4
letters to the editor/community bulletin board
april16
2015
Readers Lend Their Voices...
To the Editor,
According to the miners,
their world will end if the Depletion
fee is increased as proposed by
Measure 5-243. The proposed
increase in the Natural Resource
Depletion Fee will be on the May 19,
2015 ballot for voter approval.
The miners are saying
that it will be disastrous for small
businesses; that they will have to cut
back on hours and operations, when
in reality, they are increasing work
hours and operations to seven days a
week to handle demand for the rock
they mine. This fee has not been
increased in 18 years. Heck, even
the County is projecting increased
mining in 2015 and 2016.
In 2012 – 2.19 million tons of rock
was mined
In 2013 –2.87 million tons of rock
was mined
In 2014 2.51 million tons of rock
was mined
The projected mining
tonnages for 2015 and 2016 are 3.12
million tons and 3.3 million tons,
respectively.
How can this mean that there
will be a loss of jobs or a slowdown
of production? How will the increase
in mining mean that people will lose
jobs or small businesses will suffer?
Cal Portland runs three
barges per day, 7 days per week
out of their site on the Multnomah
Channel. Just one of those barges
hold 2,200 tons of rock. Multiply
these tonnages by 52 weeks in a year,
throw in the cost of a ton and you can
see that our miners are making a lot time, after 18 years, that the fee be
of money. Huge amounts of rock increased for roads improvements
are going out of our county. The and CCRider Transportation? I urge
reporting that the miners are required you to vote yes on Measure 5-243 on
to provide the county is essentially May 19th.
an honor system. So we have no
real idea how much is actually being Thelma Bonar
mined and sold. The miners have it Chief Petitioner
too easy here. You will not be able to Safer Roads Bridges and CCRider
drive them out with a stick!!!
Transportation
On top of that, these
companies enjoy an IRS depletion To the Editor,
deduction, which is usually 5% of
Measure 5-243 is an
the value of the depletion. When initiative that raises our county
the math is done, they receive a huge aggregate extraction fee 35 cents
business deduction. The State of a ton. Part of the fee will go to
Oregon also allows for a depletion repair county roads and the rest will
allowance that helps miners, the go toward helping our Columbia
timber industry and natural gas County Rider Transportation Service
industry. The small businesses that stay in business.
the miners are so worried about are
Good roads are part of our
already passing any increases on to infrastructure and the commerce
their customers.
within our county depends on our
The miners are also saying roads. Even if we ignore our roads
that this measure targets one industry, we can not ignore the fact that if we
which simply is not true. The IRS cut CC Rider we will lose jobs.
defines “Depletion” as the using up of
Last year CCRider fixed
natural resources by mining, drilling, rides accounted for more than
quarrying stone or cutting timber. 126,000 rides. Many of these people
The depletion deduction allows the depend on CCRider to get to work.
miners to account for the reduction Others depend on CCRider to take
of a product’s reserves, whether it them to school or shopping. In
be rock, timber, stone or natural addition to the fixed rides, flex route
gas, i.e., the natural gas in Mist/ and dial-a-ride accounted for 23,000
Birkenfeld. Some natural resources riders last year. CCRider is part of
can eventually be replaced, like the our County infrastructure and lots
trees that owners are required to of people, workers, students, and
replant, but this is not an option for seniors depend on it.
the miners. When the rock and the
In 1997 the gravel companies
natural gas is gone, they are gone for were charging $6-$10 a ton, they are
good.
now charging $20-$30 a ton. The
Voters, if you believe the cost raised by our 35 cents a ton
miner’s propaganda, we will extraction fee will only be $3.50
lose our public transit system, for a 10 ton truck load, a pittance
as we know it and our roads will compared to the profits that these
continue to deteriorate. We will multi-national mining companies
be left with nothing but holes in make.
PRECIP
the ground.
Our rock and gravel are a
In 1990, the Commissioners
county
natural
resource. Once it is
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put out a measure to increase gone, all that will remain are broken
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the depletion fee by a nickel. roads and unfilled holes in the
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The voters approved that ground.
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measure. Then again, in 1996,
If you love our county and
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the Commissioners put out you want to build infrastructure and
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another measure to increase jobs, please vote “YES” on Measure
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the depletion fee by 10 cents to 5-243
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15 cents. And you the voters
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overwhelmingly approved that Bill Eagle
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measure too. Isn’t it about St. Helens, OR
T
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Columbia Community Mental Health
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Call 503-397-5211 -or- 1-800-294-5211
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Vernonia Weather
March 2015
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Weather data is collected at the
U.S. Weather station at the
Vernonia Water Plant
Do You Need Help?
http://portlandna.com/
Alcohol Anonymous NW Region 503-366-0667
http://www.pdxaa.com/
Upcoming
Events
Coffee
with
the
Columbia
County
Commissioners - Friday, April 17, 9:00 AM at
the Black Iron Grill, 831 Bridge Street.
Stub Stewart State Park Clean Up Day -
Saturday, April 18, 9:00 AM - Noon at the
Hilltop Day-Use Area. Call Park Ranger Terra
Kemper for more info. 503-324-0606 x223
Vernonia Sportsman’s Banquet - Saturday,
April 18, 6:00 PM at the Vernonia Christian
Church, 410 North St. Tickets on sale at
R&S Market.
The Power of Play: Promoting Health
and Creativity - Tuesday, April 21, 6:30
PM at the Vernonia Public Library. Join
Jonathan Blasher and Tara Doherty for this
Conversation Project sponsored by Oregon
Humanities.
Upper Nehalem Watershed Council Board
Meeting - Thursday, April 23, 6:30 PM at the
UNWC office, 1201 Texas Ave.
Vernonia Volunteer Firefighter’s Pancake
Breakfast - Saturday, April 25, 7:00 AM -
Noon at the Vernonia Fire Station, 555 E.
Bridge St. Payment by donation only.
Make Vernonia Shine Day - Saturday, April
25, 9:00 AM - Noon. Register at City Hall,
1001 Bridge St. Contact Donna Webb 503-
429-5201 or donnatwebb@gmail.com
20th Annual Spring Garden Fair by Columbia
County Master Gardeners™ - Saturday, April
25, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM at the St. Helens High
School.
Spring Tea - Saturday, April 25, 1:00-3:00
PM at the Vernonia Christian Church, 410
North St. Sponsored by Vernonia P.E.O. to
honor mothers, daughters, grandmothers,
aunts, sisters and girlfriends. Light luncheon,
entertainment, photos, etc. $7 tickets are
available at R&S Market.
Mist-Birkenfeld Volunteer Fire Fighter Assoc.
Spaghetti Feed - Saturday, April 25, 5:00 -
7:00 PM at the Mist-Birkenfeld Main Station,
12525 Hwy 202, Mist. Adults $5, Kids 5-12
$3, Under 5 free. 503-755-2710
Kindergarten Round Up - Thursday, April 30.
Call 503-429-1333 to schedule an appoint-
ment.
Safe Kids Columbia County Car Seat Clinic -
Saturday, May 2, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM at the
Vernonia Fire Station, 555 E. Bridge Street.
More info: 503-556-3736
Friends of the Banks Public Library Plant,
Book and Art Sale - Friday, May 8, 2:00 - 7:00
PM and Saturday, May 9, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
at Schlegel Hall in Sunset Park, Banks.
Vernonia Community Garden Fair & Plant
Sale - Saturday, May 9, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
at the School Commons. 503-429-0196
LEED/Green Globes Celebration - Saturday,
May 9 at 10:30 AM inside the Vernonia
Schools building.
Non-discrimination Statement
West Oregon Electric Cooperative, Inc. is an
equal opportunity provider and employer.
If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint
of discrimination, complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://
www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint filing cust.html, or at
any USDA office, or call (866)632-9992 to request
the form. You may also write a letter containing all
of the information requested in the form. Send your
completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office
of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202)690-7442
or email at program.intake@usda.gov.
