Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Capital press. (Salem, OR) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 14, 2016)
CapitalPress.com 6 Editorials are written by or approved by members of the Capital Press Editorial Board. October 14, 2016 All other commentary pieces are the opinions of the authors but not necessarily this newspaper. Opinion Editorial Board Publisher Editor Managing Editor Mike O’Brien Joe Beach Carl Sampson opinions@capitalpress.com Online: www.capitalpress.com/opinion O ur V iew Our choice for Oregon’s governor: Pierce I n the campaign between incumbent Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and GOP challenger Dr. Bud Pierce, we give Pierce the nod. Brown and Pierce are running to complete the unexpired term of John Kitzhaber, who resigned in 2015 on the heels of an inluence peddling scandal. As secretary of state at the time, Brown was propelled without much warning into the top job. She took over a state government put in disarray because of the scandal and a series of high-proile failures. She did an admirable job in the immediate aftermath of her succession to reassure Orego- nians. Brown is a Portland politician, with a Portland perspective. As such, we think she is out of touch with the realities of life east of the Cascades, and in the ields, isheries and forests where many Oregonians struggle to earn a living and raise their families. We gave Brown high marks for promoting Katy Coba, for- merly director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture, to chief operating oficer and director of the Department of Administrative Services. But even then Coba was tout- ed as the diversity candidate, the token non-Portland cabinet member in an otherwise Port- land-centric administration. We also applauded Brown’s belated support of the Trans-Paciic Partnership, recognizing that so much of Oregon’s economy, particularly agriculture, is tied to trade. Beyond that, we have not been impressed. The three-tiered minimum wage hike that came out of the Legislature and was signed by Brown offered some breathing room for rural employers, but still is tough on farmers and processors who don’t set their own prices. The low carbon fu- els standard backed by Brown will make the transportation of ag products more expen- sive. Brown sees no alterna- tives to Oregon’s inancial problems other than passing a $3 billion tax hike on the sales of certain businesses, Measure 97. Pierce opposes Measure 97 as a huge, unchecked expansion of government. Pierce opposes the creation of the Owyhee Canyonlands National Monument in Malheur County. Brown has refused to take a deinitive stand, repeatedly saying she wants various interests to collaborate to reach a decision. Pierce wants to see federal lands turned over to the state incrementally over the next 20 years. That’s never going to happen. And we’re not sure handing over the land to a state so dominated by liberal Democrats would improve the lot of ranchers and timbermen currently working that land. But, Pierce is right when he says the poli- cies of the federal government and the actions taken by agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency have hurt rural Oregon. He says he’ll ight back. We think that shows a more realistic understanding of the dynamic now in play. He supports less regulation for farmers and small businesses, more opportunities for rural Oregon. Pierce, a successful Salem oncologist, is far from the perfect candidate. He has no govern- ment experience, and is the obvious novice on the campaign trail. But after more than 30 years of one-party rule, Oregon needs a change. Pierce is that change. Readers’ views O ur V iew Oregon Measure 97 another sales tax Eric Mortenson/Capital Press Clackamas High School agriculture teacher Kathy Mayield, center, gives directions to students Lauren Dale, left, and Remi Lam. Ore- gon Measure 98 would allow high schools to seek additional funding from the state for vocational classes, advanced academic classes and dropout prevention. Vote ‘yes’ on Oregon Measure 98 A sk a parent whether every teenager is well-served by Oregon’s public school system. Then ask a teacher, and an administrator. Most importantly, ask a student. They will all agree that public high schools must do a better job of providing relevant classes and skills that will help students make their way in the world. That’s what Oregon Measure 98 is all about. It would provide funding for school districts to offer vocational and technical training, including agriculture. Such classes — called career technical education nowadays — open doors to those students whose interests aren’t necessarily in academics. The classes help them understand how academic subjects such as mathematics and the sciences are relevant and provide them with skills that will open the door to jobs after graduation. For decades Oregon high schools have been short-changed. Because the state and federal governments have placed so many requirements on them, from common core to certiicates of mastery and other mumbo-jumbo, many school districts were forced to drop or reduce the number of non-required courses such as vocational training. At the same time, the graduation rates plummeted as high school lost relevance for many students. In 2014, Oregon’s 72 percent graduation rate ranked 46th in the nation. Not coincidentally, many young men and women who did graduate were not ready to enter the work force. They had no marketable skills. Teenagers have a lot of interests. Some are interested in academics, which is terriic. But many are interested in farming, ranching, welding, electronics, robotics, the health care ields and other skills that could provide them with a living-wage job. Measure 98 will allow schools to train those students at a relatively small cost to the state. It will not require a tax increase, only that the legislature re-set its priorities and recognize the importance of providing adequate funding to the state’s high schools. Measure 98 isn’t only about vocational education. It would provide the money to offer college-level or other advanced classes to high school students, giving them a start on their college educations. It would also help high schools work with students to keep them in school. A high school dropout in the 21st century will face a steep uphill struggle in the workforce, and in the world. Some people will say they don’t care about dropouts, or about vocational education. They obviously haven’t tried to hire any employees lately. Many high school graduates and dropouts are unprepared even for the most basic entry-level jobs. Others worry that the state can’t afford such an ambitious effort. Our answer: It can’t afford not to do it. The students and the state economy both suffer because of the lack of funding for Oregon’s public school system. It’s shameful. The state’s leaders always seem to ind money for half-baked health care websites that don’t work or for bridges that aren’t built. But they whine and moan when it comes to funding schools and colleges in this state. It’s time for all of them, Republicans and Democrats, to get a wake-up call. This is it. You’ll note that a broad coalition of unions and other organizations also supports Measure 98. They include the Oregon Agriculture Teacher’s Association, AFL-CIO, Sierra Club, the International Longshore Workers Union, PCUN, the NAACP, the Eugene and Medford chambers of commerce, the Associated General Contractors and the Democratic, Independent and Progressive parties. That’s OK. If you put us in a room with most of these folks, we probably couldn’t agree on what to have for lunch, let alone agree on a ballot measure. But when it comes to providing a good education to the next generation, we all can agree that Measure 98 is a necessary step in the right direction. Our country was founded on the truth of a Creator who gave humanity the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The founders then con- structed a constitutional gov- ernment of, by and for the people to protect those natural rights. The founders contin- ued with the Bill of Rights, which included free speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, the right to bear arms and so forth. Then the 10th Amendment assigned the rest of the responsibilities, not expressly written in the Con- stitution, to two groups: state governments and the people. Fifty-one of the 55 found- ers (93 percent) held a Chris- tian worldview. This over- whelming super-majority believed in a higher power over government. They also believed the only fair govern- ment is one limited in size and scope, subject to the people it serves. In Oregon, this is not the case. State government cranks out thousands of new regula- tions each year. In addition, over the past nine years state revenue has increased 28 Let’s base votes on acreage I have this outrageous idea. Let’s let the number of acres in a county determine the voters in these decisions instead of the politicians. If the county residents say “No” to a proposed project such as the Owyhee Canyonlands Na- tional Monument the number of acres would be the number of votes. This would override Climate plan costly, damaging I am certainly glad to see Donald Trump saying that he “will rescind the Climate Action Plan (including the Clean Power Plan (CPP))”. The CPP will cost billions of dollars and millions of lost jobs, yet will have no measurable impact on climate. Environmental Protection Agen- cy Administrator Gina McCarthy has admitted the CPP will have an insigniicant climatic impact but said about the Paris climate agree- ment, “You are trying to stymie (our growth) with an agreement. ... That’s stupid. I will not honor that.” The foundation of the Paris Agreement gives an out clause for developing nations, stating, “Eco- nomic and social development and poverty eradication are the irst and overriding priorities of the develop- ing country Parties.” Actions to signiicantly reduce CO2 emissions would entail cutting back on the use of coal. As coal is the least expensive source of elec- any outsider’s votes. Yes, even the president’s. Sounds to me, and to you, that Rep. Earl Blumenau- er is trying to guarantee his re-election. I would think that he would stand with the folks in that part of his great state of Oregon. Marvin Reed Reno, Nev. In favor of Washington Initiative 732 While I appreciate the fact that California is leading the nation in action to reduce the carbon emissions that are driving climate change, I couldn’t help but wonder how the carbon content of gasoline and diesel fuel can be reduced by regulation. Carbon is pret- ty much what gasoline and diesel fuel are made of. I regret that the state try- ing hardest to reduce carbon emissions has selected a reg- ulatory approach rather than a market-based method. Econo- mists such as George Schultz agree that we can solve this problem so much more effec- tively and eficiently with a revenue-neutral carbon tax. Washington Initiative 732 would provide such a solution for the state of Washington. By taxing all fossil carbon, it ensures the consumer pays the full cost of all fossil carbon and lets the market determine technologies to replace fossil carbon. By reducing sales tax and business tax and provid- ing tax rebates to the poor, it returns the revenue to the economy where it is needed. That is a non-partisan solu- tion that many other states could embrace if they see it working in Washington. Steve Ghan Richland, Wash. Letters policy Readers’ views says it is still worthwhile because it is “positioning the U.S. for leader- ship in an international discussion.” This would make sense if we knew a climate crisis was imminent and developing nations would follow our lead. But we don’t know the future of climate and developing countries, the source of most of the world’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, have indicated that they will not follow us. On July 18, President Rodri- go Duterte of the Philippines even percent to record levels. Or- egon’s government continues to grow and yet this is not enough. Case in point is Ballot Measure 97, which plans a massive increase to state revenue by $3 billion a year. Measure 97 will tax the sales of corporations generating $25 million or more each year. This means large scale agriculture, grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies and utilities will be forced to pay this new sales tax. These busi- nesses will then pass those in- creases along to the rest of us. In the end, Oregonians will be worse off — $3 billion worse off each year. Enough. As your state rep- resentative I will say “no” to tax increases and bad ideas such as these generated by lib- erals in Portland, Salem and Eugene. Instead I will champi- on the rural Oregon values of liberty and personal responsi- bility, not more government. We the people. Your liberty irst! E. Werner Reschke Republican for State Representative Malin, Ore. tricity in most of the world, reduc- ing emissions by restricting coal use would interfere with development priorities. So developing countries won’t do it. America’s sacriice will be for nothing. It is very worrisome for us here in Canada when our pri- mary defender is bent on crippling itself in this way. Tom Harris Executive Director International Climate Science Coalition Ottawa, Ontario Canada Write to us: Capital Press welcomes letters to the editor on issues of interest to farmers, ranchers and the agribusiness community. Letters policy: Please limit letters to 300 words and include your home address and a daytime telephone number with your submission. Longer pieces, 500-750 words, may be con- sidered as guest commentary pieces for use on the opinion pages. Guest commentary submissions should also include a photograph of the author. Send letters via email to opinions@cap- italpress.com. Emailed letters are pre- ferred and require less time to process, which could result in quicker publication.
