fXtiyeh visits campus,
views new facilities
Governor Victor Atiyeh
Biscussed many facets of his
B»Ie as Governor and Views
■»ward the changes taking
■lace in the U.S. Government
Buring a student press con-
fe. ?nce held last Wednesday at
■e College;.
Atiyeh’s government
Background began when he
Bas a member of the Oregon
legislature in 1959. It was
Biere that he came into contact
■ith the new, developing
■hool of higher education; the
■immunity colleges.
| Since the legislature pass-
id the community colleges
■lancing bill, Atiyeh has visited
all thirteen community colleges
in the state, ending with
■lackamas Community.'
In regards to the tuition
Bkes which are taking place in
Bost state colleges, Atiyeh
Hated increased tuition to the
Her-growing costs of housing,
Hhools, and “everything in
■neral.”
I “We are trying to stop in-
Htion,” he said. “One way to
Hip students and businesses,
H>uld be for them to join and
H>rk together, like on die job
Hining.”
I When asked about the
■»sure of Estacada School
Htrict and possible interven-
tion, Atiyeh said, “There is a
limit to the authority of the state
legislature.
Oregon
Superintendent of Schools
Hrne Duncan has arranged
for a special emergency elec
tron that will take place in
Bcember.”
I The governor explained
that Estacada’s problem is a
matter of ‘who is in control/
I “Can you have local con
trol to the extent that it can
clqse the school?” Atiyeh quer-
ried. “I don’t Jthink the school
will close, but there is no way
we can force a school to stay
open and force tax payers to
pay for it.
“Some people think that if
you stimulate the economy to
create jobsj then the economy
will improve,” Atiyeh said. “All
of our original wealth comes
from manufacturing and 85
percent of all jobs in the U.S.
are provided by small business.
There is absolutely no incentive
to the small businessman to
work hard. The more he or she
makes, the higher the taxes,”
Atiyeh claimed. “Government
has been a disincentive for
anyone wanting to get ahead.”
ting to get ahead.”
Atiyeh then compared the
nation’s money deficit to a per
son who has been hooked on
dope and is suffering from
withdrawls. He said, “We keep
saying to ourselves, all we need
is one more fix to help get us
through this little crisis, and it
never ends.”
Atiyeh said that it’s begin
ning to end with the President’s
economic theories. “The presi
dent has reduced the interest
rates, they are definitely down
now,” Atiyeh stated.
“The nation forgets so
easily,” he added, referring to
the Carter administration,“In
flation was up 20 percent and
the interest rates were 22 per
cent. We have to change what
we’re doing. The Reagan
policies will be the way to fix
that,”Jig stated.
One student journalist ask
ed the Governor why he is a
member of the Republican par
ty/ “I find the Republican
party’s philosophy fits mine
and I’m uneasy with the
Democrat’s policies,” Atiyeh
said.
“Oregonians are fiscally
conservative,” he said. “They
want common sense out of
their government and don’t
want their money wasted.”
Atiyeh explained the dif
ference between both parties in
terms of “for” and “against” the
people. “Republicans are less
willing to provide for govern
ment and more willing to .pro
vide for the people,” he said.
Interest rates have been
the main cause of the fall in
Oregon’s timber industry, ac
cording to Atiyeh. While his of
fice doesn’t have much power
to get this industry back on its
feet, Atiyeh said there is a
“timber strategy panel” which
he has been appointed to figure
out some alternatives for the in
dustry.
The Governor mentioned
the “campaign rhetoric” of Don
Clark, a candidate for gover
nor. Clark had stated that
Atiyeh was in agreement with
“Reaganomics,” and that he
was doing little for the state in
these times of recession.
“It’s that kind, of view that
has us in trouble. One thing he
hasn’t said, is what he’d do
about it,” Atiyeh replied.
“There have been several
accomplishments in Oregon’s
government for which Atiyeh is
proud. “One important goal
was to have a more effective
government,” he remarked.
“The Oregon tax dollar is
well spent, and there is no
waste in the dollar,” Atiyeh
boasted. “The department
heads are hard working.”
A second accomplishment
for Atiyeh was the reduction of
the human resource budget by
$400 million dollars. “We have
a reformed government now
and this is more effective,” he
said.
In the area of human in
terest, the governor was asked
if there was a conflict of interest
when he posed for the milk
television commercial.
“No,” he said. “Milk is a-
product that Oregon sells na
tionally.” Atiyeh said he was
mainly promoting Oregon, not
milk. The Oregon Dairy
Association offered to pay
Atiyeh for appearing in the ad,
but Atiyeh refused to be paid.
When the Association per
sisted, Atiyeh asked for a dif
ferent form- of payment. The
dairy association put on ah ice .
cream feed at Fairview
Hospital.
SAM CROSBY, ASG president greets Gov. Vic Atiyeh last Wednesday.
Story by Kristi Blackman
Photos by Duffy Coffman
Wednesday Nov 2«5 ioei
CHUCK SCOTT, SCIENCE department chairperson
shows Gov. Atiyeh and College President John Hakanson
(right) the Pauling Science Center.