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About Vernonia freedom. (Vernonia, Oregon) 1978-198? | View Entire Issue (July 23, 1981)
Page 2—Vernonia Freedom Thursday July 23,1981 announcements Editorial HB 2620 controversy erupts over proposals by Dennis Dobson It is becoming apparent that House Bill 2620, ammending the manner in which royalty income from the Mist gas wells is disbursed, hasn’t a snow ball’s chance in Hades of getting passed during the current session of the legislature. After passing, in its currently ammended form, two House of Representative fiscal committees by unanimous votes and passing the House by an overwhelming majority of 48-1, instead of passing the Senate it is going to be nibbled to death by the confusion a new set of proposals being pushed by our erstwhile State Senator, Charles Hanlon, is likely to produce. During the last several days Hanlon and his aides have been contacting among others, local media representatives, county commissioners, plain citizens and school district superintendents with still another “new” set of proposals. Already supporters of HB 2620 are crying ‘Foul!’ Briefly, Hanlon say?, due to a legal error in the language of HB 2620 as it currently stands counties would lay themselves open to law suits from their various taxing districts if they attempted to disperse any funds under its provisions. As a result, Hanlon says, he proposes that the counties keep all of the funds generated by mineral resource exploitation and that up to a maximum of 20 percent of those funds be earmarked for dispersal to the impacted areas. Those funds, he continues, would then be disbursed by the county to the impacted areas on a quarterly basis and overseen by the county auditor while the interest those funds gather once invested would be split up among the county’s taxing districts under the provisions of the existing formula, in effect still rewarding governmental indebtedness and penalizing thrifty taxing districts and that these proceeds, both principal and interest, be paid out quarterly instead of yearly or bi-yearly and that these proposed amendments become effective for the 1981-82 fiscal year, currently under way. In effect, quarterly pay-out limits the amount of profit realized as interest by any of the taxing districts through investing the money. At first glance these appear to 25th Annual Friendship Jamboree July 24,25,26 Vernonia, Oregon F R I E N D S H I P SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Friday JULY 24 8 pm - Queen’s Coronation - Washington Grade School 7 pm -2am- Chamber of Commerce Beer Garden - Live Music Saturday JULY 25 9 am - Arts and Crafts Show - Masonic Hall 10 am - Road Run - Sponsored by Vernonia Market Place 10:30 am - Parade 12 noon - Children’s Pet Show - School Grounds 1 pm - Black Powder Rendezvous - Sword’s firing range 1 pm - Gymnastic demonstration - VHS gym 2 pm - Hamburger Eating Contest - Pine Cone Restaurant 2 pm - Horse Games - Anderson Park 6 pm - Arts and Crafts Show closes 7 pm - 2 am - Chamber of Commerce Beer Garden - Live Music Sunday JULY 26 7 am -11 am - Logger’s Breakfast - Rebecca’s Hall 10 am - Open Air Church Services - VHS Football I Field 10 am - Arts and Crafts Show - Masonic Hall' 12 noon - Logging Show 1:30 pm - Greased Pig contest 2:30 pm - Tae-Kwon-Do Demonstration - Martial Arts 5 pm - Arts and Crafts Show closes constitute a fair settlement of an issue that has plagued the area for a year now. Unfortunately, it is likely just a smoke screen intended to hide an attempt to bring the whole question quietly to its knees. According to Senator Hanlon’s opposition, including two of HB 2620’s most active advocates; County Commissioner Marian Sahagian and Mist Rural Fire Protection Board Chairman Art Laubach, Hanlon’s proposal differs so little from the original proposal contained in HB 2620 as to be unrecognizably different. That original bill went down in resounding defeat, generating the current ammendment, primarily because local school districts, notably Scappoose and St. Helens, feared that county control of the money and any change in the disbursal formula would seriously hurt their fiscal positions. Those supporting HB 2620 are afraid that the confusion generated by this “muddying of the waters” will assure no action before an already harrassed legislature adjourns for this session. They also believe that in the event this proposal can be brought before the Senate Revenue Committee before adjournment, as Hanlon assures it can, unlikely as they are currently wrestling with the state budget, it will get killed when it is sent back to the House for a vote. Killed, they believe, by the same Organizations and for the same reasons that it was stopped cold the last time these virtually identical amendments were proposed. “He’s trying to sandbag this thing,” Sahagian said. “What’s more, I’m surprised he (Hanlon) is trying to pass this off as a new idea,” she added. As recently as last Friday Senator Hanlon was willing to go on record as saying that his opposition to HB 2620 was based soley upon the “overwhelming opposition” to it that he had encountered on the part of the elected representatives of the area, primarily, he said, from city councils and school districts throughout Columbia County. All the while, however, he was ignoring a stack of letters and numerous phone calls he has received from many groups and individuals within the county supporting HB 2620 as currently amended. Those going on record as supporting the bill include two local newspapers, the strong and constant THANKS Thank you for the cards, letters and expressions of love in sympathy for Rita Shipley. The Shipley Family THANK YOU The family of Ruby E. Elliott wish to thank all the neighbors and friends for the comfort and concern shown us in our recent loss. Mr. and Mrs. Merlen L. Robertson Mr. and Mrs. M.A. Dutch Bingham Mr. and Mrs. Norman E. Bingham 1971 GRADUATES PLAN REUNION The Vernonia High School graduating class of 1971 will hold it’s 10 year class reunion August 22, 1981, at the home of Rick and Shelly Curt It will be a potluck affair from 3 pm to 8 pm. The class will also be inviting classmates from previous years and teachers. For more information, contact Marilyn Landers at 429-4543. FREEDOM DEADLINES CHANGE All ads and stories for the July 30 issue only must be submitted no later than Friday, July 24 at 5 pm. Classified ads will be accepted until noon on July 27. Call 429-8111 to leave messages. CHURCH NEWS Dr. Leo M. Thornton, President of Western Evangelical Seminary, Portland, Oregon will speak at the Community Worship Service, which is held annually at the football field on Sunday, July 26 at 10 am. Dr. Thornton has been with the Seminary since 1958 and has served as Vice President and Executive Vice President. He was a Chaplain and Civil Affairs Officer (LTC) in the U.S. Army Reserves (retired November 1976) and has served three terms as an Oregon State Representative. On the national level he serves as President of the Christian Holiness Association and as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Evangelicals. The community service is sponsored by the Vernonia Ministerial Association comprised of six participating churches. Everyone is welcome. Continued On Page 14 RIDES, FOOD, ARTIFACT CONCESSIONS ALL 3 DAYS ] Please renew my subscription to the Vernonia Freedom □ Please enroll me as a new subscriber to the Vernonia Freedom | Vernonia Freedom Published weekly in Vernonia Oregon, 97064, on Thursdays at 825 Bridge St. Serving The Upper Nehalem Valley. Phone 4298114. Subscriptions, $8 per year. Deadlines for copy and classified advertising: Monday at 5 pm for the following Thursday's paper. Deadline for display advertising: Friday for normal material and Monday for afterweekend copy. ; Second-Class Postage Paid at Vernonia, OR 97064, Publication No. 474-690. POSTMASTER: send address changes, to Vernonia Freedom. 825 Bridge St., Vernonia, OR 97064. Dennis Dobson........................................................... • • • • publisher-editor Ann Dobson................... ;_____ . . r............... publisher-business manager MEMBER 429-8111 ■ Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association (2) One year—$8 (2) Two years—$15 (2) One year senior citizen (over 65)—$5 Mame ■ ________ -__________________ _____ Street _______ ______ _____ _____________ City_____________ , _____________________ Mail payment to: Vernonia Freedom 825 Bridge St. Vernonia, OR 97064
