SANDY (Ore ) POST Thurs J«n i, 19«! (Sec 1)
The Sandy’ Post
Von Broschier. Publisher
Editorial & Opinion
Wring out the old year, ring in ’81
One year ago, the country was
looking forward to 1980 and a fresh
start It was the beginning of a new
decade and there was an air of
optimism after a generally dismal
1979.
1980 turned out to be a bust
On a local level, the state came
up $200 million short in its projected
budget forcing cuts in human
services. Clackamas County sheriff
John Renfro resigned under heat,
there were more political scandals
and Mt. St. Helens threatened to
w’ipe the Pacific Northwest off the
face of the earth
1980 was certainly not a year of
prosperity. But things in Sandy
were generally favorable The city
m ade strid es tow ard continued
smooth
growth
with
its
com prehensive plan, a teacher
strike was averted in the Sandy-
E lem entary
D istrict
and
homebuilding continued to boom in
Sandy while declining elsewhere
Life in Sandy is not perfect, but
things are in a lot better shape here
than in most parts of the world Or
even the United States
Bring on 1981.
Tax vices to help balance budget
Gov. Vic Atiyeh is counting on
two p a rtic u la r vices to help
balance the budget he has
proposed to the 1981 legislature —
smoking and drinking
Atiyeh s
proposed
budget
includes substantial tax increases
in several areas He is looking, for
instance, for a 29 percent increase
in the money the state receives
from the personal income tax
during the next two years starting
in July 1981. He also expects
collections of corporate income
and excise taxes to rise, although
at a much smaller rate of slightly
more than 3 percent.
These impending tax increases
are largely due to continued
inflation, which will result in
Oregonians being paid more and
thus paying the state more in
income taxes without actually
gaining anything in purchasing
power (In the area of personal
income taxes. Atiyeh also proposes
legislative action to postpone the
so-called “ indexing” of the
personal exemption and to reduce
the state deduction of federal taxes
paid.)
Despite the added income-tax
revenue, the state government can
expect to be in bad shape in the
coming biennium State revenue is
expected to grow about 12 percent
from the current biennium, far
below the existing and expected
inflation ra te T h a t’s why the
g o v ern o rs
budget.
while
continuing
the
homeowner
property tax relief program .
envisions an increase in state basic
school support that falls short of
the legislative goal of meeting 40
percent of public-school costs.
Under these circum stances,
imagine how much worse off the
state would be if it weren’t for all
those unreformed drinkers and
smokers. Atiyeh s budget calls for
a 5-cent-per-pack increase in the
state cigarette tax. (Most of that
tax goes to the state general fund,
but counties and cities each get
one-ninth of the total.) The
cigarette tax would go from 9 to 14
cents under the governor’s
proposal. .And Atiyeh. banking on
the state's liquor monopoly, is
asking for a boost in the liquor
m arkup from the present 94
percent to 99 percent.
With the increased tax. cigarette
sales are expected to yield nearly
$79 million in state revenue in the
next two years, up more than 33
percent
from
the
cu rren t
biennium And with the liquor
price increase — averaging 25 to 50
cents on a fifth of liquor — the state
expects to get $82.5 million from
liquor sales.
Thus it appears that smokers
and d rin k ers will contribute
roughly $161 million to the state
treasury over the next two years
That may not sound like much
compared to the $2 4 billion in
personal income tax revenue, but
every little drink, and every little
puff of smoke, helps the state.
C a ro lin e OuH O ffic e M a n a g e r
M a rk Floyd Editor
Don D illon N ew s Editor
Letters to the editor:
Readers respond to Christmas events
Santa explains
When 1 came to Sandy Dec
6 and started my round>
again for the fifth year in the
Sandy business district, I did
so w ith my usual anticipation
that it would be a joyous
experience
But I've heard just a few
comments by people —
mothers of little kids, mostly
— that they resent the
practice of charging $4 to
have the children’s picture
taken w ith Santa Claus.
The project is a money
maker to help pay the ex
penses
of some Sandy
representatives to a con
ference in Anchorage. Alas,
where small-town booster
organizations can exchange
ideas for promoting their
towns It seemed like a good
idea.
Nevertheless, there
is.
quite apparently , some lack
of understanding of the
motive for this enterprise It
makes me awfully unhappy
if even one youngster, or one
parent, is resentful in this
Christmas season. A couple
erf times. I'v e seen the
problem in time to call a
youngster and parent over,
and assure them that it isn't
necessary to pay for a Santa
Claus picture — but I ’m sure
I didn’t catch them all.
I t ’s te rrib ly unfortunate —
although it
really
isn't
anyone's fault — if there is a
sour note in our Christmas
celebration in Sandy I want
to apologue for being in
volved in the cause of any
unhappiness and I
am
recommending to the Sandy
Area Merchants who sponsor
my sojourn in Sandy at
Christmastime, that they be
sure in future years that
there are “ no strings at
tached" to enjoyment of
Santa Claus by youngsters
and parents
Santa Claus
Kiwanis baskets
The
Sandy
Kiwanis
Christmas Basket project
ended Dec 20 with more than
125 fam ily households having
received food baskets and
presents A total of more
than 500 children and adults
were benefittea in the Sandy-
Bonng-Hoodland areas.
The project was tru ly a
community
effort.
The
Kiwanis Club annually ac
cepts the responsibility for
planning, administration and
expenditures for fre«h foods
As always, it asked and
received tremendous help
from
individuals
and
organizations of the com
munity. according to project
chairman A rt Prochaska
The students of the area
elementary schools and high
school responded w ith large
canned food drives. Their
efforts brought in more than
5.000 cans of food. More than
500 presents were needed to
provide one present for each
child and youth. Here again,
the people and the com
munity came through. There
was
an
abundance
of
beautifully wrapped presents
for infants and youths of all
ages Generous donations of
money were received from
individuals
and
organ
izations These contributions
are used each year to help
pay
for
perishables,
chickens.
fru it,
fresh
vegetables, margarine and
bread which are put in the
baskets.
Presents for the baskets
came from countless in
dividuals. church organiza
tions Sandy and Boring Fire
Departments, service organ
izations. and the Kiwanis
members and their wives.
Sandy Kiwanis president
Frank Happold said “ without
the complete support of the
community, we just couldn’t
get the job done.”
The Sandy Masons con
tributed the use of their
dining hall for the week it
took to assemble the baskets,
and the Mt. Hood Mudders
helped make deliveries to
remote
places, a most
valuable contribution to the
project.
Sandy
Kiwanis
Club
members wish to thank all
the people, organizations,
and business firm s who
helped, many of whom are
not mentioned above. I t was,
indeed, a community effort.
Dale E. Nicholls
Sandy Kiwanis Club
public relations chairman
Stove tax foe
Well. I ’ve heard it all now
L ittle by little these ecology
people are making my world
safer and safer for me But
they can stop anytime
The minute I heard about
putting a tax on my wood
stove, I really got mad. Our
forefathers had their tea tax;
well. I just discovered my
own tea tax with this latest
gim m ick by the Environ
mental Bully-Boys. They put
a halo over their heads, say
it's fo r the “ public good” and
that seems to be enough.
They can talk until they’re
red in the face about the
particulate count in the air.
But I ’ll never agree that
burning wood in my stove is
hazardous. These people are
on a power trip. They get
turned on over telling us
what we can or can’t do.
The
greatest
problem
these extremists have is
justifying the bankroll they
request year after year. So
no m atter what, keep telling
the public the "sky is falling”
even if it isn’t.
I go on record as being
against such legislation. The
cost of a telegram to the
governor may alert him to
the folly of such a tax or ban.
I ’m outraged at these
pompous know-it-alls trying
to invade my home With
such arrogance, they’ll want
to tax the commode in my
bathroom next.
Ralph A. Sandereock Jr.
Sandy
LETTERS POLICY:
The Post asks that all
letters to the editor be
typed, double-spaced and
signed, [leadline is noon.
Tuesday. Letters should
be ac cu ra te, free of
libelous remarks and in
good
taste.
This
newspaper attempts to
publish all
letters it
receives and may edit
material lightly to con
form
to
guidelines.
M axim um length is 200
words.
— Albany-Democrat Herald
The Innocent Bystander:
A few stories to remember
Here once again, as preordained as the
return of the flu virus to Capistrano, is that
annual media event — The Story of the
Year
The year began with the ruthless, power-
mad Russians sending M.OOC troops into
Afghanistan to prop up an inefficient un-
regune This incredibly barbaric act was
condemned by all leaders of the free world,
including former Vietnamese Prem ier
Thieu. who said he didn’t think it would work
in Afghanistan either
This was followed by a more happy note
when the Fashion Foundation of American
selected Pope John Paul II as the world's
best-dressed man Unfortunately, however,
the Pope Look never quite caught on, being
overshadowed by punk vinyl pants, preppy
Weejun loafers and J.R western hats
Nevertheless, the Pope went right on
wearing what he thought was right
It was a great year, though, for bringing
things to the surface Emerging from the
underground were Abbie Hoffman. Carolyn
Wilkerson. Bemardine Dohm and 16.2 cubic
miles of volcanic ash from Mount St Helens
Other disasters that leap to mind include
the Italian earthquake, the Midwest drought
and the ascension of Strom. Thurmond to the
chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary
Committee
It was a had year for the Hunt brothers
and Henry Kissinger Herbert and Bunker
Hunt lost S9 billion on silver futures and Dr
Kissinger backed for the GOP nomination,
in chronological order. Governor to n a lly .
Senator baser Ambassador Bush and very
lastly. Ronald Reagan This shows you how
good our foreigh policy advisers are at
picking winners
Others who didn t do too well at picking
winners were the Gang of Four who backed
the Cultural Revolution; United Arts, which
backed ‘ Heavens G ate;” and Colonel
Khaddaf;. who becked B illy Carter
It was a mixed year for sex After a
decade and more of the Sexual Revolution,
sex finally lost, the newest craze among the
“ w ith it ” people being celibacy The Moral
M ajority has not yet taken an official
position on the practice of celibacy between
consenting adults So it may be fun
Wall Street report:
Right wing teed off at Reagan pick
On the other hand, a study of pigs in
dicated that those which jogged were
“ happier, more energetic” and presumably
sexier than those which didn’t The study ,
however, raised two questions: (1> Who
wants to have sex with a sweaty pig and (2>
how do you get a pig to wear a tank top and
Adidas?
Speaking of sex. D r W illiam Schockley
was named Father of the Year after he
announced he had donated to a sperm bank
for Nobel laureates Another laureate,
though, was sued for divorce after he told
his spouse. "N o t to n ig h t honey, I gave at
the office ”
Speaking of the economy, which we have
to whether we like it or not. President
Carter, after three years of trying, at last
managed to bring on a recession It didn't do
any good Money was tight, loose, tight and
occasionally disappeared altogether
New faces emerging out of nowhere in
cluded Yoda, a genetically engineered, oil-
eating bacteria , and Rosie Run
As the year ground slowly to a close.
Carter was still in the White House, if just
barely, the Iranians were demanding we
drop $24 billion in small, unmarked bills for
the hostages, and a public relations man
was putting together a 10-minute vigil for
Colonel Sanders during which, according to
his press release, ' all that w ill be heard is
the crunch of the Colonel’s E xtra Crispy’
chicken ”
On the bright side, scientists at Animal
f >ptics. Inc developed rose-colored contact
lenses for chickens that prevented them
from pecking each other to death Let us
hope scientists w ill soon do as much for us
an end to the fixed-commission rates
that had been a cozy Wall Street
standby fo r two centuries And he
has lately enraged the banks
themselves by his bold entry —
through such devices as money-
m arket
funds
and
cash-
management accounts — into areas
they had considered their own
protected tu rf
Two men destined for top posts in
the Reagan adm inistration had a
private golf game last month, and —
in between the drives and putts —
their chief topic of conversation was
who the President-elect should
oose as Secretary of the Treasury
One of the men. old friends in their
60s. was W illiam J. Casey, now
named as Director of the CIA but on
this day still functioning p rim a rily
as Reagan s successful campaign
manager The other was Donald T.
Regan, chairman of M e rrill Lynch
and — as the No 1 man of Wall
Street's No. 1 firm — a key to good
w ill for the new administration in
the national and international
financial communities
Casey volunteered that the job
would probably go again to form er
Treasury Secretary W illiam Simon,
if he wanted it. but that others were
s till being considered, including
economist Alan Greenspan
Regan had a mixed reaction
Given the present disorderly state of
the economy and its financial
markets, he said, it was essential
that the President-elect pick an
experienced articulate manager for
the
Treasury
post
Thus,
presumably, Simor wouid qualify
But. Regan went on. under no cir-
cumstan' e> should the assignment
go to a theorist an ideologue or a
professional economist
Regan has taken Regan's advice
— suggesting that not just their
names, but their thinking, are alike
— but he has done so in a way the
M e rrill Lynch boss may not have
had in mind he has named Don
Regan himself to be the new ad
m inistration's chief financial of
ficer
It is a provocative and already -
controversial choice Some Reagar
loyalists protest that Regan is
(horrors' not a hard-line political
partisan
i Given the bipartisan
mess that has been made of the
American economy of late, this
scarcely constitutes a capital of
fense.) Others, of various per
suasions, see Reagan the innocent
middle-Amencan
country
boy
seduced by a p illa r of the dark and
conspiratorial Wall Street establish
ment (They don’t know either
man I
Don Regan, as it happens is about
as typical of Wall Street as Hank
Aaron is typical of baseball player«.
Regans
immense
success
in
building and broadening M e rrill
Lynch has come as a highly un
conventional maverick He is hardly
characteristic of, or beloved by. the
financial industry's traditionalists
Indeed I commented to him,
during one of is appearances as my
guest on “ Wall Street Week," that he
must sometimes feel lonely in those
precincts as one who actually
bebeved in free-enterprise, com
petitive capitalism
Consider some of the powerful
enemies this feisty ex-Marine made
in pursuing the cause of authentic,
untraditional competition:
He antagonized the most en
trenched interests on the New York
Stock Exchange, the “ specialists”
who make the market in each in
dividual stock, by urging that they
be replaced by a computerized
“ national market system” to which
all investors and market-makers
would have access At a time when
moat
brokerage
executives
regarded the view as little short of
treason he campaigned actively for
That all this has. ui the end, been
good for M e rrill Lynch is precisely
the point A more aggressive and
innovatice approach to private
competition would be good for
America, too — and would contrast
vivid ly with existing government
policies that penalize the successful
and bail out the failures
Nor should anyone assume that
Regan is a narrow fellow ill-
equipped for the infighting of
political Washington He already
has made clear his view on the
immediate desirability of both tax
cuts and spending cuts ( “ you can’t
have one without the other” ), and he
has long understood that problems
such as today's crushing interest
rates and looming capital shortages
cannot be isolated from govern
ment's uncontrolled spending (As
he once put it to me, “ I f the
government cuts back on its desires,
there w ill be enough capital to go
around " )
AU in aU, then, that was s pretty
interesting golf game last month