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