FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 9
Local
Bentz’s town halls
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There were to be two
more gatherings follow-
ing the one in Haines later
that day, in Durkee and
Huntington, and then in
Ontario, Vale, Burns and
John Day on Saturday.
Andrea Dominguez,
Bentz’s assistant for the
last six years, was absent
for the first two meetings,
but met Bentz for the
meeting in Haines in order
to set up a PowerPoint
presentation, which was
unavailable earlier due to
technical difficulties
Dotty Miles said,
“Thank you for coming
out to small towns. We
appreciate it.”
Bentz replied, “You’re
very welcome. I’m very
happy to be here.”
At the outset, he
highlighted the goal of the
meeting, saying, “At the
end of the day, I want to
know what you guys are
thinking, and what you
want me to do.”
Bentz went on to explain
that as a representative, he
would submit legislative
bills for everyone within
his district wishing him
to do so, though he may
not necessarily agree with
what is submitted. Since
the start of the legisla-
tive session, February 2,
between 2,500 and 4,000
bills have been submitted
in total, 73 of those having
been drafted by Bentz. A
total of 34 bills then were
introduced, and of those,
22 were scheduled or
requested to have a public
hearing scheduled, by
April 10, the deadline for
scheduling a work session,
he said.
He discussed different
bills of interest, listing
them, with his position on
each one. First up was the
sage-grouse listing/habitat
preservation topic. Bentz
said $10 million, at the
rate of $2 million over five
years, would be earmarked
for preservation efforts, but
it requires matching funds,
with the possible result
being $4 million a year for
five years. This is a bill he
does support.
Walt Jury asked Bentz
if efforts to preserve sage-
grouse habitat could end
up costing us all more in
the future. Bentz said,
“Not much that happens
is in our control.” He ex-
plained why so much is be-
ing done in order to avoid
listing of the sage-grouse
as an endangered species,
saying, “The listing is so
horrible for private land.”
He discussed the Low
Carbon Fuel Mandate next,
a bill he doesn’t support,
explaining the process
involved with fuel blends
such as those using corn
ethanol and sugar cane
ethanol. “With sugar cane
ethanol, you can drive
down carbon intensity
(in gasoline) by almost 4
½ %,” compared to corn
ethanol, which decreases
the carbon intensity in
gasoline by only about 1%,
he said.
He received some
laughs in response when he
asked how many people in
the community raise sugar
cane.
He explained the issues
involved with the man-
date, the least of which
would be increased fuel
prices, and the addition of
requirements to purchase
carbon credits. “This
game has been discarded
as being completely stupid
by Europe. This is cap and
trade.”
Bentz voiced his frustra-
tion about having to dis-
cuss increases in gas taxes
with legislators, in connec-
tion with raising money to
pay for bridge repairs in
Oregon, and said he would
be more receptive if there
were a discussion about a
possible repeal of the Low
Carbon Fuel Mandate,
which has already been
signed into law. “I don’t
know any (news) papers
that came out in favor
of the Low Carbon Fuel
Standard, and yet, it still
got passed,” he said.
“China creates 10 bil-
lion tons of CO2 a year.
The United States creates
five billion tons of CO2
a year.” He talked about
an innovative program
pioneered by Oregon State
University, which would
reduce Oregon’s CO2 level
by about 1.3 million tons a
year, he said. The program
would cost $3 million.
Ed Hardt said, “The
CO2 thing is a farce to
start with,” speaking
about naturally-occurring
CO2 levels, such as those
caused by volcanoes,
compared to effects by
humans since the industrial
revolution.
Bentz talked about the
water supply situation
in Oregon, discussing
the next topic, a bill he
introduced to provide loans
to individuals to deepen
their home wells in times
of severe drought, and to
provide funds to study
water supply issues.
He discussed the lack
of funding for schools,
saying there should be an-
other $200 to $300 million
toward education. Bentz
said, “The question is, as
you look at the $7.2 billion
general fund allocation to
schools, is that enough?”
Betty Palmer, Baker
School District Interim
Superintendent, spoke
about her concerns regard-
ing funding for education,
and Bentz responded with
some possible sources.
Bentz pointed out the
“kicker” available from the
state in the amount of $320
million, which is some-
thing that would normally
go back to taxpayers, but
asked if that could be
something that could be
used for education instead.
Bentz and Palmer both
discussed the need to look
at the burden on teachers,
including special education
programs and language
barriers.
Colleen Taylor asked,
“Where is the legislature
at with redoing the PERS
(Public Employees Retire-
ment System) program?
Bentz responded that
after a reduction in the cost
was successful, roughly
$.23 of every education
dollar now goes toward the
PERS. If that reduction is
reversed, back to around
$.28 of every dollar, the
“hit would be astounding,”
he said.
Bentz discussed raising
the minimum wage to $15,
a bill he doesn’t sup-
port. He talked about the
devastating job losses to
the middle class as a result,
with too much mechaniza-
tion, computerization, and
globalization.
Bentz explained a bill
concerning paid sick leave
that will likely pass, which
would include five days,
and 40 hours a year, and
compensation for any
unused leave, another idea
he doesn’t support.
He ran down the list of
bills of interest, speaking
about what he thought the
chances are of them pass-
ing:
1) $10 million for sage-
grouse: a better than even
chance of actually becom-
ing law. 2) The Low Car-
bon Fuel Mandate is the
law, and Bentz’s chances
of getting it repealed are
modest. 3) Money to
deepen wells: Unlikely. 4).
More education funding:
Yes, but it may be very,
very little. 4) A ban on
cattle feed antibiotics:
Probably not, but it may
be too early to tell. 5) $15
minimum wage: Bentz
thinks it will pass, but it
may be $12, phased in over
three to five years. 6) Paid
sick leave: it will probably
pass. 7) BOLI (Bureau of
Labor & Industries) Cease
& Desist: some form may
pass, but “watered down.”
8) $320 kicker: It prob-
ably won’t get the votes. 8)
Industrial solar projects: It
won’t happen, due to lack
of funds. 9) Increase in
corporate taxes: probably
won’t pass, but it is pos-
sible it could.
Bentz supports four of
the bills on the list, $10
million for sage-grouse,
money to deepen wells,
more education fund-
ing, and industrial solar
projects.
Colleen Taylor asked
Bentz, “Are you going to
run for Governor?” This
question was anticipated
by Bentz, and his mock
attempt to avoid it caused
some laughs in the crowd.
Flattered, he said, “It takes
$10 to $12 million to run
for governor. I don’t have
$10 million on me, and
most of my friends don’t
either.” He stated that he
supports Congressman
Greg Walden, and hopes he
enters that race.
Bentz attended two more
town hall meetings later
Friday, held in Durkee
and Huntington, and four
more on Saturday, held in
Ontario, Vale, Burns and
John Day.
Huntington.
Oregon House of Rep-
resentatives’ Cliff Bentz,
Eastern Oregon District
60, held a 2015 Legislative
In -District informational
meeting in Huntington on
Friday, March 27 at the
Howell’s Cafe and Stream-
liner Lounge banquet room
from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Rep. Bentz spoke with
a small crowd of business
owners, local city govern-
ment officials and inte -
ested residents in a relaxed
and informal atmosphere.
Also present were Baker
County Commission Chair
Bill Harvey and his wife,
Lorrie.
The main objective of
the meeting was to inform
the citizenry of what’s
happening in Salem at this
year’s Legislative session
and to get input as to what
is important to the people
of his district.
Local concerns centered
around the impact of the
sage-grouse controversy,
current drought condi-
tions and the impact of the
raising and lowering of
the Snake River by Idaho
Power on the tourist based
economy in the region.
Also discussed was the
proposed $15 an hour
minimum wage and the
detrimental effect it would
have on our local busi-
nesses.
Rep. Bentz summarized
the events leading up to
Governor Kitzhaber’s
resignation and the swear-
ing in of Governor Kate
Brown saying, “Kate will
do a very good job. She
Baker City
native serves
on New Orleans
Submitted Photo.
Rep. Cliff Bentz.
works very hard and will
be a formidable opponent
in the next election.”
He explained the follow-
ing bills being considered
in the current legislative
session and how he voted
or plans to vote on each
one.
HB 2401 $10 million
for Sage Grouse is a bill he
wrote and will vote yes on.
This bill is a preemptive
strike to keep sage-grouse
off the endangered species
list and sage grouse lands
in state rather than federal
hands.
SB 324 Low Carbon Fuel
Mandate was a no vote for
Bentz, but has passed into
law anyway. He feel’s this
bill will not measurably
help the environment but
will raise fuel prices
HB 3334 Money to
Deepen Wells is a yes.
According to Rep. Bentz,
“Oregon’s water table is
dropping and there is cur-
rently no money to investi-
gate alternative sources.”
HB 2009 $15 an hour
Minimum Wage is a no
vote. He believes it will
put to much of a strain on
small business, especially
here in Eastern Oregon,
but expects it to pass at
$12 an hour to be phased
in over five years
SB 454 Paid Sick Leave
was a no vote for the same
reason as above, however
he believes the bill will
pass in the next two weeks.
It will mean that every
worker full or part -time
will earn sick leave. Only
businesses with 5 or less
employees will be exempt.
SB 615 BOLI Cease &
Desist No. This bill would
have given full authority
to the Bureau of Labor and
Industries to immediately
close any business if they
believed they violated the
employment statutes with-
out proof in court. This bill
was pulled off the floor and
returned to committee for
review.
HB 4078 Industrial So-
lar Projects was a yes. Rep
Bentz believes this bill will
benefit Eastern Oregon and
bring in more jobs.
Rep Bentz would like
to continue to keep com-
munication open between
him and the people he
represents and hopes that
you will contact his office
anytime you feel strongly
about an issue. He can be
contacted at (503)986 1460
or at rep.cliffbentz@state.
or.us. He also informed his
audience that he and his
wife are looking forward
to touring the area on their
bikes as participants in the
Cycle Oregon tour coming
to this region in September
of 2015.
Representative Bentz
has introduced or spon-
sored 82 bills this session
and is currently serving on
the Revenue Committee
as vice chair, the Trans-
portation & Economic
Development Committee,
the Energy & Environment
Committee, the Joint Tax
Credit Committee as vice
chair and is Joint Legisla-
tive Counsel.
Photo submitted by the Navy.
Seaman Kasey Knaus is serving aboard the am-
phibious ship, The New Orleans.
Photo submitted by the Navy.
The amphibious ship, The New Orleans docks.
SAN DIEGO – A 2011 Baker High School gradu-
ate and Baker City, Oregon, native is serving aboard
USS New Orleans, one of the Navy’s newest and most
advanced amphibious ships, designed to deliver Marines
and their equipment to and from war zones.
Seaman Kasey Knaus is a boatswain’s mate aboard the
San Diego-based San Antonio-class amphibious transport
dock ship.
Seaman Kasey Knaus is a boatswain’s mate aboard the
San Diego-based San Antonio-class amphibious transport
dock ship. The ship is longer than two football fields at
684 feet, 105 feet wide and weighs more than 24,000
tons. Four diesel engines can push the ship through the
water at more than 24 mph.
USS New Orleans is the fourth Navy ship to be named
for the city of New Orleans, and is the second vessel in
the San Antonio-class of high-tech amphibious assault
ships.
As a 21 year-old with numerous responsibilities, Knaus
said he is learning about Himself as a leader, sailor and
a person. He added that it is an exciting time to be in the
Navy, and serving aboard a ship has truly made him a
better person. “Helped me become a better leader and it
improved my social skills,” said Knaus.
He also said he is proud of the work he is doing as part
of the New Orleans’ 427-member crew, protecting and
defending America on the world’s oceans. “The Navy is
capable to place forces anywhere in the world. We assist
the Marines to accomplish their mission and we provide
a forward operating force to keep the fight away from
home,” Knaus explained.
Sailors’ jobs are highly varied aboard USS New Or-
leans. Approximately 46 officers and 381 enlisted men
and women make up the ship’s company, which keeps
all parts of the ship running smoothly — this includes
everything from washing dishes and preparing meals to
handling weaponry and maintaining the engines. Another
700 or so form the deployable Marine Corps battalion
and New Orleans is capable of transporting the battalion
and landing them in hostile territory via helicopters, verti-
cal takeoff and landing aircraft and air-cushioned landing
craft.
“New Orleans is truly a fine warship and it is our duty
to bring her to life,” said Capt. Doug Verissimo, the ship’s
commanding office . “Our Sailors have been working
very hard bringing her from a post-deployment repair pe-
riod to our upcoming tactical integration with our Marine
teammates. I feel an unparalleled sense of pride working
alongside our nation’s finest.
Collectively, the San Antonio-class ships will function-
ally replace more than 41 ships providing the Navy and
Marine Corps with modern sea-based platforms. Am-
phibious transport dock ships are warships that embark,
transport, and land elements of a landing force for a
variety of expeditionary warfare missions. These ships
support amphibious assault, special operations or expe-
ditionary warfare missions and can serve as secondary
aviation platforms for amphibious ready groups. Because
of their inherent capabilities, these ships have been and
will continue to be called upon to also support humanitar-
ian and other contingency missions on short notice.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s high-tech
amphibious assault ships, Knaus and other New Orleans
sailors are proud to part of a warfighting team that readily
defends America at all times.
“It gives me a sense of fulfillment to serve the worlds
most diverse and capable fighting force,” said Knaus