LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

[April 12th, 2006] HOWLING MAD

I'm a huge WW fan reader and cheer with you 99 out of 100 percent of the time. But today I believe you got one wrong, and I would like to provide an alternative viewpoint. Murmurs [April 5] reports a doggie day-care moving from Northwest to MLK due to "unfair" targeting of a local resident. I beg to differ, and here's why....

Imagine living in your dream house—a magical little Victorian in trendy Northwest. Imagine spending two years and hundreds of thousands of dollars building a new venue for your business and attaching it onto your house. Imagine conforming to all the laws and permits and regulations to design and build and certify your new building and finally moving in. Business is booming, life is good.

Then imagine, after a long day of working, you go to bed on a hot August night. But then—eight feet from your bedroom window—you hear a dog barking. And another. And another. All night long. And the next, and the next, for weeks and months on end. One barking dog is no problem—the officer comes right out. But if it is a business—particularly one that failed to get the proper permits to operate—there is no one who comes to your rescue, even when the howling breaks your heart. The day care said they put in insulation, and they did. So now a muffled dog howls—up to 30 or 40 residents a night. Sleep deprivation over several months is an ugly thing.

I am personally acquainted with the neighbor. She wanted nothing more done than enforcement of the same city and county codes that dogged her two years of construction and which she obeys on a regular basis. She pays her taxes, she serves her customers, and all she and her husband want is a good night's sleep to be able to get up and do it again.

Carla Mortensen
Southeast Division Street

SHE'S ON OUR SIDE

I have been an avid reader for many years because your stories are mostly well written and well researched. However, your blatant distortions of Sen. Ginny Burdick's record (Shut Up and Vote, March 22 and 29, 2006) are appalling. While attacking her, you seem to be forgetting that Sen. Burdick is a staunchly liberal candidate for Portland City Council. She supports gay marriage, increased funding for public education, and stronger gun safety laws. She has a 100 percent environmental and labor voting record.

You may not like the clients she works for in her career in the private sector, but her voting record is what counts. That record shows clearly that she puts the public interest ahead of her clients.

Ginny Burdick can count on my support in this election because of her liberal beliefs and her private sector experience. If you like Erik Sten, fine. But why don't you spend a little time talking about what you like about him instead of hurling unfounded insults at Burdick simply because she is challenging Sten? I am greatly disappointed at Willamette Week's failure to acknowledge Burdick's political record and experience.

Mari Chiba
Southwest 50th Avenue