Page A-2
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Letters to the editor
Illinois Valley News welcomes
letters to the editor.
Please e-mail them to
dan@illinois-valley-news.
com.
POLICY ON LETTERS:
‘Illinois Valley News’ encour-
ages letters to the editor provided
they are legible and not libelous
or scurrilous. All letters must be
signed, including name, address
and telephone number. The latter
need not be published, but will
be used to verify authenticity.
The “News” reserves the right to
edit letters. Letters are used at the
discretion of the publisher.
***
(Editor’s note: Views and com-
mentary, including statements
made as fact are strictly those
of the letter writers.)
Reader says tax
the cities
“Did you know that the
federal government owns
62% of Josephine County?
Will they be paying taxes if
the Levy is passed? Doesn’t
it bother any of you that
you are being asked to pay
for something you already
pay for? Do you not feel the
discrimination placed on the
Illinois Valley? Instead of
going along with the Levy
that will take your money and
use it their way, like they do
now you should be thinking
of demanding what you
already pay for. If you would
like to read the rules about
your county and limitations
on tax increases and property
reassessment that is in the
State constitution you can
read this link....
<http://www.
co.josephine.or.us/
SIB/files/Finance/1-
IntroductorySection-
JosephineCountyCAFR2013-
14.pdf>
If you must have a tax,
put it on the cities with the
higher populations like Grant
Pass. Take survey of profit
from the businesses inside
the city and put a tax on that.
Walmart should have enough
revenue to cover the tax. Add
the small (your words) % per
$1,000 of profit that leaves
Josephine County. Extortion
is what we are being asked
to swallow. The percentage
of crime prevention that
covers the larger city far out
ways the percentage of crime
prevention offered to the very
people they want to tax.
If the federal
government won’t pay a
tax why should any other
property owner? The feds
got a tax break because of
the timber industry profit
revenue that is no longer
solvent so they need to pay
their share and in a way that
suffer, like the rest of us from
the mismanagement of the
entire O&C fiasco that if was
doomed to make this area
dependant on outside source
rather than developing our
own. We are not an annex of
Josephine County, although in
California being annexed does
guaranty a sheriff’s presence
so maybe we should vote for
annexation as a solution?”
Gary Potter
O’Brien
Reader has
questions
A giant bank account
(the General Fund?) is once
again funding, for the 5th
time, a Law Enforcement
Levy which will be solely
funded by property owners. If
all those preparation, writing,
filing and ballot printing
dollars over the past 5 years
were to have gone directly
to law enforcement, I think
we would have been better
served. Where did 5 years
worth of costs to get the Levy
on the ballots come from?!
I feel this Levy is a form of
robbery due to continued
mismanagement of funds by
our County Commissioners.
This problem exists at lower
levels as well, as evidenced
by the recent actions by the
Cave Junction City Council.
If Cave Junction is so poor,
and cannot pay for additional
hours of deputy patrol,
where did their recent “gift”
of $10,000.00 to the local
Library come from? And
their “gifts” to the Library
in previous years? Repeated
Library levies have failed, but
the CJ City Council continues
to “gift” the Library annually,
with city tax dollars, against
the majority vote. I cannot be
the only person who wonders
why this happens. County-
wide, we have a lavish $1.49
per $1,000 of assessed value
levy poised before us - the
property owners, whom are
mostly aged and have fixed
incomes. Will this continued
bombardment from our
politicians never cease? How
can we continue paying
hundreds of dollars more each
year when on a fixed income?
I don’t pay $.59 per $1,000
of assessed value for just one
item on my tax bill, and no
one else does either. I pay
thousands of dollars annually,
and 71% goes for public
education and the community
college! No matter what
assurances are given, please
know that the way this current
Law Enforcement Levy has
been written, the money
collected will go directly into
the General Fund. That path
enables our commissioners
the ability to manipulate
every dollar - and we’re
talking about millions of
dollars every year. Do not
be fooled - they oversee and
have the power to redirect
every dime, particularly the
sheriff’s budget. They revised
the sheriff’s budget several
years ago to move $500,000
from a particular line item
that would have guaranteed
our county a matching grant
of $500,000 from Salem to
bolster law enforcement.
After the commissioners
moved the money to another
part of the budget, and signed
off on the revision, our sheriff
was unable to submit the grant
request. I cannot say why
this happened, but I assure
you it did happen. All of us
suffered then, and we are
suffering still, because that’s
how bad the commissioners
want the current levy to pass.
If it passes, the commissioners
will receive 10% annually via
the General Fund, for their
offices, staff and salaries.
But, if the Law Enforcement
Levy was given it’s own line
on the annual tax statements
(like the levy for the Illinois
Valley Fire District or the tax
we pay to the 4H Club), then
an iron-clad path is created
which bypasses the General
Fund. Please think carefully
when you vote in November
- if there must be a levy,
let’s keep each and every
dollar out of the clutches
of our commissioners.
Only in this way, can we
assure ourselves that the
tax money will be spent
totally for Law Enforcement,
despite whatever an
oversight or supervisory
committee appointed by the
commissioners may report.
Marilyn Arnold
O’Brien
Reader likes hemp
To the Editor:
Last week a reader
objected to Chief Hoke’s
letter in which the Chief
accurately described the
slide into lawlessness and
trashiness in our valley. The
objector focused only on the
pot growing, stating, “It’s
legal, get used to it.” I’ve
noticed in discussing with
people over the years, that the
pro-MJ people refuse to admit
that there are any downsides
whatsoever to MJ use or
legalization, and irrationally
attack anyone with opposing
views, thus preventing any
reasoned discussion by
stating that any objections are
“prejudiced”, “uninformed” or
“hysterical” - a known tactic
to shut down opposing views.
There are many
myths about MJ use, and
the “utopia” of legalizing
it. Having done much
research, it is obvious to any
open minded person that the
answers are now clear. The
more people who use MJ,
the more mental problems,
crime, other drug use, car
crashes, and ER visits as
well as continuing illegal
growing. This has happened
in Colorado. How many
growing operations in this
valley are permitted? I’ve
heard that most are not. That
means they are sucking water
illegally from streams and
rivers, or using well water
for an illegal ag operation,
and what is this doing to the
aquifer?
How many are
recklessly or illegally using
pesticides or other chemicals
that will get into streams,
or wash into ditches where
animals drink, or onto other
peoples’ properties? A myth
that other drug use goes
down with legalizing MJ is
just that - a lie. Heroin and
meth use are way up here and
in Colorado. Myth: people
who smoke pot are mellow
and would never hurt a fly
and drive safely, and that
those who use MJ don’t use
other drugs. The majority of
violent crimes are committed
by people on drugs and/or
alcohol, and many people use
MJ along with other drugs or
alcohol and are not peaceful
or “mellow”.
Drug users and those
who use alcohol to excess
want to escape reality. MJ
use impairs judgment,
sensory perception including
time/space, and often causes
temporary or in some cases,
permanent, psychological
impairment, and IQ levels
go down as much as 10
points in long term users.
The younger a person starts
to use MJ, the worse and
more permanent the damage
is likely to be. MJ use can
indeed cause addiction - more
psychological than physical,
but physical addiction is a
factor as well. And in order
to make huge bucks with
growing - more users are
needed. So naturally the
number of stoned out people
will increase. Thus the
increase of trash, crime, car
accidents, and ER visits.
Too bad all the people
growing MJ aren’t growing
industrial hemp, a crop that
can be grown with little water
and few to no chemicals, and
is an extremely useful and
profitable crop.
P. Kisiela
Cave Junction
What readers think:
Which part of the Lions Labor Day Festival is your favorite?
Susan Hatch
Debi Buchanan
“I like the parade. I enjoy “The parade…I’ve
watching the children
watched it every year
with the animals, they
since 1978.”
seem to have a good
time.”
“Tuff Trucks - Good
entertainment.”
Mary Valenzuela
Jenna Larkin
Cheryl Johnson
“I like to watch the kids
climb up the pole to try to
win top prize.”
“The parade. There is
nothing like a small town
parade.”
Bob McAnally
“I like watching the
parade at Carlos
Restaurant.”
I llINoIs V alley F uNeral D Irectors
www.since1928Hull.com
541-592-4110
Save the date
Sept. 1
Sept. 3 - 5
*CJ Patrol Meeting: first Thurs-
day, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Wild River Piz-
za Deli, 249 Redwood Hwy.
*IVHS girls’ volleyball JV game
at home vs. Del Norte at 5 p.m. and
varsity at 6:15 p.m.
I.V. Lions 44th annual Labor
Day Festival at Jubilee Park.
Sept. 3
* Country Breakfast at the Se-
nior Center! What a way to start your
holiday weekend! For just $6.00 you
can enjoy eggs, bacon, sausage, hash
browns, chicken fried steak, biscuits,
biscuits and gravy, coffee and juice.
Oh, did I mention it’s all you can
eat! The Public is WELCOME!!!!
Come on in to the air-conditioned
Senior Center at 520 East River
Street in Cave Junction. (Across the
street from the Coalition) SEE YA
THERE!!
*IVHS girls’ varsity soccer
game at home vs. Douglas at noon.
Illinois
Valley
News
Published weekly by
W.H. Alltheway, LLC
Daniel J. Mancuso, Publisher
Sept. 6
Lorna Byrne First Day of
School (5th Graders only) 6-8 grade
new to LBMS come for orientation
and tour.
IVHS Open House from 5-7
p.m.
IVHS freshman first day of
school 7:55 a.m.
Pressure canner testing at the
Illinois Valley Grange, Holland
Loop Rd, CJ, 8-11 a.m.,
Sept. 7
All IVHS students first day of
school 7:55 a.m.
Lorna Byrne First Day of class-
es for 6-8 grade.
Gatekeeper training at the I.V.
Family Coalition Sept. 7 at 10 a.m.,
POSTMASTER: Please send
address changes to P.O. Box 1370,
Cave Junction, OR 97523
Illinois Valley News is published at
221 S. Redwood Hwy.,
Cave Junction, OR 97523
Telephone (541) 592-2541
Since 1937 periodicals postage
paid at Cave Junction, OR 97523
P.O. Box 1370 USPS 258-820
River Room. The Gatekeeper pro-
gram is a new program of the Aging
and Disabilities Resource Connec-
tion (ADRC) that teaches employees
at your business how to recognize
warning signs and red flags that in-
dicate an older adult or adult with
disabilities may need some help.
Contact Connie at 541-423-1383 to
schedule a training or presentation.
Sept. 12
Workshop Scheduled for Cave
Junction~Living Well with Chronic
Conditions, Sept. 12 – Oct. 17. Meets
once a week on Mondays from 2:30
– 5 p.m.. Call for more information
and registration required. Learn new
ways to manage stress and improve
the ability to relax; fight fatigue and
frustration; eat better and exercise
safely; control pain and improve
activity; learn better ways to talk to
your doctor and family about your
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
One year in Josephine
County - $35
One year in Jackson and
Douglas counties - $36
One year in all other
Oregon counties and
out-of-state - $43.00
Illinois Valley News does not refund subscriptions.
Remainder of subscription will be donated to the
charity of your choice.
health; solve problems and get the
support you need. Sign up Now: Call
Living Well Southern Oregon 541-
864-9611 or Pre-Register online at
www.sohealthyoregon.org.
Sept. 24
Agnes Pilgrim Birthday Party
Benefit, book signing, and gathering,
Saturday, Sept. 24, Takilma Commu-
nity Center, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Every-
one invited, get her book “GrandMa
Says: Wake Up World!” Pledge your
support, help organizing needed,
call/email for info., or if you wish to
participate or perform, Guenter 541-
415-1929 or cmec@cavenet.com.
Continuing
Cave Junction Patrol, LLC is
looking for volunteers. CJ Patrol is
a private citizen volunteer organiza-
tion dedicated to effectively address-
ing heretofore-unchecked property
News - Dan Mancuso
dan@illinois-valley-news.com
Editor -Laura Mancuso
laura@illinois-valley-news.com
Classified Ads -Laura Mancuso
laura@illinois-valley-news.com
Circulation - Kimberly Potter
office@illinois-valley-news.com
Advertising / Composition -
Dan Mancuso
dan@illinois-valley-news.com
Mailroom - Millie Watkins
crime in our city and neighborhoods.
The primary mission of CJ Patrol is to
prevent, interrupt, report, and decrease
property crime in the city of Cave Junc-
tion. Contact: Phone: 541- 592-9665 /
Facebook: Cave Junction Patrol Pub-
lic / Website: cjpatrol.org / Monthly
CJP Meetings: first Thursday, 6 p.m.
– 8 p.m. at Wild River Pizza Deli, 249
Redwood Hwy.
Have some spare time? The Illi-
nois Valley Senior Thrift Store is look-
ing for volunteers. If sorting, cleaning,
staging is what you do, we could use
your skills. Earn a free breakfast and
a store gift card while you volunteer.
Join the crew, make new friends, need
not to be a member or a senior citizen
to volunteer. Call the store at 541-592-
6630 or visit us during store hours.
DEADLINES:
News, Classified and
Display Ads,
Announcement and
Letters
4 P.M. FRIDAYS
POLICY ON LETTERS:
‘Illinois Valley News’ encour-
ages letters to the editor pro-
vided they are legible and not
libelous or scurrilous. All let-
ters must be signed, including
name, address and telephone
number. The latter need not be
published, but will be used to
verify authenticity. The ‘News’
reserves the right to edit letters.
Letters are used at the discre-
tion of the publisher.