Editorials / Opinion

Security measure distracts from real issue

Now that the “feel good” photo ops are over, perhaps the Snohomish County sheriff can quantify how six deputies are going to effectively patrol 2,000 square miles, and more than 100 schools [“Some Snohomish County schools to get extra security,” NWSaturday, March 16]?

I doubt the response time to any incident will be any better than it would be under the sheriff’s regular services.

This is just a distraction from one of the real issues that might help stop some of the violence: And that is getting our state Legislature to require universal background checks for all gun sales. Independent polls show the majority of voters in this state support universal background checks, an idea that has again been shelved by our current crop of legislators.

Sandy Hook was an act of random violence. You can try all you want but we can’t be protected from random violence, but we can limit who has access to the weapons used with universal background checks.

–Roberta MacKinnon, Seattle

Reardon’s exit makes little fuss

It sure is refreshing to see a politician resign instead of dragging things out and refusing to go out gracefully [“Defiant Reardon resigning,” page one, Feb. 22].

Aaron Reardon had a multitude of problems that seemed to start when he was first elected. Hopefully now that he is resigning, Snohomish County can now get past the burden of Reardon and all of the scandals he had and business can get back to usual.

–Jeff Swanson, Everett

Reardon’s actions question access to public records

I wonder if the shenanigans Aaron Reardon’s staff are accused of have made The Seattle Times editorial staff reconsider their opinion about setting some limits on the Washington State Public Records Act [“Public’s right to know should not be weakened,” Opinion, Feb. 15].

There should be rules to prevent using the system for harassment and/or wasting precious public money.

–Annie Bilotta, Seattle