FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 5
Opinion / Local
— Letters to the Editor —
Local liberals bragged about election
hijacking tactics, 1-74
To the Editor:
You don’t have to dig very deep to see the non-partisan
movement for what it is: the bedrock for the socialist and
progressive movement gaining traction in politics. And
the same group that pushed and lost this measure last year
in Baker County is at it again.
I attended a meeting in Baker City at the library last
week that was presented by a far left organization from
our state’s west side. It was locally sponsored by the
progressive liberals from Halfway and Baker City. It was
publicly touted as a “safe space” to bring different points
of views together to work as a community. However, the
irony was lost on none of us when their so called “secu-
rity” was openly armed, (in the public library no less),
threatening, and menacing while displaying black panther
T-shirts and logos. It was obvious they tried to intimidate
those of us who were not from their political persuasion.
We were polite and respectful the entire time. Now I
have thick skin, and it takes a lot to bully me, but this was
ridiculous. We left shortly before the meeting ended and
the police were called to investigate the weapons and the
integrity of this so called “safe space.”
At this meeting, Baker County’s Democrat chairman
clearly laid out his party’s intentions for passing 1-74 and
defeating John Hoopes in the Sheriff’s race.
He also claimed victory for the Democrat party in
helping Bruce Nichols to win the Republican primary
last May by a mere 37 votes. Their agenda is clear and
articulated.
Passing 1-74 won’t make our elections any more fair
than they currently are. Every registered voter can al-
ready vote at election time. 1-74 is simply a ploy to strip
platforms, policies, histories, and transparencies from
those running as county legislators in our local govern-
ment. Only someone who has something to hide would
want less transparency when running for public office.
It’s the democrats who gain by passing this measure. If
they want their guy in office, they should stand in the
open on their platform and let the people decide.
1-74 isn’t about kicking the politics out of Baker
County. 1-74 is about hiding a liberal agenda inside of
the politics that will always be inherent in local govern-
ment. Let’s keep Baker County commissioners transpar-
ent. I’m voting no on measure 1-74.
Jake Brown
Halfway
1-74 focuses on community
To the Editor:
I am honored to serve our community as an elected of-
ficial on the Baker 5J Board of Education and as a region-
ally elected board member of the Oregon School Boards
Association – both positions are nonpartisan. I have the
privilege of advocating for our students and community
without the need to generate talking points that are typi-
cally associated with partisan politics. As a nonpartisan
representative, I have found it beneficial in having mean-
ingful conversations with our State and Federal represen-
tatives regarding the effects of government policy on our
local communities.
I believe Measure 1-74 is a step in the right direction as
it allows each potential candidate the opportunity to gain
support from a broader voter base which they ultimately
are elected to serve. The question to you as a Baker
County voter is: “Is it necessary for our locally elected
county commissioners to be in partisan positions?” Un-
derstand that by voting to make these positions nonpar-
tisan does not mean that future candidates have to hide
any political ideologies they support. However, it would
mean that the entire voting population in Baker County
will have the opportunity to exercise their vote in decid-
ing who will serve in these very important roles. 28 of
36 Oregon counties, including Union, Wallowa and Grant
have nonpartisan county commissions. My conversations
with Commissioners representing these adjacent counties
have conveyed the same sentiment that I share regarding
the benefits of being a nonpartisan representative.
To be clear, my comments are not directed toward our
currently elected commissioners.
In fact, Baker 5J and Baker County have a quality
working relationship. I simply am sharing my experience
and thoughts toward this question. I am a life-long regis-
tered Republican and my experience leads me to believe
that the rhetoric associated with partisan politics do not
necessarily assist us in solving local challenges.
Kevin Cassidy
Haines
Submitted by Jan Kerns
1-74 damages local government
transparency
To the Editor:
The proponents of 1-74 are completely missing the
point historically and in understanding the three forms of
county government allowed in Oregon.
First off, they seem to be ignoring the roots, the his-
tory of how the nonpartisan movement started on this
continent and also worldwide history and what it means.
Nonpartisan is the forerunner of a one party system. As
another letter reminded us, Germany and Italy were one
party system and that did not work out so well in the
1930s and 1940s. Those who ignore what history can
teach us are doomed to repeat it.
Another letter in ignorance listed a laundry list of coun-
ties in which their county commissioners are nonpartisan.
This letter failed to mention many of these counties are a
home rule form of county government. This means they
have their own charter which the citizens of the county
voted in and this charter also lays out how to replace a
commissioner in times of resignation or death.
Baker County is general law county government. This
means if two commissioners resign, then the Governor of
Oregon steps in to select a replacement.
Last year (2015) the voters of Baker County turned
down this exact same measure. But the same group is
back trying to change something that is not broken. Ask
youself why?
Vote No on Baker County Measure 1-74. Keep Baker
County Commissioners transparent.
Peggie Longwell
Baker City
Sheriff’s Office did not help me
To the Editor:
I am asking everyone to vote no on Measure I-74. We
need to keep partisan control of the county commissioner
position.
An affirmative vote would make the position of County
Commissioners nonpartison. But I want to know what
the person stands for before I vote. I want the selection of
a candidate above-board, not made by a group of people
who have something up their sleeves that I may not ap-
prove of.
As for the 28 Oregon counties that have voted for a
nonpartisan commissioner position, I’m willing to bet
99% of those people did not know the difference between
partisan and nonpartisan and the disadvantages of the lat-
ter. Please vote no on measure I-74.
Also, I would like to express my disappointment when
I heard shortly after the Primary Election that we had
citizens change into the Republican Party for one reason
only, which was to vote against Kody Justus for County
Commissioner. I thought Baker County would be against
mob lynching. I read all the adds and letters to editors
opposing Justus in local papers. As a newspaper reporter
covering many trials for over fifty years, it is my conclu-
sion there was no evidence against Justus that would
stand up in court. In my view he was treated exceedingly
unjustly. I am writing in his name on my ballot and vot-
ing for him.
I am also urging everyone to vote for John Hoopes for
Baker County Sheriff. My requests for some kind of law
enforcement failed to bring aid, during May, June and
July of this year to protect my East Eagle land where my
timber was burned last year. I was completely ignored
when I had hundreds of mushroom pickers crawling all
over my private land, “thick as maggots” as described by
a man who was trying to protect my buildings.
A notice had been placed on the Internet saying that
East Eagle Creek was the place to find mushrooms. So
every kind of people came, to comb every inch of ground,
including organized Mexican crews, and organized Cam-
bodians/Vietnamese—and they came for weeks. There
was no way I could get relief from them.
The invasion began May 10th, and I called Sheriff. The
number of pickers steadily increased and ignored every-
body who told them to leave. Then they came to pick my
land wearing headlights through the night hours.
On May 29th I was trying to find mushrooms for
myself about a hundred feet from my cellar when men
carrying packs and baskets on their shoulders came to me
from off the hill and from both sides. Some were wearing
side arms.
I told them to get off my land and don’t come back
again, and I told them they were stealing from me and I
called them thieves.
I also told them I had called the Sheriff’s Office several
times. Next year they will be back. Next year I want to
call Sheriff John Hoopes!
Carmelita Holland
New Bridge / Richland
The future of our economy depends on
natural resources
To the Editor:
It’s time to think long and hard about your future or the
potential lack of one.
Our country is on the brink of an economic breakdown.
When this happens your job or source of income will be
lost or seriously diminished. This didn’t just happen, it
is the result of 40 years of shortsighted, wrongheaded
thinking.
The world has been bombarded by the environmental
movement. It is a noble thing to be concerned for the en-
vironment around us, but if a little is good, never-ending
move is not better.
The slogan “Save the Earth” has swept the Earth but
few know or think of the other half of the equation: “No
life can exist unless we use the Earth and harvest its
produce and resources.” Thus the industries that harvest
our food, timber and minerals are the foundation of our
economy. You must know that no business, industry or
job can continue without these resources. Also know
that all new wealth comes from the ground — there is no
other source.
Every time we enact a new regulation that restricts
access and use of the land and set aside another area to
just look at or protect some bird, bug, fish or animal, we
stop some productive use and take another bite out of
economy.
We have overextended our regulations and land with-
drawals to the point our country can no longer support
itself. Those economic restrictions are bringing on our
economic troubles and perhaps the end of America as we
know it.
Our area is in the unique position to blunt some of these
troubles if we act and think right. The mineral resources
of our area are sufficient to provide jobs that will allow
many miners to support their families and many local
merchants.
If we are to survive this crisis we must change the ac-
tions and thinking of our government to allow the work-
ers of our country to produce the necessities of life. So
use your vote carefully.
Ken Anderson
Baker City
Ferrioli
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
The purpose of the Campaign Committee is to raise
money and get Republicans elected at the State Legisla-
tive level. Ferrioli estimates they will raise at least 10
million dollars and spend this to elect Republican candi-
dates If Republicans, he said, can just pick up a couple
of seats, the dynamics of the Senate side of the Oregon
legislature will change.
Nationally the Republicans now control more legisla-
tive assemblies since World War II. Ferrioli bluffed his
way on the executive board as he convinced them he
could do in Oregon what has been done in Washington
state—and what happened in Washington, is they picked
up a couple of seats in the State Senate. The picked up
a couple of Democrats from rural areas who believed
that King County was killing Washington, and together
they formed a coalition. This coalition set the stage to
turn over the Senate in the next election cycle. If Oregon
picked up two seats, 15 seats with Democrat Betsy
Johnson crossing the aisle, that means no new gun control
legislation and no new taxes in Oregon.
Currently the Republican Legislative Campaign Com-
mittee has spent $175,000 on the Oregon Senate races.
Bud Pierce is polling very close to the incumbent, Kate
Brown in the race for governor. A win may depend on
voter turnout in rural counties and how well about 30
counties do in getting out the vote. Ferrioi asked the
committee to put their manners aside and be aggressive to
get those Republican ballots in on November 8th.
Ferrioli reported that nationally there are 600 women
running for legislative office.
Measure 97 is a sales tax on steroids, he said. Demo-
crats say, “It’s not a sales tax, it’s a tax on sales.”
M97 will not show up on cash register, but rather as a
tax from the back room. Mac and cheese, for example,
would raise from $.99 cents, to $1.39 or higher if M97
passes. Each sale from distributor on to the consumer
accrues with the M97 sales tax—the most aggressive tax
in Oregon.
Ferrioli asked, “What happens if they do not get their
money? The answer: Well they will have to cut down the
size of government.”
IF M97 passes, with that tax added to minimum wage
mandate and sick leave mandate, there won’t be 100
companies in a place like Ontario that are owned in
Oregonians; companies will cross the river to operate in
Idaho, he said.
ODOT puts up
new variable
freeway signs
In a first of its kind project in Oregon, ODOT highway
managers are testing new variable speed signs to pro-
vide a greater margin of safety during winter weather on
Interstate 84.
Over the past few weeks, crews from ODOT have been
installing variable speed signs in a critical 30 mile cor-
ridor of Interstate 84 from Ladd Canyon to Baker City.
These electronic message boards indicate a safe speed
limit for vehicles when weather conditions turn adverse.
Computers collect data regarding temperature, skid resis-
tance (ice) and average motorist speed to determine the
most effective speed limit for this area and then present
that speed on the variable speed signs. This gives motor-
ists additional information about their drive in order to
remain safer on the highway. The signs will lower and
raise speeds automatically to meet observed conditions on
the roadway.
Currently, the new variable speed signs are in a test
phase and are expected to go live on November 1. At
that time, they will indicate the speed limit which will be
enforceable by state and local police.
Motorists may notice these signs as they traverse the
highway and various on-ramps between Ladd Canyon
and Baker City.
Juveniles
arrested for
thefts
On October 8 at about 11:50 p.m., Sheriff Ash was noti-
fied of persons prowling around the Fish Lake Road area
in Halfway. Deputy Eric Colton responded, took state-
ments from the reporting party, and discovered evidence
of unlawful entry into a motor vehicle. On 10-09-16,
Deputy Tracy Howard took five reports involving thefts
from motor vehicles in the Halfway area. In total, there
were seven victims of theft, trespass and unlawful entry
into a motor vehicle. Nine vehicles were involved.
Two juvenile male suspects were captured on video sur-
veillance committing theft, trespass and unlawful entry
into a motor vehicle. Deputies Scott Immoos and Rich
Kirby were able to obtain the identities of both subjects.
Sheriff Ash, Lt Jayo, Deputy Maldonado, Deputy Im-
moos and Deputy Colton travelled to Halfway, inter-
viewed both suspects, and served a search warrant at 248
Dawson Street. Evidentiary items such as money, jewelry,
purses, camera and driver’s licenses were recovered. One
juvenile was on OYA probation and was transported to
youth detention. Both were issued a citations charging
Unlawful Entry into Motor Vehicles, Criminal Trespass II
and Theft II.