TO THE EDITOR
CORPORATE CARETAKING
When State Rep. Pat Farr expressed satis-
faction that a bill had passed signaling that
“Oregon is open for business,” you might
have thought the bill funded the repair of
Oregon bridges, or education for the work-
force, or adequate policing of our crowded
highways. No, Farr was happy that he had
voted for yet another round of tax breaks for
corporations.
How likely are these monies to return to
our state and contribute to the common good?
According to the Legislative Revenue Office
analysis, the bill Farr supported (HB 3813) is
expected to produce 21 new jobs in Oregon at
a cost of more than $300,000 per job!
Farr sits on the House Revenue
Committee. Is this committee’s job raising
revenue or giving it away? Farr has talked
about his concern for workers who have a
hard time finding and keeping family wage
jobs in Lane County. There are many ways
that state revenue might help working fami-
lies and also signal that Oregon encourages
socially responsible businesses to locate here.
I doubt so-called corporate incentives are
the way to go. Farr needs to examine tax
loopholes for additional funding rather than
make such loopholes bigger and more nu-
merous!
Erik Muller
Eugene
HUMAN DIGNITY
It will be a grand day when our society de-
mands more respect for our sisters, daughters
and mothers. The provocative imagery cur-
rently on two billboard ads for Bud Light
along the Highway 105 freeway in
Springfield is offensive to me as a father,
brother and son.
Certainly, in this example and countless
others, our communities can demand more
positive imagery for citizens to reflect upon
other than the sexually exploitative depiction
of women. Let’s rewrite the script for human
potential and demand the best for all of
us.
Craig Satein
Eugene
THANKS, GEORGE
Thanks to President Bush’s tax cut, our
paycheck is a little fatter this month. We’re
pledging the increase to Howard Dean’s cam-
paign.
Ken and Priscilla Tollenaar
Eugene
PART OF THE SOLUTION?
Today I received a care package with a
copy of EW, dated May 22, 2003.
I am grateful for the support I get as an in-
dividual soldier here in Mosul, Iraq with the
Oregon National Guard. I was reading the let-
ters to the editor, and I am not sure I under-
stand all the facts and opinions expressed.
Here in Iraq the folks I have met so far
seem friendly. My Army unit is an engineer
battalion doing construction in the city. I am
not sure what long-term goals the U.S. has for
our official relationship with the good people
of Iraq.
Please do not sit around weakly writing
complaint letters. Try to offer some kind of
solution. I am not at home watching the
wheels turn, waiting for things to roll my
way. I hope I am part of the new freedom of
Iraq.
You can find out more about the Oregon
National Guard’s mission in Iraq on the
Internet.
Michael Coker
Mosul, Iraq
CRIMINAL ATTIRE
A short note to Laci Stevens (“Just Want a
Hoodie,” Letters, 6/26). Clerks are supposed
BY TONY CORCORAN
Grinding Out Policy
Sometimes it’s better to close the doors.
W
e only voted on one bill in the Senate on Friday, a memorial to a retired
general. We are four weeks away from the longest legislative session in
Oregon history and it ain’t lookin’ good. Senate President Peter Courtney,
House Speaker Karen Minnis, and Governor Teddy, are “inching toward each other” in
secret negotiations. Salem’s Statesman-Journal headlines, July 9: “Progress in budget
talks cited;” July 11: “Budget talk going nowhere.”
As I left the Capitol on Friday afternoon, Pat Egan — the governor’s legislative liai-
son, one of the few holdovers from the Kitzhaber regime, well trusted by Democrats
and Republicans — tells me that negotiations are going well again. But Sunday night,
as I write this, my caucus leader Kate Brown just phoned to tell me that negotiations
have been suspended.
This highlights a debate we’ve had in the building about public meetings laws and
secret negotiations and open vs. closed caucuses. The state’s big newspapers have
threatened to sue under Oregon’s “open meetings” law to allow the press to cover
these previously secret meetings. If you’ll remember, the Senate Democrats opened
their caucus to the press in the 2001 session; the other three caucuses remained
closed. But we were totally disingenuous; when Senate Democrats wanted to caucus
without the press in the room, we simply went to the governor’s conference room or
Kate’s office. I had to chuckle when one of our Lane County “open caucus” proponents
had to slither under a cubicle divider to avoid the press while leaving Kate’s office. I, of
course, being vertically challenged, didn’t have to duck.
I opposed opening the caucus. There are some discussions that can’t go on in
front of reporters and TV cameras; like it or not, legislators make public policy in a
political context. The two are never separated by more than six degrees. But I also
question the value of having three leaders try to come to an agreement in secrecy,
away from their own constituency. For example, Karen Minnis told Peter and Ted that
4 JULY 17, 2003
to be keeping an eye on everyone, but you
may be getting more than your share, yeah,
because you look like you could be a profes-
sional shoplifter. Professional shoplifters
often wear baggy clothing because they can
put seven or eight items of clothing under
them and have the theft not show. If this hap-
pened to you recently, it may not have any-
thing to do with your facial piercings, but it
may have a lot to do with your baggy cloth-
ing. Right now is one of the peak seasons for
professional shoplifting. (Christmas season is
another.)
Margaret Weller
Eugene
OPPORTUNITY FIRST
If you read sports sections, you probably
have seen articles about women’s sports and
how the continued existence of their pro
leagues is in jeopardy. However, perhaps the
most shocking was the recent article in The
Oregonian on NASCAR’s new line of
women’s merchandise — hoping that fashion
will bring in more women fans. All I can say
is I’ll start supporting NASCAR when men
begin to support the WNBA, which needs the
help much more.
To put it nicely, women’s pro leagues are
in serious trouble. They’re losing fans, and
with them, money and TV coverage. But per-
she had full authority to bargain on behalf of her caucus. The Senate Democrats told
Peter Courtney explicitly that he did not have such authority. (We expect him to
bring back proposals to our caucus and get a vote count.) So, in reality, neither the
House Democrats nor the Senate Republicans are represented in this
bargaining. Teddy, of course, as the executive branch, can bargain for
himself.
E
from a select group of 50 Salem insiders — lobbyists,
staffers, reporters, and downstate legislators — to grade
lawmakers on brains, integrity, diligence and clout. Senators
Kurt Schrader and Kate Brown got excellent scores, which they de-
serve. In the House, Max Williams got the only “excellent” rating, well
deserved. He’s honest, bright, hard working — a moderate Republican, if
there is such a thing — with a sense of humor. Max wants a tax reform package and he
and three of his moderate colleagues — Ben Westlund, Rob Patridge, and Lane Shetterly
— have at least started the discussion. Their first tax package involved imposing a
statewide sales tax, cutting capital gains taxes, cutting the estate tax, a refundable
earned income tax credit, and decreasing the income tax rates. My good friends at the
Oregon Center for Public Policy point out that this proposal would raise taxes for the
bottom fifth of Oregon households by $227 a year; raise taxes for middle-income
Oregonians by $130 a year; and lower taxes for the richest 1 percent of Oregonians by
$20,957 a year.
Oops! But at least it’s a start. Tim Nesbitt of the AFL-CIO actually believes we can
come up with a sales tax package that treats working poor and middle-class folks fair-
ly. But my point is: at least Max and the Usual Suspects, and Tim Nesbitt, deserve cred-
it for trying. As reported in The Oregonian, Max quoted Winston Churchill on this mat-
ter: “It is better to fail in a noble effort than to perish by slow paralysis and windy agi-
tation.”
And believe me, the wind has been blowing hard lately in Salem. All the conserva-
tives have to offer is Gary George’s insulting “Tax Me More” fund.
And you wonder why there are two parties?
Sen. Tony Corcoran of Cottage Grove represents portions of Lane and Douglas counties in Senate District 4, which
includes the UO area. He can be reached at sen.tonycorcoran@state.or.us