To kill or not to kill is the question for many eligible voters of Initiative 1000, the assisted suicide measure. But for the conscientious citizen, the question is to live or not to live.
We are smart, well-read, opinionated, individualistic and very discerning about what we consume or how we spend money.
The bottom line of I-1000 is money: by not prolonging life, insurance expenditures and estate costs are lessened — saving society’s resources for those who are well. What price is human life worth when it becomes recyclable like a plastic bottle? The Washington State Medical Association has taken a consistent position against I-1000.

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International Middle School (Collège International) Information Night/Open House: 6:30 p.m., Oct. 22; 2-4 p.m., Nov. 15, French American School. Offers International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program. Prior French language experience not necessary. Rob Harrahill: (206) 240-2980.

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Dorothy L. Cook, a long-time resident of Mercer Island, died on Oct. 8 at Overlake Hospital.

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Why are we providing severance payments to employees, especially to Mr. Sterbank? City Manager Conrad says severance payments “end the issues surrounding an employee.” What does this really mean? It means “hush money.” It forecloses anyone from knowing the cause-and-effect of the severance. Sterbank’s hire was encouraged by former Assistant City Manger Lori Lindell. Once Lindell blew the whistle on City Manager Conrad’s alleged sexual harassment of a city employee, she was “gone with the wind.” If the $137,000 paid to Sterbank, Lindell’s friend, doesn’t reek of payola, then my sniffer dog is on the wrong scent. As is every City Council member who encouraged such an outrageous severance settlement under the guise of “saving” the city money. Look in the mirror, City Councilmembers, and search for ethics. That is, if you know what they are.

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I am one of the many volunteers who has worked at the Farmers Market during the past months.

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There are many important decisions facing Mercer Island voters this election season. As you carefully make your choices at the national, state and county level, please don’t overlook an important local issue that will impact Islanders for many years to come — our parks bond and levy.

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Last week’s front page article on field issues and the reference to the boys lacrosse program and our high school coach was woefully out of date and out of touch. The quote used in the article by Jacob Edel from an e-mail back in September 2007 does not come close to portraying today’s reality.

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Our next elected legislator from the 41st District needs to understand complex issues and especially education. Instead, one candidate oversimplifies school problems to make a distorted political point. Clearly, Steve Litzow does not get it.

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In the Nov. 4 general election, in addition to national and state candidates and another huge Sound Transit tax proposal, you will have the opportunity to vote on what the city’s finance director has confirmed as the largest tax increase in Mercer Island city history. The city is presenting you with a $12 million bond and a $900,000 levy for parks and recreation. Actually, when one includes the $7.4 million interest on the bonds’ 26-year life, the total cost to Mercer Island taxpayers is $19.4 million. That is on top of the $900,000 levy which increases each year for the next 14 years. If the City Council continues its normal practice of raising property taxes each year, the total cost to Island taxpayers over the life of these bonds and the levy will be in excess of $33 million.

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“It takes a whole village to raise a child” couldn’t ring more true than with today’s educational system and the need for community involvement. This old African proverb is certainly applicable to Mercer Island, and it is the spirit of cooperation and involvement that most resonates with me as I think about the work of the Mercer Island Schools Foundation and our upcoming Phone-a-Thon.

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The communitywide support for the residents of Tent City at the United Methodist Church has truly been heartwarming to witness. The willingness of those in a church, synagogue or civic group to prepare 100 hot meals for each of the evenings that Tent City is here is remarkable. Members from my church, the Christian Science Church, have also prepared and served a meal, in addition to giving individual donations.

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In November, Washington voters will vote on Initiative 1000, Washington’s Death with Dignity initiative. Having followed the development of this initiative, as well as the 10 years of empirical research on Oregon’s Death with Dignity law (upon which I-1000 is based), it seems that the public is not well-informed about this initiative to allow choice near the end of life.

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