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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (July 18, 2012)
Mock Wedding Voters — acknowledges that the databases it uses to contact possible voters are imperfect because they are developed from commer- cially collected information. The group also says it expects people who receive misdi- rected mail to simply throw it away. furnish ID and election managers use data- bases — such as death records — to see if someone should be disallowed. But administrators in New Mexico, a potential swing state in the presidential race, warned that ineligible voters who complete the documents could make it onto the rolls. New Mexico is one of two states in which noncitizens can qualify for a dri- ver’s license by simply proving residency — not necessarily legal residency — and state elections officials have no way of verifying the legal status of those who Julie Anderson, the auditor in Pierce County, Wash., estimates that about two dozen residents have contacted the county about registration forms arriving for dead relatives Several election officials said they believed the voter registration systems were secure enough to catch people who might improperly submit the misdirected docu- ments, since registrants typically have to See VOTERS on page 7 PHOTO BY SUSAN FRIED continued from page 1 Angela Vogel married ‘Corporate Person’ in a ceremony July 17 in Westlake Park. A small crowd celebrated the nuptials of the happy couple as a way of publicizing Seattle Initiative 103, a ballot measure slated for 2013 which among other things would strip corporations of their personhood status. Vets continued from page 1 lation as veterans, far below the national average of 10 percent. That was due, in part, to incarcerated veterans not mentioning their military service upon booking, Lewis said. Lewis and Herold-Prayer said that that many veterans don’t volunteer their status because they either don’t realize they are a veteran, are embarrassed by their situation or are worried that their families could lose their veteran benefits while they are in prison. After running names against a master list at the U.S. Department of Defense at the end of last year, and then working with the state Department of Veterans Affairs throughout this year, Herold-Prayer said that they’ve found veterans make up at least 8 percent of the state’s approximately 16,000 prison population, and that the per- centage could increase even more as the DOC continues its work. Also, earlier this year, the DOC changed its policy so that instead of relying on an inmate to volunteer their veteran status, they are being actively asked when they arrive at prison. Currently, the most recent national num- bers on veterans in state and federal prison are from 2004. A 2007 Bureau of Justice Statistics report showed that in 2004, an estimated 140,000 veterans were in prison nationwide. Tracy Snell, a statistician for the Bureau of Justice Statistics, said they have been revamping the survey, and the plan is to do another one in 2013. ``Really, no one knows for certain how many veter- ans are in the justice system right now,’’ said Christo- pher Deutsch, a spokesman for Alexandria, Va.-based Justice for Vets, an organi- zation that advocates for veteran treatment courts. But, ``that’s starting to change.’’ Deutsch said with the increase of veteran treatment courts around the country in recent years _ there are nearly 100 in 27 states, including Washington state _ there’s more of a push to identify veterans in the criminal justice system. ``The earlier they can be identified, the better, because then you can start look at diverting them to a different track, whether it’s a veterans’ court or a mental health assessment,’’ he said. ``I think states are getting much more sophisticated at doing this. But there’s a long way to go.’’ Herold-Prayer has been visiting each of Veterans face restrictions on receiving benefits while they are incarcerated, but can apply to have that money directed to their family. But if they continue to collect the full amount, they could leave prison tens of thousands of dollars in debt because they’ll be required to repay what they collected while incarcerated. ``We do not want to see that happen with any of our offend- ers,’’ Herold-Prayer told the group assembled at Stafford Creek. Ernest Grant, a 40-year-old Navy veteran, wasn’t aware he had to notify Veterans Affairs of his incarceration, and was filling out paperwork to remedy that after Herold-Prayer’s meeting. Grant, who is serving a 30-year sentence for homicide by abuse, said the most help- ful thing he learned from the meeting was his access to things like medical and hous- ing when he is released as early as 2025. A change in federal law prompted officials at the state Department of Corrections to investigate what more could be done for the state’s veterans who are inmates the state’s prisons since May, doing visits like the one at Stafford Creek in June to make sure that incarcerated veterans know that they are entitled to military benefits upon their release, but also to ensure they’re not currently receiving an overpayment of military benefits while in prison, which would mean they would leave prison already facing debt. Read the rest of this story online at www.theskanner.com Costs continued from page 1 involve choices students can make, includ- expenses with student loans and summer tion. Sarah Hall, UW’s director of planning and ing where they live and with how many jobs. All told, the total cost of attending the state operations, said the money students roommates. At UW, the cheapest housing option is to University of Washington and Washington pay represents only part of what it really bunk with two other roommates in one of State University as an in-state undergradu- costs to provide a college education. ``People think a lot about the cost of col- the older dorms, which runs about $4,260 a ate can total about $25,000 year. Tuition — which has increased as much lege going up. But the price to the family, year. Living solo in a studio apartment in as 20 percent during each of the past three which is often called the cost of attendance, the university’s newer buildings can run more than twice that amount, years — accounts for roughly at $9,600. half of that amount. The rest Single rooms at WSU can includes books, transportation, cost more than $8,000 in some living expenses and other student dorms, while the least expen- needs. sive double room in an older At Washington’s four other col- dorm runs $5,246 a year. leges and universities, the esti- Mandatory student fees mated cost of attendance is about — Carly Ray, Washington State University senior make up another big chunk of $21,000. the college bill, with the fees Students have little control varying widely from one over the big ticket items like tuition or dorm fees, Ray said, but they do is different from the cost of providing edu- school to another. They all cover a different cation,’’ Hall said, pointing out that dona- mix of fees and some of the differences can have control over smaller fees. ``I feel like students are angry, angry that tions, federal dollars and state money make be tied to how each college defines budget they’re paying all these fees, and having to up the rest of the actual cost of educating items. A fee could be folded into tuition at one school while itemized separately at take out more loans and more loans,’’ she students. Some of the biggest cost increases at another. said, though she acknowledged that the Central Washington University has the costs remind her of the value of her educa- Washington universities for 2012-2013 ‘I feel like students are angry, angry that they’re paying all these fees, and having to take out more loans and more loans’ highest total mandatory fees at more than $1,600, according to state higher education officials. WSU is next at more than $1,400 a year, followed closely by Western at about $1,300 a year. UW students will see the biggest increase in fees this year, from $828 to $1,080. It’s happening because students adopted a new fee to support dorm improvements, Hall said. One student, however, didn’t characterize budget decisions in quite the same way. Lisa Tran, a UW junior from Tacoma, said university staff crunch the numbers and then hold a meeting to explain to student leaders how they came up with next year’s budget. If students have a major objection, they go back and make changes, the bio- chemistry major said. ``We don’t have a direct say in what hap- pens, but our opinion does matter to them,’’ said Tran. Read the rest of this story online at www.theskanner.com July 18, 2012 The Seattle Skanner Page 3
