Anchorage Daily News

Speak out on importance of library funding in budget

Kudos to ADN editors for your excellent boost for the library! ("Library recession," Oct. 26) With 60 percent of Anchorage citizens holding library cards, we should be hearing more about the shrinking (by over 13 percent) library budget.

More people walk through the doors of the Loussac in a year than go into the Sullivan Arena. How amazing is that?

Some try to make it an Either/Or -- police and fire protection or library spending. It's not that simple. Mr. Coffey, in his position paper, is adamant that he opposes taxing to the legal cap, as does Mr. Sullivan -- yet he says people who use a municipal asset should pay the cost themselves. Does he envision public schools charging tuition so people with no kids in school can keep their "hard-earned money?"

Let's hear from those 60 percent of Anchoragites who hold free library cards and treasure this great asset to our city. Tell the mayor, tell the Assembly!

-- Don McDermott

Anchorage

Columnist doesn't see the big picture

Julia O'Malley writes with a sense of indignation that Fire Chief Mark Hall had a department rig and crew perform a personal errand involving the chief's daughter. Well, maybe it wasn't the best use of MOA equipment, but the tone of O'Malley's piece reveals she doesn't know about MOA police and their home cars.

Police officers can use their cars during off hours to shop, run errands and even pick their children at any school in Anchorage. So before we skewer Chief Hall for his minor indiscretion let's consider the far greater use of taxpayer vehicles for personal purposes.

-- Frank Smith

Anchorage

Compass writer is correct to question church beliefs

I gathered from Geneva Walters' Sunday Compass piece that she plans to spend Halloween handing out candy to all the little ghosts and goblins who knock at her door. Apparently, though, she grew up in a church in fear of ghosts, goblins, the occult and Halloween. But after becoming disillusioned, she began questioning the church. And then, after her period of disillusionment, she slowly began to reconstruct her faith in God.

I couldn't help but feel glad she spent time questioning all this fear of the occult and all things satanic that her church thinks Halloween represents. Good for her. Too bad, though, that Geneva Walters didn't come to the additional conclusion that the God she and the people of her church believe in is just another of the goblins out there loose in the world. If there was such a thing as goblins, I should think that would be the one to fear. Supposedly, God died during the enlightenment; however, he keeps getting resurrected again and again by the good people of the church.

-- Eric Crossen

Anchorage

Taxpayers foot the bill for fire chief's indiscretion

After reading the front page story on Fire Chief Hall ("Chief should know fire engines aren't taxis," Oct. 25): He states "the fire service is a brotherhood, you take care of each other" it is really a comfort to know that you are taking care of each other, on the backs of the taxpayers.

It starts at the top and trickles down to the ranks. If the boss can do it so can I! My taxes have skyrocketed from good ole boy attitudes like this. They do not seem to understand that we are in the hole $25 million or more! This employee takes home more than $100,000 a year and he can not afford a cab? Let the taxpayers foot the bill, right? I say this type of culture has to change; our leaders need to take charge and lead the way and do what is right and honest. All of you should be ashamed for taking advantage of the taxpayers.

We need to audit all departments of the city and find and discipline employees like him who continue to do business as usually.

-- Mark Flaker

Anchorage

Thanks for the coverage of Native convention

Thank you for your last two editions of the News, Oct. 23 and 24. I just returned from a week's camping trip. I particularly appreciated the beautiful picture of Willie Hensley and Elizabeth Hensley and their speech on history and change.

I am an advocate for change and for young people taking leadership in defining that change. I am also an advocate for cooperation between the generations. I feel good that some leaders are making this happen.

Your welcome cover to the Alaska Federation of Natives and the page on their success in creating a customer-owner driven health care system also impressed me. I hope our Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Sen. Mark Begich are paying attention and learning from the Southcentral Foundation's Nuka Model of Care. Your picture of the two beautiful young people resplendent in their beautiful parkas and headdresses and your article on subsistence ideas also impressed me.

-- Hugh R. Hays

Soldotna

Balancing work, family is tough for fire chiefs too

As the son of a former police officer, it saddened me to read Julia O'Malley's column about Fire Chief Mark Hall. The article depicted the chief as a person in charge grossly abusing his authority, not as a father struggling to balance his job and family. I agree that it was a mistake to have a "fire truck" pick her up, but I myself have had unforeseen situations arise as a parent. I sincerely hope that anyone crucifying this man has imagined walking a mile in his work boots, let alone wearing them for 19 years.

I understand the frustration, but kudos to Chief Hall for "manning up" and apologizing.

And for anyone calling for his termination: Consider the 19 years of experience this man has. I wonder how many times this much attention was drawn in regards to the lives he has touched and saved?

I am constantly amazed at the vultures who enjoy tearing down the very same people who we might be calling to "pick up our kids" when the going gets tough.

-- Jared Carpenter

Palmer

Fire chief should be fired

I can't say I'm surprised but I am appalled each time I read or hear about this type of behavior from the Fire Department and its chief. Firefighters routinely take themselves and their fire vehicles to the grocery store, video store, home, and most recently to pick up and drop off their children from school. Also, the rules have already been bent for Mark Hall just to hire him as chief.

There is an arrogance behind this type of decision making and will continue to play a part in the Fire Department's and Chief Hall's future actions. Unfortunately Hall received nothing more than an administrative slap on the wrist for this inexcusable action. We think he should be replaced immediately. That likely will not occur and this same inappropriate, arrogant, self-serving decision making will continue right under the public's nose.

-- Max and Molly O'Toole

Anchorage

Prosecutors deserve praise for cracking down on gangs

I'd like to add my congratulations to those praising the work of the two city prosecutors working as U.S. attorneys to put away gang members, as reported in the Oct. 21 Daily News.

Christine Thoreson and Erin White were hired when I was mayor of Anchorage as part of a partnership among local, state and federal agencies to crack down on guns, gangs and drugs. With the stiff penalties in the federal system, we knew we could send a stronger message to the criminals that they would face much longer prison sentences when they were prosecuted in the federal system.

Using local tax dollars, along with some federal money, the partnership has been a great success. As noted when White and Thoreson won their national awards, their combined sentences of more than 100 defendants is nearly 450 years of federal prison time. All of the agencies involved, the prosecutors and the citizens of Anchorage who have supported this program deserve thanks and recognition.

-- Sen. Mark Begich

Washington, D.C.

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