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About Sandy post. (Sandy, Oregon) 1938-current | View Entire Issue (June 29, 1978)
Editorial and Opinion Tax proposal requires cautious scrutiny Passage of an initiative to limit state property tax to lMi percent could open a can of worms, with many unanswered questions and possible harm to those it seeks to aid most. Consequently, we urge voters to examine the issue carefully before signing petitions or voting on it should it make the November ballot. Indeed, the proposed initiative does offer the property owner shelter from spiraling taxes and runaway big government spending. But the shelter being constructed here is simply slapped together from blueprints of the so-called Jarvis Amendment in California where circumstances are different. California, in the wake of its recent tax revolt, could turn for relief to that state ’s $6 billion budget excess to tide the state over. Should Oregon roll back taxes to 1975-76 valuation at P/2 percent, the state also could dip into the general fund budget to cover the lost revenue. In Oregon’s case, the $400 million which would be lost in property tax revenue would appear to be offset by $400 million in extra revenue the state expects this year with rising incomes and more jobs in Oregon. But costs have risen, too, and a $67 million shortfall is possible in the 1979-81 biennium. Last year a state budget surplus of $200 million dwindled with big pay-outs, including $100 million in rental refunds and property tax refunds. Budget experts now are unsure whether the books will close in the black or the red. Traditionally, Oregon’s budget planners have wound up the year with only about 5 percent in the black as carryover. An obvious answer to future state revenues would be higher income taxes. Any increase in state or local district taxes under the proposed initiative would require two-thirds majority vote. Getting two-thirds of all state legislators to agree on anything could prove a major hurdle. State Kept. Paul Walden, a m em ber of the state Revenue and School Finance Committee, even suggests a constitutional violation in the tax-limitation initiative. The state constitution demands u n ifo rm ity in ta x atio n . The proposed initiative, however, sets up a situation where two identical houses - side by side - could be taxed at different rates. One neigh bor may continue to pay taxes based on 1975-76 valuation with only two percent annual increase for inflation, while a new couple moving next door would face property reassessm ent at current m arket value. Surviving spouses would be subject to the sam e sort of reassessm ent upon transfer of title. Rep. Walden, who publicly neither supports or opposes the proposed initiative, feels that sort of inequality within a subdivision could tend to scare away new homeowners and so drive a district’s property value down. Rolling back property taxes in Clackamas County means about a $1 million loss in revenue, since real assessed state and county property totaled $2.760 billion in 1975-76, compared to $3.478 billion in current assessed valuation. But th at’s not the whole picture locally. Taxpayers still would appear responsible for present bonded indebtedness for services and public improvements already approved by voters. Previously established tax bases with their allowable six percent annual in creases would rem ain in effect provided the 1M> percent property tax limiation would deliver that much money. The proposed tax-limitation initiative may face court tests on its constitutionality if passed, so careful voter examination of the petitions is advisable today. (VB) An alternative to Packwood-Moynihan The p re sid en t of Boston University, John Silber, has come up with a plan to help college students with tuition problems which at the sam e time eliminates the separation of church and state difficulties posed by Packwood- Moynihan. Silber suggests creation of a government trust fund which would lend students up to $4,000 per year. After graduation, the loans would be repaid by regular income tax deductions. Silber’s plan is disarmingly simple. The Internal Revenue System eventually gets everyone and student loan defaults would be kept to a minimum. Those who w eren’t paying any income tax wouldn’t need to repay their loan — that year. But eventually, they’d be in a position to pay back. The IRS would make sure of that. S ilb er e s tim a te s a college education is worth about $230,000 over a student’s lifetime and the one who benefits — the student and not the parent — should pay. What other editors say Oregon initiative is a hasty move Everyone in government now is starting to recognize that an Oregon "Proposition 13” is possibly on its way. A petition modeled on the C a lifo rn ia ta x - lim it in g initiative measure is already making the rounds in various parts of the state. In spite of the popularity of the idea, it should be recognized that the measure being proposed here has some shortcomings. A Roseburg man and a group called ‘ ‘ Do Care” (Dedicated Oregon Citizens Aware Reform is Essential) are pushing a l 1^ percent property tax lim ita tio n petition. The group needs Von Braschler, General Manager Caroline DuH. Office Manager sure that nutritious foods are as available as the less nutritious Students can then make their own decisions on what to buy — decisions properly influenced by parental advice and c la s s r o o m n u tr itio n programs. The state ban was proposed by Thelma Thompson of Medford, who was ide ntified as the John Kline, Editor Mark Floyd, Staff Reporter Published w eekly Thursdays by The Outlook Publishing Co Bo» 68 Sondy Oregon 97055 Second doss postoge paid at Sandy Oregon 668 5548 SUBSCRIPTION RATES In M ultnom ah ond Clockomos Counties per yeor 57 00 Servicemen any oddress 57 00 O utside N orthw est nnd Pocdic Coost states per yeor ................. 511 00 In Oregon outside Multnom ah ond . ... MEMBER N e I Í p A p EH 4eeoe ■ t h o n Poge 2 ’ a u -Ó H In N orthw est ond Pot die Coost States outside Oregon per yeor J9 00 ’ M l ili Oregon Newspeper Publishers Assoc ration fi Represented N a tio n ally by U 5 SUBURBAN press INC w Sandy Post. Sondy Oregon 57055 No 26 Juno 25, 1575 Oregon in itia tiv e cut local property • states are too great to allow such a transfer. We agree that property taxes must be brought under control. But we would urge Oregonians to find their own way of bringing such control to pass. Before we could support a tax reform of major magnitude, we would have to know that it was designed for Oregon. The Legislature should listen to what is happening in C alifornia, however, and start thinking now about putting such a reform package together in the next session A delay could be deadly. —Ashland Daily Tidings * t Now who do you believe? In an age of technology, when a m ajority of the citizens are not trained in technology, questions not infrequently arise that are answered la rg e ly on the basis of “ Who do you believe?” We are told on what ap pears to be good authority that the electrical needs of this area are growing at such a rate that more w ill have to be imported, and that the best way to do so is to build a power line from the coal generating electric plants in Wyoming to Medford. Others, speaking in equally a u th o r ita tiv e - s o u n d in g voices, say that this really isn't necessary at all; that moves to conserve energy and slow down growth w ill suffice to make the elec tr ic ity now available adequate to the needs. Who to believe? Or, we are told that her bicides lik e 2,4,5-T are p e rfe ctly safe if applied carefully in a prescribed manner; and we are also told that not enough is known about their toxicity and that they should be either banned, or studied further to insure their safety. Both sides seem to have a reasonable basis for their beliefs. Who to believe? Is saccharin carcinogenic in moderate amounts safe for humans, or is it dangerous because it causes cancer when given in massive doses to rats? Reputable scientists on both sides are convincing Who to believe? Some say such weapons as the BI bomber and the proposed enhanced radiation weapon are much more likely to lead to war, while other knowledgeable people say they are calculated to prevent war. Who to believe? Is it any wonder that the vast bulk of us, who lack any special expertise, are con fused when experts disagree? "Leave it to the experts” may be good advice. But what does one do when the experts can’t agree among themselves? I t ’s a funny — and sometimes scary — world we live in. Medford Mail Tribune "Sorry, But This U ngrateiul Public M ood Demands W e Trim Away The Excess Fat. letters to the editor Award shared To the Editor: As reported in your newspaper last week, I received an award fo r com m unity contribution through education from the N ational Conference of Christians and Jews. It was a very special award and I accepted it with the full realization that I share it with many, many individuals within the Sandy community. A community is, after ail, the sum total of the in dividual within it. And the quality of community life is the sum total of the op portunities that are available for the contributions and participation of its members. I am simply a catalyst for those opportunities and those individuals to add to the sum total of the quality of com munity life in Sandy Without the individuals who volun teer to share their time, energy, and personal skills with other in our community, the Community School would Good vote by state board schools. If local boards were deprived of the power to decide things of this m agnitude, th e ir control wouldn’t mean very much We go further, of course, in feeling that those in charge of local schools should not ban junk foods, either — at least at the secondary level. The wiser approach, and the one adopted by Eugene and Portland boards, is to make The would taxes by some 40 percent, vote of each chamber or of according to estimates. That those voting at a local level to would add up to about $400 enact any new taxes. The sales tax or a new property million statewide. The initiative would lim it tax would not be allowed — property taxes to 14 percent leaving the income tax as the of the assessed valuation. It only realistic way to raise would lim it future increases replacement revenue It is obvious that some sort in valuation to 2 percent a year, unless the property of tax reform is coming. But was sold, in which case the the Oregon version of assessor would be able to C a lifo rn ia 's Jarvis-Gann reassess it .. market value. amendment does not appear The initiative would also roll to be exactly what the state back assignments to 1975-76 needs. It was not prepared with a knowledge of Oregon’s valuation levels. If approved, theintiative laws, tax structure or would allow the Legislature legislative process but was, or the voters to find other instead, lifted from another situation — California. The revenue sources. But it differences between the two would require a two-thirds QUESTION Another view Good for the State Board of Education. The board refused to issue an edict banning junk foods from the schools The board based its decision on the idea that the kind of food sold in their vending machines is a matter that the schools don't need state government to decide for them. Oregon is big on local control of the 61,646 valid signatures to get the petition on the November ballot. If the signatures are collected, some technical questions need to be an swered. The Oregon petition was lifted almost totally from the California measure, and it has become apparent that some of the language is not appropriate to Oregon. In addition, a line making the measure an amendment to the Constitution was dropped in the printing process. That last question may require a court ruling to answer. originator of an organization called Parents for Better Nutrition. When asked if anyone opposes her cause, she replied ‘‘I'm not worrying about any opposition. We know that we re right and that we re fighting for truth, and we re really not concerned about anybody who wants to m aintain the junk-food habit.” Mrs. Thompson thus joins a large group of righteously committed people who are trying to ban worrisome products which may prove h a rm fu l, p a rtic u la rly in excess But such things as jvnk food hurt only those who indulge in them and they are not forced upon anyone. Under those conditions people ought to be free to make their own choices Young people as old as ju n io r and senior high students neeed to develop the a b ility to make good decisions. We re glad the State Board of Education resisted Mrs. Thompson s request We only hope she understands that that action was not an en dorsement for Twinkles - Eugene Register-Guard not be in existence, the quality of community life iri Sandy would be diminished, and I could certainly not have been selected for this award. My thanks go to all those in c re d ib le , w o n d e rfu l volunteers who have given so much to Sandy through the C om m unity School. They know a special secret of life — the joy of giving. What you send out into the lives of others comes back into your own. Judy Sheppard Sandy Growth control To the Editor: In my letter to the editor (June 15) regarding the growth of Sandy, I thought I had succinctly made my point. The theory that growth is good has deceived even in te llig e n t people in our society. For someone to state in response (June 22 letter) that ‘‘Growth is a normal and healthy process in our bodies as well as our city,” sounds innocent enough on the surface but reveals its ludicrousness upon deeper inspection. Growth is only good and healthy to a point. After that point is reached, an ab normal situation results that we call tumors and cancer. The same is true of bodies and cities. The point I tried to make is that our local politicians act like they’re against overly expansive growth, and yet they take steps to provide for just that. I disagree with the con Youth charged with crime A 17-year-old California youth was placed in Clackamas County juvenile detention Friday on a charge of attempting to murder another youth at the Timber Lake Job Corps camp. A witness told sheriff's deputies the youth was trying to start a fight with Jeffrey Lamont, 19, when he swung an aluminum baseball bat into Lamont's head Lam ont was taken to G re s h a m C o m m u n ity H ospital and released Monday Deputies were unable to contact the youth's guardian in San Bernadino. Calif tention that “ We cannot stop growth nor can we vote it down.” City sewer and water systems are limited in the amount of people they can serve. If they are only able to serve 5,000 people, and we don’t expand them, then that pretty well lim its growth. If there are only so many jobs available in that area, then that lim its the number of job seekers who w ill settle in that area. Can I make it any simpler? With our present birth rate, we shouldn't have any trouble providing fo r children who may want to remain in the area. What I ’m concerned about is an influx of people who see what a good life the area provides, and then saturate the area until there is very little, if any, of the good life left. All you have to do is look at many arqas of California to see what I mean. That used to be the good life. The last part of my letter that was misread concerns the Sandy City Council. I ’m certain that they most likely are fine, upstanding men, pillars of the community, our friends, and for some of us, our neighbors. I accused them of nothing I merely raised a question regarding possible motivation, which is our privilege, our right, and our responsibility. When we cease to question and analyze, then it’s time to be relegated to the vegetable patch. Bob Hawley Thanks! To the Editor: We would like to take this opportunity to thank the following merchants for their generous sponsorship of our week at Camp Casey: Sharon’s Food King, The H a irlin e , Sandy Lumber, Landa Rents, W illiam s T h riftw a y , Joe’s Donuts, Pioneer Realty, Ferguson's Power Equipment, Crown Furnace and A ir Con d itio nin g and Delicatessen. Country Camp Casey is a track and f ie ld d e v e lo p m e n t a l workshop for teachers, coaches and athletes located on Whidbey Island in Washington. We received excellent coaching from a s ta ff of qualified professionals including Doris Brown-Heritage and other fo r m e r A ll- A m e r ic a n athletes. We learned new techniques which help us improve our skills in track and field. Bruce Jenner, Olympic decathlon champion, was a special guest at our "Casey Olympics” and awarded us our ribbons. We also want to thank Mrs Denise Minnear, our coach and teacher at Sandy, who attended camp with us She encouraged us to register and provided us with Iran sportation. Donna Nelson Gayle Roth Boring Groups "over the top’ in property tax drive Special to T he Post One of Oregon's most unusual and puzzling initiative campaigns is nearing the end of leg one on its projected route to the polls It appears likely the state's voters w ill be balloting in November on a controversial proposal to lim it property taxes. "W e’re way over the top with our signatures,” said Ray Phillips, who heads the Tri-County Tax Lim itation Committee, one of two groups coordinating a statewide petition drive As of last Friday, an estimated 75.000 to 80,000 signatures had been collected, according to State Rep A1 Shaw, R Roseburg, the first legislator to align himself with the movement. "We think we re going to come in with somewhere between 125,000 and 150,000 signatures,” Phillips added Tuesday - a day when Oregonians voted down just about every money measure on special election ballots. A total of 61,646 valid signatures must be filed with the secretary of state’s office by July 7 to get the proposed constitutional amendment on the November general election ballot. The Oregon campaign, born ot a sim ilar movement in California, would lim it property taxes to 1.5 percent of market value based on 1975 assessments Among other things, it would lim it annual property valuation increases to 2 percent, regardless of what the real market value might be It also would lim it the legislature's power to pass new taxes to make up for the loss of property tax revenues and would require a two thirds m ajority by the legislature and voters in local governmental units before any tax increase could be implemented. But while the Oregon campaign appears to have been successful, at least in acquiring the needed signatures, there still is a potential stum b'in'!block See page 9
