Reject authoritarianism
The current political arguments warning of the authoritarian rule of the federal government are reminiscent of American colonists sounding the alarm to resist British tyranny. Author Thomas Paine unified the colonists with the popularity of "Common Sense" in January 1776.
Paine warned that "a thirst for absolute power is the natural disease of monarchy." Paine's assertion is that establishing a Republic allows citizens to participate in governing through their elected representatives (the House of Representatives and Senate).
The Trump administration has dismantled the balance of power between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of our democracy. Federal agencies have been dismantled, while most elected Republicans holding majorities in the House and Senate have abandoned their sworn constitutional duties. Federal court orders to halt the abuse of executive power have been ignored.
Project 2025's policies have resulted in investigations of Trump's perceived enemies - journalists, universities, and corporate CEOs who voice dissent and/or criticism. A recent national poll by the Marist Institute found that 77% of respondents believe the Trump administration poses a serious threat to democracy. It is time to exercise rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.
George D. Burazer, Lacey
The school board should protect educators.
As a Tacoma resident and taxpayer, I'm deeply concerned about the lack of transparency from Tacoma Public Schools leadership, especially regarding Superintendent Josh Garcia's staggering $385,757 annual salary.
That figure is nearly twice the salary of the Governor of Washington and almost equal to that of the President of the United States. Meanwhile, our district faces budget shortfalls, teacher layoffs, and declining classroom resources. I submitted an inquiry to the Tacoma School Board and Superintendent Garcia on May 20 asking for a justification of this compensation, a breakdown of responsibilities, performance metrics, and a full accounting of perks and benefits.
To this day, I have received no reply. Not even a confirmation of receipt.
This silence is not only disrespectful, it's alarming. Our elected school board has failed to balance the budget without harming students and educators. Yet they see fit to approve executive pay packages that defy reason. How can the board justify such spending when frontline educators are losing jobs?
Taxpayer dollars demand transparency, and public service requires accountability. Tacoma's families and educators deserve real answers, not evasiveness and ongoing financial mismanagement.
Nathan Wayne, Tacoma
Eliminate hunger in schools
Some recent TNT articles call out state lawmakers for not prioritizing education. Minimizing the importance of education is not just a local problem, but a national one as well.
Recently, I learned that the current administration has terminated USDA McGovern-Dole Food for Education programs in 11 countries, bringing to a halt daily school meals for nearly 800,000 students. For many children, this is their only meal each day. This project has been successful in not only reducing hunger, but improving literacy, especially for girls, and provides an incentive for parents to send their kids to school.
Since the program relies on U.S. commodities, these terminations will impact U.S. farmers. I am calling on Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell to ask the Trump administration to reverse the termination of McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Food for Progress programs and continue providing lifesaving and life-affirming food aid. It's imperative that we make education a priority both here in Washington state and abroad. Our future depends upon the quality of education our kids receive today.
Morningstar Stevenson, Puyallup
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