The Srfndy Post
Editorial & Opinion
City’s help for business timely
I t ’s tim ely the way 30 business
leaders approached Sandy City
Council last week for help in ad
dressing business deficiencies
here.
Business now is slow, of course.
The eve of a critical municipal
operating levy also provides a
dram atic stage. City officials
need business support to pass this
n o -frills m aintenance budget
squeezed into a basic A levy. The
business community needs sup
port of city hall, too, to showcase
their shops boldly enough to stay
competitive on a fast one-way
road out of town.
Von Broschler Publisher
Corolme Duff. Office Monoger
SANDY, O REG O N , THURSDAY AAARCH 25
Just keep P ushin, Mac/
.there's a station
Somewhere up ahead...
The city warrants support to get
its dollars to operate Tuesday. Of
ficials ask only what it costs to
keep city government and its ser
vices alive. The business district
warrants support from city hall
for cash flow, too. They ask only
m inimal cooperation to help keep
shops and their services alive.
As
C o u n c ilm a n
Deane
Wesselink said, city government
“ may have to do some flexing to
help some of these businesses ”
Relaxing the c ity ’s stringent
sign ordinance when reviewed
soon would be a cooperative step
in the right direction.
Don Dillon Editor
Scott Newton. News Editor
1982
H I
M
O
YOUR DRIVER IS
I- LOST '
County levy profits city taxpayer
Sandy taxpayers would profit
twice by passage of a county levy
to fund operation of city-run
senior citizen centers.
First, they’d spread financial
support of the local senior center
on shoulders of all potential users
in the county, realistic to the
broad service boundaries of such
community centers as that in San
dy or Hoodland.
Also, Sandy taxpayers would
profit by a happy $54,000 surplus
in the c ity ’s tight budget before
voters Tuesday, i* the county levy
replaces city funding.
Most happy, however, would be
area senior citizens who utilize
such local centers. Funding under
the county levy would be more
generous and constant than under
present municipal financing. (The
cities would continue to manage
their local centers.)
In this age of declining federal
support and sparce local funds,
survival may be more on minds of
local senior center supporters
than program growth. And when
you consider 60 percent of county
seniors older than 70 subsist below
poverty level, survival may be the
best word to describe center sup
port services
Local services include keeping
seniors active, fed, housed and
functioning with legal and finan
cial help, health care and rides
The new funding level would allow
one
two new staff members,
since more hands are needed to
help with rides and organization
of activities.
The three-year serial levy asks
22 cents per thousand ($11 on a
$50,000 home). That would give
Sandy’s center $67,585 to $82,603
annually over three years to
operate its center.
A “ Yes’’ vote is urged at the
polls Tuesday.
Salem_ scene:
Party f wer swing likely
by JACK Z IM M E R M A N
Associated Oregon Industrie*
Although its membership won't be deter
mined for another eight months, many
observers believe the next Oregon
legislature will differ significantly from
the body currently struggling with affairs
of this state
Numbers of would be candidates seek
ing nomination in May have added fuel to
the s p e c u la tio n f ir e
A fte r fin a l
withdrawals and disqualifications, a total
of 226 candidates emerged from both par
ties An even hundred Democrats and tw
Republicans wish to become candidates
for the (Hi seats in the House (tí Represen
tatives On the Senate side, 22 Democrats
and IX Republicans will vie for 15 posi
tions
Although far from a record number of
p r im a r y c a n d id a te s , the to ta l la
significantly greater than the 211 filing two
years ago
Another factor boding change is the fact
«2 incumbents sought re-election in nwo
and only 56 wish to succeed themselves
this year Further, 46 candidates had no
primary election competition two years
ago This year only eight primary races
are uncontented
Another ingredient for spec ulation about
change was the uncommon criticism
heaped on the 61st Assembly from without
and within Seldom has a legislature suf
fered ns many barbs from press, public
and Its own members
House Speaker Hardy Myers declared
early last year he would not seek a third
term in the lower chamber Given the fact
at least seven new member* will be sitting
in the next Senate, a long rumored
challenge to Senate Pres Fred Heard s
leadership could succeed
Resignations by chairmen of both Senate
and House Revenue (ommittees will have
an impact on the next Assembly par
ticularly with forecasts the economy won't
recover sufficiently to provide adequate
state and local government financing
without overhauling the tax structure
Then there's the question of party
supremacy Senate Democrats have en
joyed numerical superiority since I »56 and
House D em ocrats since l»72, both
representing record long tenure* The only
previous period in Oregon history when
f>emorrata outnumber ed Republicans was
during 19.15 17
Republicans are making no hone* atmut
a prMsilality of overhauling the House ma
Joeity this year and making serious in
roads in Senate number* Fhey pm their
hope* on number* of GOP candidate* this
yaar There are «7, compared Io only «2 in
IW )
They ai«o point (a the narrowing margin
between partisan volar registrations Of
the current < January) total 1,446.Mg
registered voters 710,141 are Democrat*
Legislative Report from the Slate Capital
E X C L U S IV E Io Oregon * Weekly Newspa
per* from A ssociated O regon In d u s trie*
532,000 are Republicans and 200.207 are in
dependent and others A year ago the
Democrat total was 766,115 Total GOP
registration was 551,763 and all others was
211,01»
The disparity, following the September
purge and subsequent registrations, dip
ped from 214,352 a year ago to 166,141 GOP
leaders natural predict greater success for
their candidates, as the Democrat edge
declines
The D e m o c ra t n u m b e rs in the
6b member House were 33, when that par
ty assumed control m I »72 The number
rose to a high of 36 in l»74 The GOP since
ha* steadily whittled at the Democrat m a
jority, until the numbers dipped once more
in I960 to the 33 27 imbalance posted 10
years ago
The current Democrat majority is con
s ld e re d
e x tre m e ly
tenuous,
as
demonstrated consistently during both
regular and special sessions of the 61st
Assembly Then, conservative member* of
the ruling party teamed with Republicans
on many significant issues The GOP even
hints about possible coalition control in
I »63, if their numbers expand by even one
or two members
Coalition also is hinted as a possibility in
the JOmember Senate after November
balloting While the present Democrat ma
Jonty is considerable 22 to 6 seven seats
will change hands with redistricting and
failure of incumbents to seek re election .
Sis Democrat Senator* did not file to sue
re ed th e m s e lv e s , w h ile only one
Republican chose not to run again Six
former House members split evenly by
party affiliatio n -are seeking Senate
status Four are women, with party affilia
tiona split evenly Five of the six departing
Democrat Senators are part of that
chamber’s urban bloc, so election results
could produce unparalleled changes.
Balloting also could elevate GOP
numbers to 12, equal Io the split that pro
ducod a coalition leader in 1973 Even with
12 more, the GOP would move perioualy
close to the 16-14 split that produced coali
tlon leadership in 196» 71
While little is certain at this point in
campaigns barely off the ground the
greatest certainty appears that voters are
in (or an uncommon amount of persuasive
activity between now and te time their last
ballots are counted next November
Letters to the editor:
School, candidates and tax draw focus
Flex attendance
I am a student at Sandy
Union High, and I am con
cerned about the atten
dance policy Parents want
the school to crack down on
attendance, I don't think
it's fair on the teachers,
because they have to spend
too much tim e w riting
notices to parents
That's not their job
Their job is to teach the
students, who go to class to
learn. If you force students
to go to class, all they will
do is make it hard for other
students to learn, because
the teacher will have to
stop class to discipline
them That’s not why the
teacher is there
I think it's the parents
who should do something, if
their kids are skipping
classes not the school
Parents should call, if
they're concerned This
could save the school some
money and the teachers ex
tra work they're not paid to
had served conscientiftus •
on the budgqt board, this
year as its chairperson.
In this capacity she
demonstrated a unique
ability to openly consider a
variety of options and
make difficult decisions
I have served w ith
Dorothy Mills in a variety
of civic responsibilities and
have been especially im
pressed with her skilled
ability to question and
thereby gather inform a
tion
She also o ffe rs
positive leadership, pep
pered with a sense of
humor, that truly helps
unite a group and effort
Dorothy Mills is an ac
tive grade school parent,
responsible civic worker
and fo rm er educators
With her candidacy we
have the opportunity to
place on the board a per
son, who understands the
full scope of the district’s
program and business
Joanne Seeger
Boring
do
Tony Cleland
Brightwood
Support Mills
D orothy M ills lx an
outstanding candidate for
Poaition 5 of the Sandy
Elementary School Board
For the past four years she
For Otto
It is imperative that we
elect Glenn Otto to the Mt
Hood Community College
hoard Tuesday.
Because of the slump in
the economy, all public
agencies will he asked to
make cuts in programs in
cluding Mt Hood We need
someone like Glenn Otto to
sec that there are not un-
duecuts in the vocational or
technical areas
Vocational or technical
programs tend to be more
expensive than other pro
grams They also are more
rewarding in providing im
mediate employment to
graduates
In voting for the Mt
Hood hoard, please con
sider the valuable insights
Glenn Otto can provide
during difficult times
D G Page
Gresham
That’s why I urge voters
of the Mt. Hood Community
College District to elect
Glenn Otto to the board.
Glenn Otto is a respected
veteran of the Oregon
House.
As a representative of
the MHCC board, he can
speak even more authority
for the community col
leges As both a respected
v e te ra n
and
board
representative, he can play
a key role in setting
legislative and financial
priorities
Elm er Summerfield
Gresham
Also for Otto
Nix sales tax
Mt
Hood Community
College faces a legislative
and financial crisis, as the
state of Oregon strives to
balance its budget
When the legislature
made it possible in the
l»6<)s for local areas to
establish community col
leges, it promised to pro
vide significant operational
support State support of
operations for community
colleges has dwindled in re
cent years
Legislatures need to be
reminded of this historical
commitment and receive a
first hand understanding of
problems that face com
munity colleges
The Republican Party
again has proved their ad
miration for sales tax by
recent endorsement of this
unfair tax at Dorchester
Conference
This regressive form of
taxation repeatedly has
been rejected by Oregon
Democrats Unlike most
political issues in this state,
the party lines are drawn
clearly on this subject.
California has a sales
tax, and their citizens
carry a heavy tax burden
The state of Washington
has a sales tax. and their
form of taxation is among
the most regressive in the
mation It has not kept that
state from going broke.
The main argument for a
sales tax is an alleged
s ta b ility it b ring s to
revenue collection Such
stability, however, is il
lusory in a declinin g
economy. In addition, the
sales tax is the cruelest
tax, since an unemployed
m ill w orker or senior
citizen on limited fixed in
come pays the same tax
rate as a wealthy person
We can accomplish the
same thing in Oregon with
a large “ prudent person
reserve fund“ to cushion
e ffe c ts
of
p e rio d ic
economic recession We
shouldn't be like the state
of Washington, which must
depend upon a good
Christmas shopping season
to balance the state budget
Those who advocate a
sales tax as a replacement
for property taxes also
should be reminded this
scheme won’t lower the
total tax bill—only remove
local control of local pro
p e rty
ta x -s u p p o rte d
government The sales tax
dramatically would shift
power to state government
in Salem away from the
people
Dell Isham,
Senate majority leader
Grattan Kerans,
House majority leader
Personally speaking:
Substitute teachers have rough time
I recently overheard an SUHS
student talking about a substitute
teacher who's “ in her 40» but acts
like an old lady .“
As a group, suhatitute teachers
do have it rough Everyone, it
seems, has a story to tell about a
substitute teacher that was
tormented
I remember Mrs Jeppers
When I was a freshman tensions
between Mrs Jeppers and the
students reached a crescendo.
The hand director, we called
him Wacky Wendell, was out of
town The caste system was still
pretty much if effect in 1970, and
the freshmen were told to remain
seated while the juniors and
seniors traded instruments
By the time I was a senior the
hand had earned 21 consecutive 1
ratings at state music contests
( I played the tuba, by the way
Wacky Wendell said I had the lips
for it)
So when Mrs Jeppers began to
direct that day she knew we
weren't playing as well as we
could
And n o th in g , a b s o lu te ly
nothing sounds worse than a
large, out-of-tune hand
She put up with the ad libs and
loud blasts for about 10 minutes,
and then she exploded
It didn't do any good Maybe
Straight Arrow Mary in the drum
section wore her scowl a little
tighter, hut most of us were hav
whose class'* Rudiculous '
The other thing he used to say
was, “ Oh Steve and Dennis, why
don’t you just grow your hair and
join a rock band “
Interestingly enough, that's
just what they did
A n yw ay, a fte r five m ore
minutes Mrs Jeppers got mad a
second time
by SCOTT NEWTON
ing a good time.
Class with Wacky Wendell, you
see. was a pretty disciplined af
fair, although it. too. had its
moments
W acky W en dell had two
favorite sayings when I was in
school When someone would do
something stupid, which was fair
ly often. Wacky Wendell would
say. “ riudiculous “
That was a favorite saying
round Chaparral High School in
Anthony, Kan “ You enrolled in
After a short lecture, she told
us that she was going to turn her
hack and allow us to go hack to
the sections that we belonged in.
If the band didn't sound better
after that, she threatened to take
down the name of each student
and where that student was sit
ting
We all thought the party was
over But no. There was one
brave person, a senior, who
decided to stay in the drum sec
tion
Brad was a good trumpet
player, and an even better
debater He was smooth, and that
“ cool under pressure" has served
him well more than once
Brad was having a good time
The band was sounding better,
which just accented his creative
bass drumming that much more
By this time Mrs Jeppers.
much to our delight, was really
mad It was important to her that
she be in control
Finally she stopped the hand
with a wild swirl of the baton She
looked Brad nght in the eye and
said, “There are still some people
who have not moved back to their
respective sections I think the
bass drum m er’s music might he
different from what I have I'd
like to hear just the percussion
section play ”
Everyone snickered “ Brad's
really going to get in trouble
now," someone whispered
Straight-Arrow M ary really
stretched her frown Tim id Tom
my, the regular bass drummer,
tried to fade into the woodwork
The entire hand focused in or
Brad as Mrs. Jeppers raised her
baton
To everyone's amazement he
not only played the part perfect
ly, he played it with authority,
just as Wacky Wendell had been
trying to get Tim id Tommy to do
for years
After a few stanzas Mrs. Jep
pers cut the percussion section
off The room was silent. “ Now.
the entire hand. ' was all that was
said as she raised the baton
Brad handed the drumstick to
Timid Tommy and slipped into
his vacant chair in the trumpet
section The rest of the rehearsal
was pretty well structured
And it seems to me, although it
may have just been my imagine
tion, that Timid Tommy played
with Just a little more authority
after that.