[Vision2020] highway

Art Deco aka W. Fox deco@moscow.com
Fri, 27 Feb 2004 08:28:25 -0800


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Sunil, et al,

I think that Idaho DUI and similar laws and their enforcement are way too
lax.

I do not know about Latah County because the Daily News does not yet provide
us the public record information about citations and dispositions.  But I
had at one time extensive knowledge about the three northern Idaho counties.

I think the sentencing is way too lax.  Plea bargains down to inattentive
driving are far, far too common.  With regard to DUIs PA's are slothful
simply lack the balls to get tough.  Judges are so afraid of initial
disqualifications and the resulting assignment to non-local venues that DUI
sentencings are about the same as they were 30 years ago after adjustment
for inflation.  Because of the disqualification rule, sentencing follows the
LCD of the magistrate pool.

I think at least 10 days of jail time should be required for first time
offenders; instead of 20 hours of community service there should be 200
hours.  200 hours of week-end inconvenience  may have some real deterring
power for the first time offender.  Effective programs need to be mandatory
for those diagnosed with drinking and other substance abuse problems and
paid for, where possible, by the offenders themselves.  The counseling in
place now is a cruel joke.  Stiff mandatory minimum sentence and fines
guidelines need to be statutorily set to offset the effects of the
disqualification rule.

Several years ago an intoxicated Moscow woman murdered three Native
Americans in Kootenay County in a DUI incident.  Her sentence was three
years, served not at the state pen but on week-ends at the Latah County
jail.  What kind of deterrence is this?  What kind of retribution for
irresponsible, murderous behavior is this?  What message to potential
offenders does this send?

I do not know what is in place now, but a about 25 years ago British
Columbia enacted DUI legislation that very significantly reduced DUI related
injuries and fatalities.  Failing a field sobriety test, an offender's
vehicle was impounded and not released until the case was heard without a
large hassle, if follow-up tests were positive.  Several days of jail time
were mandatory for first offenders as well as a minimum $2500 fine.  Second
time offenders lost driving privileges for at least a year and sometimes up
to five years.  DWP brought immediate prolonged jail time and another very
large fine and could lead to permanent vehicle confiscation.

In Finland several years ago the third DUI brought a life sentence in
prison.  The DUI rate dropped drastically!

These are severe measures and certainly take a toll on the offender's family
(who do have some influence over the offender's behavior in many cases) but
they have worked well to protect potential innocent victims of criminally
irresponsible behavior.

Respectfully,

Wayne Fox

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Sunil Ramalingam
  To: DonovArn@aol.com ; pkraut@moscow.com ; vision2020@moscow.com
  Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 10:21 PM
  Subject: Re: [Vision2020] highway


  Pat,

  Thank you for your clarification.  I commute to Lewiston daily, so I have
an interest in improvements to Highway 95.  Yet I oppose the proposed
Paradise Ridge route, not necessarily for environmental reasons.  I think
the Transportation Department intentionally offered two bad plans, with the
goal of building the Paradise Ridge route.  They knew that the many people
who live along 95 now would mobilize and oppose that option.  What other
options were looked at prior to winnowing down the choices?  Why were these
two the 'best' choices?  On winter days I check out the ridge to see how
much fog is sitting where the proposed road will run. I don't believe that
putting the highway up there is going to make me safer.

  I wonder why they didn't include an option that would run the highway
parallel to the state line, and connect with HY 8 around Walmart.  I realize
that some downtown merchants would oppose this, but would this necessarily
harm Moscow's economy?

  I would like to pass this message along: Just because it's snowing does
not mean one must drive down Reisenauer Hill at 10 - 15 miles an hour.  I've
come up behind someone doing this twice now, and it hasn't been fun.  I
wasn't going over 40 either time, but it was still pretty hairy.

  Donovan, I find it interesting that you think Idaho is too lax on drunk
drivers.  One of the  Kootenai County deputy prosecutors recently had a
column in the Spokesman-Review attacking Washington's ''lax" DUI laws, and
complained that Washington doesn't have a felony DUI law; he contrasted
Idaho's wonderful felony DUI statute and argued that Washington should
follow our legislature's example.  He campaigned to be a judge in Spokane in
the last election, and I took the column to be his opening salvo in his next
campaign.  Now that you've identified our approach to DUIs as lax, he may
have to pick a new state to champion.

  Sunil



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<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>Sunil, et al,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>I think that Idaho DUI and similar laws and =
their=20
enforcement are way too lax.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>I do not know about Latah County because the =
<EM>Daily=20
News</EM> does not yet provide us the public record information about =
citations=20
and dispositions.&nbsp; But I had at one time&nbsp;extensive knowledge =
about the=20
three northern Idaho counties.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>I think the sentencing is way too =
lax.&nbsp;&nbsp;Plea=20
bargains down to inattentive driving are far, far&nbsp;too common.&nbsp; =
With=20
regard to DUIs PA's are slothful simply lack the balls to get =
tough.&nbsp;=20
Judges are so afraid of initial disqualifications and the resulting =
assignment=20
to non-local venues that DUI sentencings are about the same as they were =
30=20
years ago after adjustment for inflation.&nbsp; Because of the =
disqualification=20
rule, sentencing follows the LCD of the magistrate pool.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>I think at least 10 days of jail time should =
be required=20
for first time offenders; instead of 20 hours of community service there =
should=20
be 200 hours.&nbsp; 200 hours of week-end inconvenience&nbsp; may have =
some real=20
deterring power for the first time offender.&nbsp; Effective programs =
need to be=20
mandatory for those diagnosed with drinking and other substance abuse =
problems=20
and paid for, where possible, by the offenders themselves.&nbsp;=20
The&nbsp;counseling in place now&nbsp;is a&nbsp;cruel joke.&nbsp; Stiff=20
mandatory minimum sentence and fines guidelines need to be statutorily =
set to=20
offset the effects of the disqualification rule.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>Several years ago an intoxicated Moscow woman =
murdered=20
three Native Americans in Kootenay County in a DUI incident.&nbsp; Her =
sentence=20
was three years, served not at the state pen but on week-ends at the =
Latah=20
County jail.&nbsp; What kind of deterrence is this?&nbsp; What kind of=20
retribution for irresponsible, murderous behavior is this?&nbsp; What =
message to=20
potential offenders does this send?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>I do not know what is in place now, but a =
about 25 years=20
ago British Columbia enacted DUI legislation that very significantly =
reduced DUI=20
related injuries and fatalities.&nbsp; Failing a field sobriety test, an =

offender's vehicle was impounded and not released until the case was =
heard=20
without a large hassle, if follow-up tests were positive.&nbsp; Several =
days of=20
jail time were mandatory for first offenders as well as a minimum $2500=20
fine.&nbsp; Second time offenders lost driving privileges for at least a =
year=20
and sometimes up to five years.&nbsp; DWP brought&nbsp;immediate =
prolonged jail=20
time and another very large fine and could lead to permanent vehicle=20
confiscation.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>In Finland several years ago the third DUI =
brought a=20
life sentence in prison.&nbsp; The DUI rate dropped =
drastically!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>These are severe measures and certainly take a =
toll on=20
the offender's family (who do have some influence over the offender's =
behavior=20
in many cases) but&nbsp;they have&nbsp;worked well to protect potential =
innocent=20
victims of criminally irresponsible behavior.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>Respectfully,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana>Wayne Fox</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
  <DIV=20
  style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
  <A title=3Dsunilramalingam@hotmail.com=20
  href=3D"mailto:sunilramalingam@hotmail.com">Sunil Ramalingam</A> =
</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=3DDonovArn@aol.com =

  href=3D"mailto:DonovArn@aol.com">DonovArn@aol.com</A> ; <A=20
  title=3Dpkraut@moscow.com =
href=3D"mailto:pkraut@moscow.com">pkraut@moscow.com</A>=20
  ; <A title=3Dvision2020@moscow.com=20
  href=3D"mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, February 26, =
2004 10:21=20
  PM</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] =
highway</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV>
  <DIV class=3DRTE>
  <P>Pat,</P>
  <P>Thank you for your clarification.&nbsp; I commute to Lewiston =
daily, so I=20
  have an interest in improvements to Highway 95.&nbsp; Yet I oppose the =

  proposed Paradise Ridge route, not necessarily for environmental=20
  reasons.&nbsp; I think the Transportation Department intentionally =
offered two=20
  bad plans, with the goal of building the Paradise Ridge route.&nbsp; =
They knew=20
  that the many people who live along 95 now would mobilize and oppose =
that=20
  option.&nbsp; What other options were looked at prior to winnowing =
down the=20
  choices?&nbsp; Why were these two the 'best' choices?&nbsp; On winter =
days I=20
  check out the ridge to see how much fog is sitting where the proposed =
road=20
  will run. I don't believe that putting the highway up there is going =
to make=20
  me safer.</P>
  <P>I wonder why they didn't include an option that would run the =
highway=20
  parallel to the state line, and connect with HY 8 around =
Walmart.&nbsp; I=20
  realize that some downtown merchants would oppose this, but would this =

  necessarily harm Moscow's economy?&nbsp; </P>
  <P>I would like to pass this message along: Just because it's snowing =
does not=20
  mean one must drive down Reisenauer Hill at 10 - 15 miles an =
hour.&nbsp; I've=20
  come up behind someone doing this twice now, and it hasn't been =
fun.&nbsp; I=20
  wasn't going over 40 either time, but it was still pretty hairy.</P>
  <P>Donovan, I find it interesting that you think Idaho is too lax on =
drunk=20
  drivers.&nbsp;&nbsp;One of the&nbsp; Kootenai County deputy =
prosecutors=20
  recently had a column in the Spokesman-Review attacking Washington's =
''lax"=20
  DUI laws, and complained that Washington doesn't have a felony DUI =
law; he=20
  contrasted Idaho's wonderful felony DUI statute and argued that =
Washington=20
  should follow our legislature's example.&nbsp; He campaigned to be a =
judge in=20
  Spokane in the last election, and I took the column to be his opening =
salvo in=20
  his next campaign.&nbsp; Now that you've identified our approach to =
DUIs as=20
  lax, he may have to pick a new state to champion.</P>
  <P>Sunil</P></DIV>
  <DIV></DIV></DIV><BR clear=3Dall>
  <HR>
  <A href=3D"http://g.msn.com/8HMBENUS/2731??PS=3D">Store more e-mails =
with MSN=20
  Hotmail Extra Storage =96 4 plans to choose from!</A>=20
  _____________________________________________________ List services =
made=20
  available by First Step Internet, serving the communities of the =
Palouse since=20
  1994. http://www.fsr.net mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com=20
  =
=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=AF=
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