

Letter: Support Matthews for utilities

Judy Bumbarger-Enright, Vancouver — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 13:00:44 +0000

I urge all to vote for Gordon Matthews for Clark Public Utilities commissioner. He is in favor of developing geothermal energy in our county and state. He is in favor of placing solar panels on government buildings. He wants more community solar at a faster rate.

Letter: Reject Initiative 645

Brian Leahy, Vancouver — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 13:00:42 +0000

Vote no on Initiative 645, which attempts to repeal the millionaires tax. The revenue from said tax will be used for supporting public school education, healthcare and childcare. Said programs will be grossly underfunded if Initiative 645 is approved.

Letter: Crossword can be tricky

William Pfeifer, Vancouver — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 13:00:31 +0000

Regarding Sandra Schilaty’s complaint about the New York Times crossword of Sept. 24 (“Crossword clues are backward,” Our Readers’ Views, Sept. 30): Yes, all the across clues are backward, which should have given her a clue to answer 4 Down: “Shift the gears of, in a way … or a hint to this puzzle’s Across clues” — the answer to which was “put in reverse.”

Letter: District should inform parents

Natalie Dodge, Vancouver — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 13:00:29 +0000

When we send our children to Vancouver Public Schools, we trust our schools, teachers, school board, and district administration to protect them. Parents have a right to know who has access to their children, and VPS has a responsibility to maintain that trust.

Letter: Reject proposed development

Nathalie Lindsay, Vancouver — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 13:00:08 +0000

Clark County is attempting a reckless overdevelopment at Northeast 50th Avenue and Northeast 139th Street, reviving a failed rezone proposal that the community overwhelmingly defeated years ago. Shoving a massive, high-density apartment complex into a quiet single-family neighborhood violates basic growth management principles.

In Our View: Cheers & Jeers: Early voters; no engagement

The Columbian — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:03:42 +0000

Cheers: To diligent voters. People in Clark County, apparently, are paying attention. The number of late-arriving ballots in the August primary election declined in the area, according to election officials. During the 2024 primary, 888 ballots were turned in after the deadline of 8 p.m. on Election Day and were not counted; this year, there were 683, despite a similar number of participating voters. Statewide, there was a 38 percent increase in late-arriving ballots.

Friedman: Going viral in worst ways

Thomas L. Friedman — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:01:57 +0000

President Donald Trump is such an awful human being that just writing about him feels degrading. What president would denigrate his predecessor in front of China’s leader the way Trump mocked Joe Biden, now suffering from cancer, by pointing out that a framed picture of an autopen was hanging in the White House instead of Biden’s portrait?

Local View: Growth Management Act isn’t the problem, officials are

Ann Foster — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:01:57 +0000

Friends of Clark County takes exception to The Columbian’s editorial stating the Growth Management Act “has become unwieldy” (In Our View, Aug. 22).

Harrop: Call out all who buy votes with taxpayer dollars

Froma Harrop — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:01:34 +0000

It would be hard to find a more insulting offer than to exchange money for your vote. That’s exactly what President Donald Trump did in announcing that if voters keep Republicans in power come the midterms, he’ll send every adult citizen a $5,000 check.

Prokop: Trans rights in the spotlight

Andrew Prokop — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:01:23 +0000

High energy prices, an unpopular war and frustration with the economy are hammering Republicans across the country in competitive races. But they have at least one more card to play: the trans card.

Other Papers Say: Schmitt fails with ‘dirtbag’ attack

St. Louis Post-Dispatch — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:01:05 +0000

Just when you think Sen. Eric Schmitt couldn’t possibly embarrass himself any more than he already has, he goes in for a rhetorical layup, gratuitously throws an elbow, spectacularly misses the shot and then stomps around the court indignantly when the ref calls foul.

Letter: City is dismissive of residents

Larry Jacobson, Vancouver — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:00:37 +0000

Is anyone else as angry as I am about the city’s prosecution of Brent Hennrich, resulting in a prison sentence of up to a year for painting a children’s play feature on the street in front of his home? To make matters worse, he also has been ordered to remove the play feature. Why? Is it really that offensive?

Letter: Support Kelly for auditor

Bob Spendle, Vancouver — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:00:32 +0000

Mitchell Kelly is running for Clark County auditor. After viewing the League of Women Voters’ auditor forum, I endorse Mr. Kelly.

Letter: Support Weber for county clerk

Roger Bennett, Vancouver — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:00:10 +0000

Clark County clerk candidate Rachel Shapiro has said the office's OnBase system is wasteful because it is duplicative of the state’s free Odyssey system. She is 100 percent wrong and misinformed. Odyssey provides a list of documents filed with the court but not the documents themselves.

Letter: Support for Israel is slipping

Ellen Sward, Vancouver — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:00:06 +0000

The White House recently approved a $2.8 billion arms sale package to Israel that includes 40,000 1-ton heavy bombs with wide-area impacts. Some of these funds likely will be used to kill innocent civilians. Elected leaders should appreciate that popular sentiment is changing rapidly regarding our nonstop financial support for Israel.

In Our View: Reject Charter Amendment 25 tax proposal

The Columbian — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:03:01 +0000

In a democracy, the majority vote rules, right? Not if voters approve proposed Clark County Charter Amendment 25. In fact, this ill-considered plan would require an unprecedented 80 percent approval to assess, levy or increase any tax under the purview of the Clark County Council.

Jacobs: Politics needs moment of Zen

Gary Jacobs — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:01:49 +0000

News reports and social media constantly remind us that today’s political system rewards conflict, viral moments, and ideological performance over thoughtful and courteous debate.

Local View: Test scores not best measure of school success

Craig Homnick — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:01:16 +0000

School rankings don’t tell the whole story. A recent article by The (Tacoma) News Tribune (“Camas School District rated as one of top 10 districts in Washington,” Sept. 29) raises an important issue about how we measure the success of our schools.

Estrich: The stumbling stones

Susan Estrich — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:01:14 +0000

They are known as “stumbling stones” — little brass tiles that for the past 30 years have been installed in the sidewalks outside the homes of Jews murdered in the Holocaust. Over 116,000 stones have been installed across Europe. It is a small thing, but an important one.

Donnelly: Natural gas ruling exacerbates power shortage

Ann Donnelly — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:01:11 +0000

Washington’s electricity crisis now has another contributing factor. On Sept. 17, the state Supreme Court declared “unconstitutional in its entirety” the 2024 ballot measure Initiative 2066, supported by majorities in 34 out of 39 counties, including Clark.

Dudley: We need local journalism

Brier Dudley — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:01:03 +0000

Dee Anne Finken is too diplomatic to say so outright, but she’s gobsmacked by a new report on how to support local news in Washington.

Letter: Perez helps fund genocide

R. Myles Dickason, Ridgefield — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:00:55 +0000

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez should be applauded for supporting sanctions against Russia’s war in Ukraine. Attacks on civilians demand a response. But where is that resolve when victims are Palestinian?