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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1995)
EDITORIAL Issue tax credits, not refund checks In a move certain to provoke debate in Salem and throughout the state, the Oregon Senate voted Wednesday to refund excess tax dollars to Oregon tax pavers later this year. But while some taxpayers may be a bit richer by December, everyone is going to lose in the end State law currently requires refunds if tax revenue exceeds expectations by 2 percent or more The state s current $313 million surplus exceeds the legal limit requiring refunds. However, there are a number of ways that the Legislature can accomplish this goal. They can issue refund checks to Oregonians, at the cost of just under St million, or they can refund the money through tax credits in future years. While the money mqst eventually be given back under state law, the method that the state takes could determine the ecoitJTfifle future of a number of pro grams and services, im hiding crucial a reus such as education. It would bo a tragedy for the state to give up the $311 million now whan at hooia sod prisons are more c rowded than In years past. It would bo wrong to return the money Immediately when some continue to wonder if the state can really.afford to give state employees .* raise. And it would be criminal to refund money to taxpayers under the guise that it isn't desper ately needed by tile state* it is To his credit. Gov. John Kitzhabor believes that the refund should be returned to taxpayers through refund checks the normal method of returning excess rev enue Through a spokesman, he vowed to veto the hill if if reaches his desk Senate supporters of issuing refund checks state that sending the money to taxpayers helps to make govern ment more accountable to the people. Returning the money, they claim, is a tangible way of demonstrating that government doesn't and shouldn't spend more money than it needs. However, the reality is that programs need the money now. While the "excess" revenue is designated as such because it exceeded slate revenue forecasts, it doesn't mean that it exceeds the needs of the state, its programs and services Does it make more* sense to send checks to taxpayers or to add money back to state services, many of which have been cut to the bone in the past several years? Some would twist tho effort to keep the money as a political decision as a way to make those who care about state programs look like habitual tax-and-spond politicians. However, that would be inaccurate at best Those who work to ensure that state programs are funded to the bast ability of the state should be com mended instead of condemned. The Senate should look again at the cuts to state ser vices before deciding to send checks to state taxpayers in December. Oregon can't afford to be Santa Claus to its residents. Oregon Daily f>o uo» )iw (uotxt omaaHvuu) Tr>« Oogort 0**v l mm aid t» put*afi«d <l^y Mandat ttwough * flda> durmQ the achoo ****** a'XJ T xfUMlly A'VJ ThulMay 9MI ?>y Hm OrQ^Qn 0.W) k mat aid PutyU+hutg Co , k*c a? tt>* Urwv»*-ly ol Oogon. iwyene Oogc*’ . I r? Wr n,v' ..j; U" -v>d ;*s a •- r - ■{■*>• -f A*o- ... Th« t matakf t» pm-rfo p»op*f!y 1 ho uAld*r*,j4 t*moviU <* uM5 cl p^por* <» pfQMCi/taM Cxy Ml* Ccfctoc-in Chiof hai> Soto Managing Editor Editorial Editor Howt Art Editor Fr«mi«ni* Editor D4Md Thom f%3MM Moovea J«d Pawia> tO<’ flgtfrrwmiu N*w* E duo# . * Me# * SpC*tt f <*tOT DVi* Svipp**m«ri{* t dttor T *ta he** Nigh I £ cJifcx M * v ***** t if*t» AtftOCiaU Editor* A.*** LO'Vmfcva S'. te rl A. :*■-.> ** Mj .‘ref <h*srj*. C&nffu-prvf*. Co***»n Po>tt*9 fAv^v'-'. Ad^**i#r#6tw» N«w* SW» •-.’»• *i» A "4 .. ^ ... H*.-*' M*‘ -,?> v . • -, Art-, l f • U .* ' -‘V** “ .*• ♦ArflCWv1! ■ k* Matw-v*! R»i» Mar**'). T»«vo» Kt^^, Stivx**- KAlu#, AORfft * • ' i - ! ‘ iM-.v - Ma* U Ty»© (\i: >,»W ‘ -a B*n M.^u-4. »fc«fai« • ‘”* '■■"'•’S M.t#a ‘V w? >*»«►'«'f S! •■:*>;•'- ►. ■ VV*'''v:. B»*an A l «S Z*C*f** Manager Hi- * Advertising Director »Ai • A,, v Product*^ ttan#^- M - Advert ittfng- A. « A - .*.■’> A *,.» ik ! j.n*», M;v i * •••ij ’ y f, . N . <« *.«. .< « * f„ , If--" t'*»>"■’• r Mftl '•*.»- V' Ma.»;*>• • f .- M'V.\!a«iJi Ke*We*# 1’^' * > Me- r ' H; .*;>-• * >■« Dav-s i S^-v OtftirttwtiOAi i l "9. * nrene OaKt^ Simp* Busin©** k.3**> Oartx^a. N. •<** .••* •• .?.«*> Conrx , Production- OR*-1 > M fofefr . <.... ?,-. ••_»• - s^.iw- i At*** T*r* B**iS ■ V. M , M .i M .- •«* M. J•-■ V,*. . f*« H*mvO0tri Otffc* .M-5S12 Dtftptay Adv*ft:*ng Advertising 346*3712 346 4343 Ok un Review ^ SECURITY procedures One AAOflt T>m€ ■ LETTERS Unfortunate The rt* ent uw of ti-.ir ga« by Iht! Eugene Polio* to break up a campus party was an unfortu nate incident. However, it pro vides us with an opportunity to address problems for the future before they arise The incident highlights the !iu|><irtani of a dose working relationship between the Eugene Police and the students of the University The Campus Community Relations Task Force was set up to facilitate this process ntid vs e plan to work to expand the lines of communication between the students and the community We empathize with the stu dent renters of the house who had uninvited guests However, vs e need to stress that the ad ions of those people present do not represent the 17,000 stu dents of the University We are thankful that no one was injured in such a dangerous sit uation and we encourage the citizens of Eugene to look at this as merely a one-time inci dent that will not lie rejieated On Mas 2fi. the Assoi iated Students of the University of Oregon, the Dean of Students Office. Panhellemc Council, Carey Drayton from the Office of Public Safety, the University's Environmental Health and Safety Department and the City of Eugene all worked together to clean up the i hemical residue left at the stu dents' house where the party started This cleaning was nec essary to allow the students to prepare for finals and to return to their home. Only through community unity can we begin to move for ward and look toward solutions for the common problems that iiit e all residents of Eugene. We hope this incident will spur better relations between the i ampus and the City of Eugene and help us look at ways of solving our community prob lems together. Jennifer Williamson ASUO President and three co-signers Dwindling Some parting thoughts I used to read the Emerald for two reasons: It was free and it refler ted the corncrus and sensibilities of tin* University community in general and stu dents m particular. Well, it's still Irtst It seems, of late, that every time I pi< k up the Emerald, I think I'm reading the paper of some religious Midwestern col leg**. not tin* paper of a progres sive university I've heard students talk about the environment, teachers, music, drugs, sex, relation ships. rental ripoffs. tests and lin k of money {not necessarily in that order), but I have never heard a student say. "Get the government off my ba< k." — or anything like it I don't know who's in charge at tin* Emerald, but it appears some of its editors and writers take themselves and Kush Limbatigh too seriously. They are out of touch with their readership — most of whom depend on government largess for their funding, paychecks, grants or loans. And a readership, according to students I've spoken with, that's dwindling Leslie Weinstein Journalism Change mind 1 have to admit. I rarely read anything beyond “Calvin and Hobbes" in the Emerald However, rny roommates, knowing 1 strongly advocate hemp agriculture and produc tion. strongly encouraged me to read Brian Womack's “opin ion' (ODE. May •»}. 1 had already seen the headline, but because his past articles have always seemed misinformed, 1 passed it up. Unfortunately, I was under new obligation to read Brian's show of ignorance It s unfortunate because this brought on another nagging responsibility to respond to such an opinion I'd rather just ignore it. With all due respect for Brian. I've seen him around campus and have spoken with him. To ail you stirred Stoners, he s not a bad guy. He does, however, misunderstand the difference between hemp and Brian’s confusion exemplifies why 1 have chosen not to sup port the Hemp Coalition. Actu ally 1 feel tin* coalition props gates such confusion. The local Hemp Coalition has put forth a petition for initiative that would legalize marijuana for persi.u.ii use and medic inal use (already legal in some cases) under the "hemp" banner. They are com bining marijuana with hemp on the same ballot' This is a had idea tiecause hemp and marijua na are separate issues The mar ijuana issue alone is a bagful that only complicates a very simple "hemp" issue- This is not to say that marijuana doesn't have its own merits and/or detriments, hut it's a completely separate issue and should remain so. I suppose one could smoke hemp but I'd say they were already high if they think it's going to get them higher Hemp is one of the most important fiber producers on the planet today that could realistically replace nearly all our paper needs (not to men tion numerous other uses such as clothes and food). Hemp's rapid growth rate and overall utility could and would signifi cantly reduce the amount of trees ineffic iently used It dis turbs me to see our trees bleached and filled with coffee, or handed out for free in dis pensers to dry our hands, or wiping our mouth at the din ner table. There are many of reusable resources that could replace this consumption (i.e curbside recyclable plustic mugs, reusable washable tow els, air dryers, bidets, and the list goes on and on where sub sistence can easily replace con sumerism) So there you have it. Another opinion Generally, I find it a burden to share my opinions because 1 allow them to change so often I end up dis agreeing with myself down the road My values, however, c hange very little, So when it comes down to protecting our giver of live, the Garth, 1 become so inclined to voice myself. So to those who vio lently oppose- Women k. and 1 know you're out there, chill out and allow him to perhaps change his mind. Bryan Altus Avery International Studies Spanish
