PAGE A4, KEIZERTIMES, JUNE 1, 2018
KeizerOpinion
KEIZERTIMES.COM
Treat the cause,not the symptom
Here’s a challenge: think of a press-
ing social problem that is being solved
rather than having its symptons treated
by groups both public and private. A
person would be hard pressed to think
of any social problem whose origins
are addressed and attacked frontally.
In America we collec-
tively pat ourselves on the
back for doing ‘something’
about domestic violence,
about homlessness, about
opiod use. But that ‘some-
thing’ is generally treating
only the symptoms. Both
the public and the private
sectors should identify
people with vision and leadership who
will lead campaigns to address the un-
derlying causes of our social ills. It is
fi ne to set up a non-profi t organization
and establish shelters and programs, but
the cycle will continue ad infi nitum
until the root causes of opiod abuse,
homeless, domestic violence and oth-
ers are addressed.
The challenge with the homeless
issue is that there are as many reasons
for homelessness as there are home-
less persons. We must be clear about
the difference between a person who
is homeless and a person who is shel-
terless. Everyone should have a per-
manent home, the critical issue is
those who sleep in vehicles, parks and
doorways—the extremely vulnerable
homeless population.
Among the many things that fuel
our homeless population, mental
health issues and fi nancial insecurity
are major. According to the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Ad-
ministration, 20 to 25 percent of the
homeless population in the United
States suffers from some form of severe
mental illness. In comparison, only
6 percent of Americans are severely
mentally ill.
When combined with inadequate
hygiene due to homelessness, this may
lead to physical problems. Half of the
mentally ill homeless population in
the United States also suffer from sub-
stance abuse and dependence.
This combination of mental ill-
ness, substance abuse, and poor physi-
cal health makes it diffi cult for people
to obtain employment and residential
stability.
Better coordination with mental
health service providers is one of the
top three items needed to combat
homelessness. Many homeless people
with severe mental illnesses are will-
ing to accept treatment and services.
Outreach programs are more successful
when workers establish a trusting rela-
tionship through continued contact with
the people they are trying to help.
Homeless people with mental ill-
nesses are more likely to
recover and achieve resi-
dential stability if they have
access to supported hous-
ing programs.
We don’t want to make
people more comfortable
in their homelessness, we
want these people to fi nd
sustainable,
permanent
housing.
Though experts say the American
economy is humming along nicely
there is still a large number of citizens
who are underemployed or earning
less than what is needed to properly
house and feed themselves Many times,
through no fault of their own, people
may fi nd themselves without a roof
over their head. Today’s tight hous-
ing market makes it diffi cult for those
wanting to enter the world of renting.
A tight market means that rents are
soaring ever higher.
New apartments are being built in
the region but few of those are truly
low-income (there is little incentive for
a developer to build apartments in that
category). There needs to be ‘can’t pass
up’ fi nancial incentives offered by the
city, the county and the state, for devel-
opers to create low-income housing.
For every 10,000 square feet of market
value housing built, there should be a
huge tax and permit discount offered if
a developer also built 2,500 square feet
of low-income housing (think tiny
houses) in the metropolitan area.
Oregon’s annual budget is almost
$38 billion. The kicker is expected
to return more than half a billion to
taxpayers. That $500 million would
go a long way to alleviate homeless in
Oregon’s cities. A leader would stand
up and say that money is needed to
help solve a problem people complain
about.
Do something, do anything, damn
the consequences. Appropriate enough
state and local monies to fund 24 hour
health services where the homeless
gather. The homeless issue needs some-
thing much different than an 8 to 5,
Monday to Friday solution. Let’s get
serious and solve this issue.
—LAZ
our
opinion
It’s a spending problem
As I write this, the Legislative Rev- be on pace to have a record amount
enue Offi ce has released its report on of budgetary reserves on hand, nearly
the forecast of Oregon’s tax revenues. $1.8 billion between the state’s Rainy
Day Fund, Education Sta-
The new forecast shows a far
bility Fund and other
better picture than an esti-
unspent money. House
mate released in March.
Republican Leader Rep.
Between personal income
Mike McLane of Powell
taxes and corporate taxes, the
Butte said: “In their haste
forecast suggests revenues
to pass SB 1528 earlier
in the current biennium
this year, Governor Brown
coming in at $833 million
and legislative Democrats
higher than the earlier pre-
apparently failed to rec-
diction. Thus as I’ve said in
ognize that by requiring
these pages and elsewhere
small business to pay $245
for as long as I’ve been in
from the million more in state in-
offi ce: Oregon doesn’t have
taxes, their actions
a revenue problem, it has
capitol come
could trigger the income
a spending problem. Last
tax kicker,” McLane wrote.
month, Gov. Kate Brown
By BILL POST
“That scenario now ap-
signed Senate Bill 1528,
pears more likely than not.
which blocked a tax cut for
If current projections hold,
some Oregon businesses.
The change meant an estimated $245 Oregonians are in line to receive $555
million would reach state coffers this million of their money back from their
biennium—money not accounted for state government. The irony escapes
in the March forecast. This bill also no one.” Indeed it is ironic.
As we ended the quarterly “Legisla-
infuriated my fellow Republicans and
caused friction amongst the major- tive Days” we were also informed that
ity Democratic legislators when Gov. Gov. Brown and others in her party
Brown called a special session earlier are looking to “fi x” the property tax
this week to pass a far smaller tax break. “inequality” in Oregon. If the major-
The state’s latest revenue forecast, re- ity party were to gain one seat in the
leased recently, shows personal income House they could overturn Measures 5
tax revenues for the 2017-19 bien- and 50 which have held property taxes
nium stand to come in $555 million in check for 20 some years. What this
above initial forecasts. That’s more than state needs is real leadership from real
enough to trigger Oregon’s unique leaders that understand how to budget
“kicker” provision, which doles money properly. Our kids, schools, veterans
back to taxpayers when taxes come in and homeless all need to be properly
at more than 2 percent above estimates. cared for and that is not happening
Paying out a kicker has becoming even with record amounts of revenue.
something of a tradition in Oregon, as Oregon can do better. As always, I am
tax revenues continually outpace state honored to serve as your State Repre-
sentative in House District 25 and look
economist’s projections.
In 2015, the state announced a $402 forward to hearing from you anytime.
(Bill Post represents House Dis-
million kicker. In 2017, it was $464
million. Taxpayers might be in for a trict 25. He can be reached at 503-
far larger refund next year. The new 986-1425 or via email at rep. bil- post@
oregonlegislature.gov.)
forecast also suggests Oregon might
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Salem, Oregon
Commencement season 2018
By DEBRA J. SAUNDERS
In 2014, commencement season
stood out for the list of high-profi le
speakers pushed off the graduation
stage at top-tier universities.
At the peak of academia’s podi-
um purges, former Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice backed out of
her planned commencement address
at Rutgers University amid protests
over her support of the Iraq War. The
free-speech Foundation for Individual
Rights in Education took to calling
the annual rituals the “disinvitation
season.”
Universities have gotten savvier
since then. They’ve learned not to in-
vite controversial conser-
vatives so they can spare
themselves the shame of
graduates fl aunting their
intolerance in the name
of
diversity—blissfully
unaware of how authori-
tarian they appear.
There’s less mess in
2018. Academics smile
and present their predict-
able politics in benevolent style, as
your humble correspondent saw fi rst
hand last weekend when a university
dean used an occasion meant to cele-
brate student achievement to criticize
President Donald Trump’s decision
to downsize the Bears Ears National
Monument in Utah.
The worst part: He got his facts
wrong. The dean attributed the Bears
Ears downsizing to Trump’s Environ-
mental Protection Agency—when it
was the Department of Interior that
recommended the change.
For the sake of family harmony, I
shall not divulge the identity of the
relative who walked away with an
advanced degree or the name of the
university. But I will quote one of his
statements: “Democracy depends on
educated citizens.”
That’s right, the dean who warned
students about the risk of unschooled
boobs ruining sound public policy
didn’t get his facts straight.
When I emailed the good dean
about his error, he responded, “Thanks
so much for this important correction.
Yes, it was the Interior Department.
Still my main point is valid, I believe,
namely that the federal government is
supposed to protect public lands and
other public goods.”
Get it? Even when he’s factually
wrong, he’s so right it
doesn’t matter.
And yet, facts do mat-
ter. President Barack
Obama designated Bears
Ears a national monu-
ment in December 2016.
It was the sort of out-
the-door move politicians
love because there is no
risk at the ballot box.
It’s also the sort of Washington-
knows-best thinking that Westerners
have come to expect from beltway
bureaucrats, who have no problem
with locals having less say in how land
in fl y-over country is used.
“The larger overview is that this
isn’t a problem for most Easterners
because the federal government owns
very small fractions of the land in the
East and most of the Midwest,” noted
Todd Gaziano, executive director of
the pro-property rights Pacifi c Legal
Foundation.
In both Nevada and Utah, however,
the federal government owns more
than half the states’ acreage. Obama’s
the
opinion
of
others
Bears Ears consumed 1.35 million
acres, which is bigger than the size of
Rhode Island.
Trump’s downsized Bears Ears
spans 201,876 acres—which makes
for a pretty big spread, but not big
enough for the dean.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke rec-
ommended that Bears Ears be down-
sized in keeping with the Antiquities
Act of 1906. The act called for monu-
ments to be “confi ned to the smallest
area compatible with proper care and
management” of land based on its val-
ue as an historic landmark, prehistoric
structure or for its scientifi c interest. It
makes sense to limit how much land
can be put off limits by executive fi at.
Monument status, Gaziano noted,
can mean less land for cattle grazing,
mining and roads—endeavors that
create jobs.
“What I don’t think he under-
stands,” said Gaziano of the dean, “is
the impact of legal monument desig-
nation on the individuals who aren’t
employed in Ivory Tower universities.”
The only benefi t Gaziano sees in
monuments that consume more than
one million acres is “environmental
use for granola-crunching backpack-
ers.”
The dean’s remarks were remi-
niscent of the opposition campaign
to oil drilling in the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge, a cause dear to many
who never have or never will set foot
in the refuge. They throw out words
like “public good” without seeming
to weigh how their good intentions
could shortchange people who actu-
ally live off the land. They mean well,
and that’s all that matters.
(Creators Syndicate)
What’s in a team’s name? Plenty
News out of Albany recently an-
nounced that South Albany High
School has decided to surrender its
Rebels nickname for something more
acceptable even though the old name
has been quite diffi cult for some to
give up. It’s been used at South Albany
for years. While its origin
was the Confederacy, ad-
opted as a battle cry in
fi ghting the North, the
objective being to pre-
serve, protect and per-
petuate the enslavement
of their fellow African-
American citizens.
Such a time from
our past cannot be labeled anything
other than grossly inhumane since
it’s indisputably known that African-
Americans are just as human as all the
other homo sapiens: the difference
solely skin color with all other body
parts identical. Nevertheless, a war was
fought by Americans against other
Americans, resulting in 1.5 million
casualties. So, how many modern day
Americans feel right about attending
sports events where participants and
spectators cheer for the Rebels?
Meanwhile, although the mat-
ter is not brand new to Oregon, a
few moons ago one of its secondary
schools, Cleveland High School, ar-
gued long and hard, with many a bitter
feeling aroused, to preserve their In-
dians mascot. Now, we, the informed
among us, know how the American
Indians, and original dwellers of what
became known as North America,
were treated. The real American Indi-
ans, those same real natives who set-
tled in North America—long before
European explorers arrived—having
their name taken to celebrate victory
or defeat in sports events. Incidentally,
at Cleveland High in Portland, Indians
has been replaced by Warriors.
Never wanting the dust to get en-
tirely settled in mascot land, there
now brews in Portland another mas-
cot donnybrook. This time it’s over
Quakers as a mascot name for Franklin
High School. Never mind that early
and famous American pa-
triot Benjamin Franklin was
never a Quaker, the found-
ers of Franklin High some-
how decided that would be
a better mascot name that,
for arguments sake, “lighten-
ing,” as old Ben had some-
thing to do with enlighten-
ing humankind vis-a-vis the
fundamentals of electrical conduction.
A formal complaint was made with
the Portland Public Schools Educa-
tion Board over the use of Quakers
at Franklin High and the complaint
resulted in the PPS board devoting a
year to choose a new name. The com-
plaint was explained as Quakers is the
name of an organized religion and, as
such, is “inappropriate, offensive, and
gene
h.
mcintyre
unconstitutional” for use as a school’s
mascot name. Incidentally, the board,
after receiving the complaint, has de-
cided to review all its district naming
policies and make changes accordingly.
Whether an issue is viewed as great
or small often depends upon the be-
holder. The mascot debates are prob-
ably considered by many Americans
as small issues. Nevertheless, no mat-
ter the degree of importance, these
debates are symbolic of the Ameri-
can spirit since colonial times to try
to serve the needs and concerns of all
citizens rather than what’s narrowly
self-serving and self-centered, biased
and prejudicial. It is the belief of this
writer that we Americans should do
everything possible to pull together:
A prevailing condition of cooperation
and sensitivity for all, hopefully en-
abling our nation to reunite as in some
former times where every American
sees this as a place to call home.
(Gene H. McIntyre lives in Keizer.)