Pro-933 attack on me in the Tacoma Weekly

Here is a response to my earlier op-ed by some pro-933 character, in its entirety [with much love to the Tacoma Weekly, Tacoma's best newspaper]:

Dear Editor,

In response to "Initiative 933 would give corporate interests unfair advantage" (guest editorial by Jeff Richardson, TW 8/31): I can't believe that you allowed the printing of such completely erroneous information in your paper. I don't know that there were any truthful facts in the entire article. It is so grossly wrong and misleading it is just unbelievable!

One would wonder where Mr. Richardson obtained the information for the statements he made and again why your staff did not know enough about such an important matter that such writing was put into print for unknowing citizens to be possibly led to believe.

I would be curious to know what Richardson's occupation, community and other connections are. Spreading downright lies about the taking of people's property and using untrue scare tactics is abhorrent. It is apparent that no one associated with this writing has read the initiative. One of the issues that is gigantic in the I-933 ballot measure is the requirement for the setting aside of 65 percent of an owner's land under the critical areas ordinance (CAO) for no reason whatsoever. Another issue is the buffer requirement from so-called "critical areas" of up to 300 feet as is now required in Tacoma.

There are many, many such issues which have come to be of great concern to those particularly in the farming community and also to average citizens who cannot even cut blackberries without seeking a permit - on their own property.

The statements made by Richardson are far, far from the matters to be addressed by the passage of I-933. My guess is that Richardson not only does not know anything about the real matter about which he is writing but that he also has zero credentials or less to be speaking on such matters. He appears to be lacking in any way even essential information about the subject on either side of the issue.

If information is honestly sought it can be found at the Farm Bureau's web site for I-933 or by contacting Don Wood at the Farm Bureau, who would review the entire intiative with interested persons and provide additional material if needed.

Ken Miller
Tacoma

Categories: Your Views, Politics - Local