ELECTION *92
Spotlight focused on triples
By Rene DeCair
Emerald Associate Editor
Triple-trailer trucks — not
exactly vehicles of passion —
have become tho focus of a lot
of heated attention this election
season.
Because of Ballot Measure 4,
which would ban triple-trailers
U II VJ I UfJU II
highways,
the long
trucks have
moved Into
the spotlight
of political
rhetoric.
'1110 meas
ure’s sup
|)UI II I
the triples are dangerous and
unnecessary. The opponents
say they're not and argue the
ban would hurt Oregon busi
nesses.
The measure is expected to
increase state revenues by
S330.000. gained from register
ing more vehicles that would
bo needed to haul the goods
normally hauled fry triples.
But the extra trucks are ex
pected to result in S2 5 million
in road repair costs, which will
bo paid for by the weight-mile
tax collected by the Public Util
ity Commission.
Julio Dawson, campaign coor
dinator for Yes on 4, said the
trucks are unsafe because they
swing out of control into other
lanes As proof, she said, driv
nrs admit they can't control the
trucks
"Thoy don't oven belong on
the roads at all," Dawson said.
Morrtover, Anno O'Kyan —
public affairs manager for the
Automobile Club of Oregon
that supports the measure —
said 35 states do not allow tri
ples because they are unsafe,
and Oregon should follow suit.
But Haul Loplnski. president
of AftP Recycling in The
Dalles, Ore , said the trucks
will produce more pollution
and will hurt businesses in
Eastern Oregon
Lepinsk! and other Measure 4
opponents said that if triples
are banned, businesses will
have to pay more for shipping
costs to use more trucks.
“I use a lot of triples," he
said, adding that one-fourth of
his 200 trucks are triples "I get
a real good shipping rate with
them."
They’re good to use, he said,
because he ami other business
es that ship goods to the west
ern part of the state often ship a
small amount of goods together
in triples, which couldn't fit in
regular trucks.
The cost of using two-trailer
trucks would hurt, ho said.
"Right now we're lucky to
meet costs on plastic materi
als," ho said. "That's why
we're making so much stink on
Ihi* side of thu mountain."
Bui O'Rvan disputes the han
will hurt business, saying that
triples amount for only about 2
percent of trucks on Oregon
roads.
"They are not a lifeline," she
said "Their argument Is con
sumers are going to pay
through the nose,” which Isn't
true
Washington Fred Moyer
atoms — a state that has banned
triples — do not have more ex
pensive prices than In Oregon,
she said
Moreover, she said, the oppo
sition has distorted the facts
about the safely of triples
A letter of opposition to
Measure 4 in the Voters' Pam
phlet cites an AAA Foundation
study that said, "KLVs (extra
long vehicles) have a superior
safety record
" Triples are by lar the most
attractive ELV on the high
way." the study said
But O'Ryan said the study
was done on Interstates and not
on two-land roads and did not
thoroughly study triple trailers
but three kinds of trucks togeth
er.
Moreover, she said that by
"attractive." the study meant
how the trucks looked "It was
more pleasing to they eye —
good-looking trailers," she said.
Effects of M7 prompt dispute
By Lisa Kneefel
tmerald Reporter
The Citizens to Save Our Schools Committee
hopes Ballot Measure 7 will aid school funding
and deliver the homeowner lax relief Measure 5
promised.
But opponents say the measure won't increase
tokasms
s( nooi lunumg hi <111 aim uiuiu
drive up utility rates
Measure 7 is expected to in
crease property lax revenues to
local si:hool districts and com
munity colleges t>y $380 mil
lion in 1993-94. The next year.
1994-95. the measure is ux
pectod to increase property tax
revenues by S592 million.
The cost of implementing
the measure is exported to r>© 52.Z mill ion in
1993-94, and another $250,000 in 1994-95.
Cary Carlson, board member of the Oregonians
for a Sound Economy campaign, said revenue
raised through the measure will replace — not
add — to state funds that make up for school in
come lost to property tax decreases
Carlson also said utility companies might use
property tax Increases to justify rate increases
But Paul McKenna, research director for the Or
egon Public Employees Union, said Measure 7
won't increase property taxes for either homes or
businesses.
He said it’s still a reduction from the average
statewide tax rate in 1990. just not as liberal us
Measure 5's amendment to the Oregon constitu
tion projected.
"Measure 7 turns back the clock anil says,
'Lot's givo some of tho break to businesses, but
lot's glvo most of it to homeowner*,"' McKenna
said.
McKenna said Measure 7 does increase school
funding because the revenue It raises alleviates
the state's obligation to replace lost funds
The school revenue lost to Measure Vs do
creased tax rates is replaced by the stale's general
fund For every dollar of state fund money. 03
cents are allocated to public schools
McKenna said Measure 7 will reduce this obli
gation because the state fund money designated
for schools will continue to replace Measure Vs
lost lax revenue despite the emergence of new
funding from the restored property tax rates
McKenna also said power companies have yet
to pass any of thuir Measure 5 savings on to rate
payers He said the utility rate increase argument
is false because Measure 7 won't increase taxes
Measure 5’s amendment to the Oregon constitu
tion limits property tux rales progressively over a
five-year period that begun in 1991 The average
statewide tax rate under Measure 7 will still be
lower than it was before Measure 5 passage.
Measure 7. also known as tho Split-Roll Initia
tive. maintains tho reductions in owner-occupied
home property taxes Measure 5 enacted, but it re
vises tax rate reductions for all other property
Under Measure 7. property other than owner
occupied homes will lie taxed at $30 per SI.000
of assessed value.
For every $30 in property taxes collected from
non-owner-occupied homes. $20 will be allotted
to local schools, and $10 will go toward local
governments.
CONGRESS
Continued from Page 1B
prehensive, balanced bill —
including workor and commu
nity assistance — would be
put before Congress.
DeFazto said the Freedom
of Choice Act will likely be
voted on this coming term,
and he anticipates a majority
to vote in favor of it. as he
will. Schulz opposes abortion
unless the life of a pregnant
woman is in danger.
DeFazio said that, because
he has been so opposed to
Bush, his opportunities in the
House have bean limited.
“I have to look for small
victories in tho face of work
ing in the Bush administra
tion," he said. “For me, it was
pretty frustrating. The Presi
dent governed by the veto, so
we withheld a lot of things
and what we did put out wax
vetoed."
Schulz said he knows it's
tough to beat any incumbent,
but remains hopeful.
"In my travels, at the fairs
especially, where you might a
cross-section of people, there
were a lot I talked to who
were not ploased with Fetor
DoFazio. Whether that trans
lates into votes, we'll find out
next week."
Hosticka, Boehnke
differ on how to
resolve tax problem
By Daralyn Trappe
Emerald Associate Editor
Tho race for the Stato
House of Representatives seat
In District 40 offers voters a
choice between two candi
dates with very distinct
views of how to clean up the
current tax mess.
Democrat Carl Hostlcka.
who has represented the dls
tril l since DIHJ, is an advo
cate of Ballot Measure 7, the
split-roll lax initiative if it
passes. Hostlcka said he
would advocate "a more pro
gressive Income lax" to make
up the rest of the state rev
enue lost from i ills over the
past two years
Hostlcka. also a University
associate professor and asso
ciate vice president for state
wide educational services, is
being challenged this year l>v
first-time candidate George
Boehnke, a Republican
Boehnke, a former small
business owner who now
works as a ctli/ens advocate,
is an opponent of Measure 7,
saying it would drive busi
ness and Industry away by
increasing their tax burden
“Measure 7 is a lux for big
business, big labor and big
government, and we ure a
state of small business," he
said
Hoehnke, an opponent of
personal property lax in gen
eral. suld he believes govern
inent spending run be further
streamlined und that federal
money rain f>e put to better
use.
"If we got federal money,
let's make sure It slays here,
instead of going through u lot
of red tape." he said. "We
need to make sure that it's
gutting spent whore it
should "
Hoehnke also supports a
temporary moratorium on
government money for pro
grams such as the "One Per
cent For Art" funding pro
gram. If streamlining and
spending cuts are not suffi
cient, Hoehnke said, he
would favor a small increase
in income tax.
As for higher education,
Hoehnke said he believes
slate money could tie saved if
state colleges und universi
ties redefine themselves und
porhaps scale down. For ex
ample, the University of Oro
gon could focus on areas
such us business and journal
ism while Oregon State Uni
versity could focus on such
things as engineering. Hoenke
said.
In addition. Hoehnke said
he believes professors should
agree to a temporary pay
freeze so students' tuition
burden could bo lightened.
Hostlcka. who hus been a
member of the House Rev
enue Committee for the past
two sessions, said Measure 7
would make up about 65 per
cent of lost revenues as a re
sult of cuts made after the
1990 passage of Measure 5.
But if it doesn't pass.
Hostlcka said the legislature
should put a tax reform pack
Hostlcka
Boehnke
age bnforo the voters next
year. He said ho would urge
voters to puss » tax roforni
referendum similar to the one
Gov Barbara Kotierts put bo
foro the legislature earlier
this year (That proposal was
shot down by the legislature
and never got to the voters.)
Although Hostlcka calls tax
reform an "issue that over
rides all others right now,"
both he and Boehnke also see
the need for health ( art) re
form
Hoslicku is an advocate of
a universally accessible
health care program
Although lux reform that
Includes belter funding for
higher education is an obvi
ous priority among student
voters, Hoslicku notes that
health care will quickly be
come u concern for current
college students.
"The ones who are about
to graduate, gel out of school
and into families, if they
huvo to choose u job bused on
whether or not they'll be get
ting health benefits, that's not
a very good wuy to have to
conduct their life,” he said.
Boehnke said that, if elect*
od. he hopes to advocate for a
local health care program
rather than an Immediate na
tional plan. That program
would come out of a propos
al from an organized coali
tion of those in the health
care business, such as doc
tors, Insurance brokers and
lawyers, Boehnke said.
Hoslicku said that, if re
olnctod. in addition to health
care and tax reform, he will
continue to push for stronger
laws regarding clean air and
clean water and stronger
funding for oarly childhood
development programs.