Opinion
4A
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Our View
Measure 108
protects our
most vulnerable
O
regon Measure 108, on the Nov. 3 ballot,
would increase the tax on cigarettes by
$2 per pack, up to $3.33 per pack. It also
increases taxes on cigars, and establishes a new
tax on e-cigarettes and vaping products that are
essentially nicotine delivery systems. This tax
revenue would fund health care and mental health
care for low-income families, and public health
programs aimed at preventing the use of tobacco
and nicotine, and helping users quit.
If passed, it would go into effect on Jan. 1,
2021. This would bring in an estimated $160 mil-
lion in new revenue for Oregon per year.
While we are in favor of this, there are a
couple of things we don’t like about Measure
108.
We don’t like the enormous amounts of money
that were poured into the “Yes for a Healthy
Future” campaign. Many of Oregon’s large hos-
pital systems gave $500,000 each, and one gave
$3.29 million. Total campaign donations to pass
this measure exceed $12.5 million as of Sept. 5,
according to ballotpedia.org’s Measure 108 page.
But our concern here is mostly about the need
for campaign finance reform (which Measure 107
addresses, and which we recommend voting for).
Clearly these hospital and health care systems
have a lot to gain if fewer people use tobacco
and nicotine, and if more people have health
insurance, so it makes sense that they would be
willing to spend big money to pass this measure.
We also don’t like the fact that raising the per-
pack tax to $3.33 would make Oregon’s ciga-
rette prices considerably higher than in our three
neighboring states. Those per-pack taxes are:
Washington: $3.03, California: $2.87 and Idaho:
$0.57.
Those smokers and vapers who live near a
state border might decide it’s worth the time and
gas to drive across the state line to stock up. And
when people cross a border to shop for one item,
they are likely to buy other items as well on that
trip. So much for shopping local.
There also is a concern that high cigarette
taxes will create a black market, with product
being smuggled in from states with lower taxes.
This will be of particular concern to Malheur
County, sharing a border with Idaho.
Right now, 31 states have higher cigarette
taxes than Oregon. The passage of Measure 108
would mean only five states would have higher
rates.
We do like making the users of addictive and
unhealthy products (tobacco and nicotine in this
case) pay for addiction treatment and health care
costs that result from their use.
We also are in favor of anything that dissuades
young people from smoking or vaping and keeps
them from getting addicted to nicotine.
We don’t buy the argument that taxes like this
“punish Oregon’s most vulnerable.” Ultimately,
when costs of cigarettes and other nicotine
delivery products go up, smoking rates go down.
And that protects the vulnerable. We recom-
mend a “Yes” vote on Measure 108.
Letters
Private email spurs political
controversy
Imagine my surprise, Thursday,
Oct. 1, when I opened my newspaper
and discovered that I was the sub-
ject of the top story. More specifi-
cally, the subject of the story was an
email I wrote to 40 of my friends.
One of them posted it to the ucrcc.org
website, without my knowledge. The
email was not meant to be public.
I want to apologize to Mr. Steve
Clements, Ms. Nicole Howard and
Ms. Corrine Dutto for making
assumptions about their policies
regarding violent protests without
consulting them first. The Observer
omitted my statement that “I could
be wrong.” It was not my intention
to embarrass the mayor and the two
city councilors or to accuse them.
The purpose of my email was to
encourage my friends to learn the
positions of the city officials on a
couple of critical issues currently in
the news.
Contrary to The Observer article,
I did not suggest that the city council
is “working to defund the police.” I
think The Observer misrepresented
the tone and intent of my private
email.
I would like to take this opportu-
nity to apologize to all of my Demo-
crat friends and neighbors, who might
have been offended or upset by The
Observer article.
In addition, I would like to thank
the mayor and the two city councilors
for providing answers to the questions
I raised. Now we know where they
Contact your public officials
Local officials
La Grande: City Manager Robert
Strope, 541-962-1309, fax 541-963-3333;
RStrope@cityoflagrande.org; P.O. Box
670, La Grande, OR 97850; Mayor Steve
Clements, mayor@cityoflagrande.org;
Councilors Gary Lillard (mayor pro tem),
glillard@cityoflagrande.org; Nicole How-
ard, nhoward@cityoflagrande.org; Corrine
Dutto, cdutto@cityoflagrande.org; Mary
Ann Miesner, mmiesner@cityoflagrande.
org; Justin Rock, jrock@cityoflagrande.org;
and through the city manager’s office.
Elgin: City Hall, 790 S. Eighth Ave., Elgin,
OR, 97827; City Recorder/Administrator
Brock Eckstein, cityadm@cityofelginor.org;
Mayor Allan Duffy, 541-240-9763, mayor@
cityofelginor.org; Councilors Mary West,
541-805-0443, councilor3@cityofelginor.
org; Kathy Warren, 541-786-9611, council-
or6@cityofelginor.org; Risa Hallgarth, 541-
437-9462, councilor2@cityofelginor.org;
Rocky Burgess, 541-786-2417, councilor1@
cityofelginor.org; David Reed, 541-975-
3306, councilor4@cityofelginor.org; and
stand. All of us agree that peaceful
protests are an indispensable part of
the First Amendment and protected
free speech.
Lanny Hildebrandt
La Grande
Check my voting record
The Union County Republicans are
publishing information telling voters
to oust me from the city council based
on wild theories and suppositions. No
one from the organization has spoken
with me, communicated via email nor
bothered to look up my actual voting
record.
In the past 16 years on the
council, I pushed for using metrics
to drive decisions on urban renewal
dollars, worked to ensure our tax
dollars were spent legitimately and
more. I do my research and listen to
public comments before deciding on
any issue.
I fully support police and fire
departments, including making sure
our first responders were provided
with adequate personal protective
equipment throughout this pandemic.
Before you vote, check my voting
record and see the ways I have sup-
ported our community or email me at
cdutto@cityoflagrande.org.
Corrine Dutto
La Grande city councilor
La Grande
Editor’s note: The Observer usu-
ally limits submissions to letters to the
editor to one letter every two weeks.
We made an exception in this case so
Corrine Dutto could address accu-
Ryan Martin, councilor5@cityofelginor.org.
Cove: City Hall, 504 Alder St., P.O. Box 8
Cove, OR 97824; City Recorder Donna Lew-
is, 541-568-4566, donna.lewis@cityofcove.
org; Mayor Del Little, 503-508-6727.
Union County: County Courthouse: 1106
K Ave., La Grande, OR 97850; 541-963-1001;
fax 541-963-1079; Commissioners Donna
Beverage, dbeverage@union-county.org,
Matt Scarfo, mscarfo@union-county.org,
and Paul Anderes, panderes@union-county.
org; administrative officer Shelley Burgess,
sburgess@union-county.org.
Wallowa County: Courthouse, 101 S. River
St., Enterprise OR 97828, 541-426-4543
ext. 15; fax 541-426-0582; Commissioners
sations from Lanny Hildebrandt in a
timely manner.
Hog heaven in Union?
It appears the city council of
Union, in all its wisdom, has chosen
to allow pigs within residential areas
of the city. In itself, not a big deal,
except that with 16 total property
owners within 300 feet of the pigs,
12 owners were adamantly against
the pigs. For those not doing the
math, that is 75% of the affected
owners.
No, the council didn’t care about
us, our concerns for our property
values, the possible stench or for that
matter we just don’t want them. Do
you know what they did care about?
What the pigs’ names were, do
they have shelter (which became an
issue since they didn’t have a proper
one) and do the kids love them.
Yes, these are very important items
when you’re trying to justify voting
against the majority.
And how was this brought up?
Union allows a “conditional use
permit” for a person to get permis-
sion to have pigs. It’s very interesting
that only Union allows this. All other
communities in our valley, Elgin,
Cove, North Powder and La Grande,
specifically do not allow swine at all
in residential areas.
Imagine that.
So, Grande Ronde Valley, listen
up. Bring your pigs here. They’re all
welcome.
John Schwendemann
Union
Susan Roberts, ext.133, sroberts@co.wal-
lowa.or.us; Todd Nash, ext.132, tnash@
co.wallowa.or.us; John Hillock, ext.131,
jhillock@co.wallowa.or.us.
State officials
Rep. Greg Barreto of Cove (58th District):
Salem office: 900 Court St. N.E., H-384, Sa-
lem, OR 97301; 503-986-1458. Email: rep.
gregbarreto@oregonlegislature.gov.
Sen. William S. Hansell of Athena (29th Dis-
trict): Salem office: 900 Court St. N.E., S-423,
Salem, OR 97301; 503-986-1729. Email: sen.
billhansell@oregonlegislature.gov
Gov. Kate Brown: 254 State Capitol,
Salem, OR 97310; 503-378-3111; www.
governor.oregon.gov.
United States officials
Rep. Greg Walden (2nd District): walden.
house.gov; D.C. office: 2182 Rayburn
Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20515;
202-225-6730; fax 202-225-5774; La
Grande office: 1211 Washington Ave., La
Grande, OR 97850; 541-624-2400; fax,
541-624-2402.
Sen. Jeff Merkley: merkley.senate.gov.;
D.C. office: 313 Hart Senate Office Build-
ing, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C., 20510;
202-224-3753; fax 202-228-3997. Portland
office: One World Trade Center, 121 S.W.
Salmon St., Suite 1250, Portland, OR