Monologue
Idle Hands
By J. Dana Haynes
(Second of two-part series)
This week, the Department of Health and Human
Services released a formal oroposal colloquially
known as the “Snitch Rule.”
It states that any federally funded family planning
organization must inform parents before they provide
birth control pills, diaphrams or intrauterine devices to
minors. The idea, as explained by out-going Secretary
of HHS Richard Schweiker, is to curb the number of
teen-age pregnancies nationwide, and to build better
parent/child communications.
However, the Snitch Rule (which will probably go
into effect in February) is drawing fire on nearly every
front, including the Planned Parenthood Federation of
America and the National Family Planning Reproduc
tive Health Association (NFPRHA, pronounced “Nif-
pra”), who have co-sponsored a temporary restraining
order to block implimentation of the ruling.
The HHS is also being blitzed by the American Bar
Association, the American Medical Association, the
American Civil Liberties Union, 37 state health depart
ments, and many more organizations.
The Oregon State Health Division has also thrown
its hat into the ring. Health Division Administrator
Kristine Gebbie announced last week that if family
planning agencies ignore the Snitch Rule (and many of
them will), then state money will replace federal money
in support of these groups.
Of the $1.3 million in federal funds that are now
tunneled through the State Health Division, less than
20 percent goes toward services for teens.
Jesalee Fostering, the executive director for Plan
ned Parenthood in Portland, agrees with the access-
ment. “Most people think all the people we help are
teen-agers. In fact, most of them are older than that.”
Thus, in this state at least, the agencies such as
Planned Parenthood will continue to operate with strict
confidence and respect for privacy, whether or not the
Snitch Rule becomes law.
Many people see this as surplanting the tradi
tional roles of parent and child. After all, no one wants
their boy or girl to sneak around behind their back,
especially when sex is involved.
Some anti-abortion groups are already planning to
fight for the implementation of the Snitch Rule. The
Oregon Pro-life Action League has come out against
the use of state money to by-pass the HHS ruling. One
member of the anti-abortion group even went so far as
to speak out against Planned Parenthood and the state
health division, saying the latter is a “front for Planned
Parenthood” in the Sunday Oregonian. She went on to
say that Planned Parenthood provides brochures, films
and “dirty books” to promote abortion and interfere
with family communication.
Such utter nonsense is both humorous and
frightening, since Planned Parenthood does not pro
vide abortions, nor advise people to abort pregnancies.
In point of fact, the agency provides information on,
and implementation of, the various alternatives to
abortion. But comments like those of the Pro-life ac
tivist serve to underscore the need for such organizas
tions as Planned Parenthood.
Family planning organizations exist for one
reason; to provide information and protection to
women (and men) of all ages. For only through
knowledge will this country halt the tidal wave of un
wanted pregnancies and the various problems that are
part-and-parcel with that including child abuse and the
exploding number of medically indigent families.
THE PRINT, a member of the Oregon Newspaper Publishers
Association, alms to be a fair and Impartial Journalistic medium
covering the campus community as thoroughly as possible. Opi
nions expressed in THE PRINT do not necessarily relect those of
the College administration, faculty, Associated Student Govern
ment or other members of THE PRINT.
Page 2
Sales tax only alternative
By Doug Vaughan
have devastated. Most likely, most of that 49
How do you spell relief? If you are an percent would have voted for tax-relief no mat
Oregonian you should spell it S-A-L-E-S T-A-X. ter what the consequences.
That is if you are talking economic relief, of
It seems most voters would want these ser
course. The only sign of economic recovery in vices. It is probable then that most no voters only
Oregon is a sales tax. Most economists do not voted no in fear that they would partially lost
see this happening for several years, yet it is a human services, education and corrections
sensible rebound from our economic woes.
facilities.
There are other alternatives, but none stand
According to information gathered in the
up to the sales tax.
Jan. 11-17 issue of Willamette Week, Proper
A lottery would be successful, but we are ty Tax consumed 53 percent of Oregon’s
only talking about a few million dollars.
revenue via taxes.
The raising of income tax would simply
A proposed 4 percent sales tax would cir
defeat itself. It would offset property tax, and culate approximately $800 million to the state
they would be raised dramatically. Therefore, it and offset property, tax about 50 percent (27 per
would 'affect small businesses—the. majority cent of Oregon’s revenue via taxes).
employer of the Oregon work force. With the
An argument that is brought up each time a
business bankruptcy at a zenith, and Oregon’s sales tax is proposed is that the tax will hit the
income tax burden being second highest na low-income the same as the high-income,
tionally, an increase in income tax is simply therefore it would create a burden on the poor.
unheard of.
The argument is well taken and partially ac
The lone alternative is a sales tax. In curate. But restrictions on the sales tax that were /
Oregon, a sales tax is not a new idea. Orego presented to the legislature will take care of the
nians have defeated half a dozen sales tax pro lingering problem.
posals dating back as far as 1934. The latest at
One way is to put an exemption on
tempt was in 1969 when voters shredded the at necessities-food, shelter and prescribed drugs.
tempt by a 7-1 margin.
That will help, but to put the heaviest load on
The battle to get Oregonians to accept the those most able to pay they will have to install
sales tax proposals is strictly uphill. But a new rebates or tax credit to low-income tax payers.
sales tax tied in with a property tax relief opens
In a bad economy,1 and in a state like
the doors towards acceptance. In 1969, the ma Oregon that raises money from only two major
jor problem was inflation. Today, it is rising pro tax sources (property and income), finances
perty taxes mixed with decreasing incomes.
become vulnerable. And when unemployment
Then this is the type of tax plan that Oregon pushes income tax down, the burden is placed
needs. And this is the type of tax that will be in on property tax. This, then, is a situation where
troduced early in the legislative session, that the low-income is on the same tax level as the
began last week, by representatives Tom Van high-income. Oregon is now in this predica
Vliet (R-Corvallis) and Peter Courtney ment.
(D-Salem). A tax in which the rate is not locked
For the sales tax to be accepted, Orego
into the State Constitution, in which the revenue nians need assurance that the property taxes will
is only used to offset the existing taxes.
not climb up to the rate they are presently at.
Remember the near-approval of Measure 3 Van Vliet and Courtney are planning for that,
in November. If passed (it was defeated narrow too.
Another plus is that a sales tax would tax
ly, 50.1 percent) it would have crippled local
governments. Its near success convinced unreported and unearned income when they are
legislatures that Something needs to be done to used to buy consumer goods, which is now ex
satisfy the supporters of Measure 3. It proves empt from taxes. It would also gather $25 to $50
that at least 49.9 percent of the November voters million from tourists, and tax heavily on those
feel property tax in Oregon is too high. A state who buy luxurious items.
A sales tax does'create problems. But the
ment that possibly is correct.
economic situation we are now in cannot in any
Measure 3 did not mean 49 percent of the means be considered near-perfect. Now is the
voters wanted less services—police, fire, educa time where a sales tax is needed to help rescue
tion and other local governing services it would Oregon economically.
Dialogue
No action
taken on
incident
Dear The Print:
My name is LeRoy Neal
and yes I am mad at the Col
lege’s lack of action taken in the
assaulting acts of one of the
Clackamas College coaches,
paid for with your and my
taxes. A coach can punch two
players, who verbally assault
him by inferring he had in-
cestual affair with his mother.
Then after punching them
within two minutes he
apologizes and justifies his ac
tions. On account of where he
comes from, I made a simple
comment, why doesn’t he go
back where he comes frofn? He
theri rushes at me in an attempt
to assault me, which I didn’t
retaliate to.
Later he is interviewed in
our school paper and says (and
I quote) “under similar cir
cumstances, I’d do it again.”
How can our College, or
any college for that matter,
justify supporting this man
(with our taxpayers’ money) if
he is going to retain this at
titude?
The Print is correct in say
ing Curt Heinze and LeRoy
Neal did play for the CCC
1981 soccer team. I made the
All-state team and Curt was a
full-time starter for the ’81
defending state champs. To
say I quote “Neither made the
1982 team” is to infer that we
tried out for the ’82 tearri. I
denied no implications except
those of the inadequacies of
the College’s investigating ser
vices, which also serve and
protect the public . . . you and
I-
Thank you for your time,
LeRoy Neal
EDITOR’S NOTE: According
to College officials, the incident
is under investigation.
Sound off!
Send letters to The Print, Trailer B. Ext.
310. Please type all letters.
Clackamas Community College