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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 2015)
23,1,21 4A Founded in 1873 STEPHEN A. FORRESTER, Editor & Publisher LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager CARL EARL, Systems Manager JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager HEATHER RAMSDELL, Circulation Manager THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2015 A look ahead to 2016’s biggest battle SOUTHERN T here was a rumbling of the earth on the North Coast last month, but it wasn’t the Cascadia quake. Instead it was a chamber of com- merce presentation in Seaside. Local members, including Cannon Beach &KDPEHU RI &RPPHUFH ([HFXWLYH Director Court Carrier, heard from state business leaders warning of a likely 2016 state ballot measure, Initiative Petition 28. EXPOSURE B Y R.J. M ARX R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian Water under the bridge Compiled by Bob Duke From the pages of Astoria’s daily newspapers 10 years ago this week — 2005 The Astoria coffee shop owner who lost a lawsuit to Starbucks, potential- ly making her liable for hundreds of thousands of dollars in trial costs, may not have to pay the coffee giant’s legal fees after all. Sam Buck was ordered to change the name of the downtown Astoria coffee house she named after herself when a federal judge ruled last week that it diluted Starbucks’ trademark. On Monday, a Starbucks representative said the company never planned to ask Buck to cover its legal costs. “It’s not about David and Goliath,” said May Kulthol, manager of media relations for Starbucks Coffee. “We try to deal with these types of situations amicably to come to a good conclusion for both parties. The defendant is not required to pay legal fees nor did we seek damages from her.” 'LVPDO1LWFKRI¿FLDOO\EHFDPHWKHQHZHVWDGGLWLRQWRWKH/HZ- LVDQG&ODUN1DWLRQDO+LVWRULFDO3DUNWRGD\ZLWKWKHDQQRXQFH- PHQWWKDWDFUHVRIODQGVXUURXQGLQJWKHKLVWRULF/HZLVDQG &ODUNVLWHKDVEHHQSXUFKDVHGE\DQDWLRQDOFRQVHUYDWLRQJURXS :DVKLQJWRQ&RQJUHVVPDQ%ULDQ%DLUGDQQRXQFHGWKHWUDQV- DFWLRQWKLVPRUQLQJDW)RUW9DQFRXYHU1DWLRQDO+LVWRULF5HVHUYH A Virginia company wants to turn Yaquina Bay into its West Coast base for scrapping old ships, raising the question of whether Newport wants to trade environmental hazards for jobs. 7KHFRPSDQ\FRQ¿UPHGLWDOVRKDVORRNHGDW$VWRULDZKHUHRWKHU¿UPV have considered similar operations at North Tongue Point in prior years, UDLVLQJVLJQL¿FDQWHQYLURQPHQWDOFRQFHUQV 2UJDQL]HUVRIWKH+D\VWDFN5RFN$ZDUHQHVV3URJUDPVSRNH WREHDFKYLVLWRUVLQZLWKDUHFRUGQXPEHURIYLV- LWRUVLQDQKRXU ³7KLVZDVDUDWKHUVWUHVVIXOGD\DFWXDOO\´3URJUDP&RRUGL- QDWRU6KHOOH\3DUNHUVDLGWRODXJKWHUDWWKH&DQQRQ%HDFK&LW\ &RXQFLOPHHWLQJ7XHVGD\ 50 years ago — 1965 Last gap in the Astoria bridge was closed at noon Wednesday. American Bridge Division completed placing Span 167 in position at that time, completing an operation that began at Tongue Point about 8 a.m. When tugs took the towering, barge-mounted span in tow for its trip down river to the bridge site. 7KH VSDQ ¿WWHG SURSHUO\ LQWR the studs on Piers 167 and 168 which anchor its two ends. This was the 11th span to be barged into position on the bridge. $OOKDYH¿WWHGSHUIHFWO\ The left hand photo above, Last gap in the Astoria bridge taken from an Oregon highway was closed at noon Wednesday. department boat on the river, shows the tugs with the span, towering on a falsework substructure, arriving at the bridge about 9:30 a.m. At right the span is almost in place, nearly ready to drop down on the two piers. The 352-foot span, a deck truss which carries the roadway on its top, was assembled at Tongue Point after panels had been formed at Vancouver, Wash. The 400-ton span is 98 feet above zero tide and 119 feet at the high end. The truss itself is 35 feet high. After the tugs had swung the barges so that the pier was approximately in position, lines were run from each of the four corners of the complex of barges to the two piers. The span was moved into exact position by manip- ulation of these lines. A brisk easterly wind and light chop on the river added to the task of PDQHXYHULQJWKHORIW\VWUXFWXUHRQHRIWKHKLJKHVWVSDQVHYHUÀRDWHGLQWR position this way in the history of bridge building. Once in exact position, the span was lowered by jacking down the sup- porting falsework substructure. Work was done on an incoming tide. High tide was abut 12:30 p.m., half an hour after the span was in place. 5HSUHVHQWDWLYHVRI3RUWODQGWHOHYLVLRQVWDWLRQVZHUHKHUHWR¿OPWKHSUR- cedure. 75 years ago — 1940 $VWRULD¶VQHZVKDUN¿VKHU\VXIIHUHGLWV¿UVWORVV0RQGD\QLJKW ZKHQWKHIRRWWUDZOHU7UHRRQHRIWKH³KLJKERDWV´RIWKHÀHHW VDQNLQDKHDY\VHDRIIWKHVRXWKZHVWHGJHRI3HDFRFNVSLW &DSWDLQ*HRUJH0RVNRYLWDRZQHUDQGVNLSSHURIWKHIRUPHU 6HDWWOHSXUVHVHLQHU'DYLG:LOOLVHQJLQHHUDQG+DUROG0F3HDN FRRNZHUHSLFNHGXSE\WKH,OZDFRWUDZOHU:DVKLQJWRQDVWKH ERDWVDQNXQGHUWKHLUIHHWDEXWR¶FORFN0RQGD\QLJKW The Tourist No. 3 of the Astoria-North Beach Ferry company ran aground on Welch’s sands in the worst pea-soup fog of the year Monday afternoon when the compass failed on the boat’s 4:30 p.m. trip from the north shore. The big, white ferry slid onto the sands at about half-low tide in a VWURQJHEEDQGVKHZDV¿UPO\DJURXQGXQWLO&DSWDLQ)ULW](OIYLQJEDFNHG her off at high tide about 3 a.m. today. There was no damage. One trip was canceled. :$6+,1*721²7KHKRXVHWRGD\SDVVHGDQGVHQWWRWKH :KLWH+RXVHDELOOH[WHQGLQJWKHWLPHIRUFRQVWUXFWLQJDEULGJH RYHUWKH&ROXPELD5LYHUQHDU$VWRULD2UH Some people call it the “gross re- ceipts tax,” others call it “an alternative to the minimum corporate tax to the largest corporations doing business in Oregon.” You might not even pay much at- tention to it, unless you’re a $25 million corporation. These could be taxed on 2.5 percent of their gross Oregon sales. Proponents say it will add $5.3 billion over two years to the state’s general fund, and help fund education and infrastructure. “We feel that this is important be- cause our schools are underfunded,” Melanni Rosales of Our Oregon said last week from Portland. Because of funding gaps, schools are laying off teachers, trimming school days and class-sizes are swelling. “We have the third-largest class size in the country and fourth-lowest graduation rate,” Rosales said. “There are clear ex- amples of why we need to do things to bring revenue back, and raising the min- imum taxes for the biggest corporations doing business in the state is the most viable solution.” Their opponents, like the pro-busi- ness group Grow Oregon NOW, call this an “extreme proposal” that would “force local businesses to pass on the costs of the tax in the form of higher prices for everyday items.” ‘I think the left is getting leftier and the right is getting rightier.’ State Sen. Betsy Johnson D-Scappoose It could become “impossible to re- cruit” new corporations to Oregon in the future, she said. The state spent “all this money to recruit Intel, with all kinds of tax incen- tives, and now we treat them like a chew toy, a punching bag for more tax reve- nue.” Johnson acknowledged that the funds are much needed in Salem. “Absolutely, but do we need $5 bil- lion in taxes sucked out of businesses right now?” Johnson asked. “And what would really be done with that $5.2 bil- lion? Would we perhaps be better off designating where that should go rather WKDQMXVWEHVWXI¿QJLWEDFNLQWKHJHQHU- al fund? Would it really go to the things we need: emergency bridge and building upgrades for people in the tsunami zone, quality education initiatives that would improve our graduation rates and com- petitive edge?” Chamber of Commerce Director Court Carrier and others are con- cerned a tax on gross receipts could harm the state’s economic competi- tiveness and hurt the “little guy.” &RPPHUFHZKLFKLVQRWDI¿OLDWHGZLWK the Oregon State Chamber of Com- merce, is prohibited from taking political stances. Carrier said Initiative Petition 28 could change everything. He plans a review of chamber bylaws at the Dec. 15 Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce meeting. “We’re already advocating for schools and affordable housing,” Carrier said. “We’re a business organization. I understand why we shouldn’t use clout WR DGYRFDWH IRU SROLWLFDO RI¿FHV EXW when it comes to business and livability issues in general, that’s something where we have to have a place in the table. “We will share this information with members,” he added. “We will not tell them how to vote.” $YHUWLQJDµWUDLQZUHFN¶ Whether the proposed initiative is a sincere attempt to bolster the state’s quality of education or a partisan polit- ical battle writ large, it’s not quite clear. It’s unlikely that multi-million-dollar corporations are going to desert Oregon. It’s also uncertain whether this is most sensible way to raise $5 billion. Right )URP6DOHPWR6HDVLGH now, millions are headed just for the At the November meeting, local OHJLVODWLYH¿JKWDQGLW¶VJXDUDQWHHGWREH chamber members heard a represen- bruising. µ$VFDU\GHDO¶ tative of Grow Oregon NOW call the “I think the left is getting leftier and “It’s a scary deal, when you look at the right is getting rightier,” Johnson initiative “the largest tax increase in state history,” with damage to our economy, the impact it will have on Oregon,” said said. “The place in the middle where job losses and higher prices for Oregon Court Carrier at last week’s Cannon most thoughtful Oregonians are is dis- Beach Chamber of Commerce coffee appearing. It’s been my experience businesses and consumers.” “This is highly polarized,” Sen. Bet- meeting. “There will be about a $5 bil- growing up as a native Oregonian, most sy Johnson, D-Scapoose, said last week. OLRQ LPSDFW ÀRZLQJ LQWR WKH FRIIHUV RI Oregonians are laissez-faire on the social “I think the business community will the general fund, and there’s no desig- stuff, I don’t care who you sleep with, I FRPH RXW LQ XQL¿HG RSSRVLWLRQ WR WKH nated way for them to spend it. Let’s say just don’t want to hear about it. We’re gross receipts tax. I think the unions that Safeway gets hit with a $25 million plus SUHWW\¿VFDOO\FRQVHUYDWLYHZHZDQWWR are under Our Oregon will support it. tax, are they going to do sit back and ab- create an environment where business I have publicly said I think it’s bad for sorb it? No, they’re going to pass it along ÀRXULVKHV%XVLQHVVKDVEHHQSRUWUD\HG to everyone in their chain of supply, in- as the enemy and fair game for raising Oregon.” Johnson said she fears the tax will cluding the consumers. If the wholesale taxes. “If I were queen, your editorial drive Oregon businesses to neighboring food supplier Sysco gets hit for food and would be a clarion call to the governor to beverage, we’ll all get hit.” states. Along with an increased minimum use her convening power to see if we can “When do we load up the existing businesses with such a burden that we wage proposal, Carrier said, smaller ho- stop this train wreck,” Johnson added. Tsunami anyone? kill the golden goose?” Johnson asked. tels like many in Cannon Beach would R.J. Marx is The Daily Astorian’s “We haven’t had a business correction in EHIRUFHGWRVFDOHEDFNWKHLUVWDI¿QJDQG some time, and if the cyclical nature of minimize employees, hiring fewer and South County reporter and editor of the Seaside Signal and Cannon Beach Ga- recessions holds true, we’re going to be doing more with the staff they do have. The Cannon Beach Chamber of zette. due for an adjustment here shortly.” +RZWKH,VODPLF6WDWHPDNHVUDGLFDOV unrelieved boredom. Free- These movements gener- dom aggravates their sense ate a lot of hatred. But ulti- of frustration because they mately, Hoffer argues, they are driven by a wild hope. fter the terrorist attack in San have no one to blame but They believe an imminent Bernardino, some people’s themselves for their per- perfect future can be realized ceived mediocrity. Fanat- PLQGVÀHZWRWKHPDWHULDOLVWLFHO- ics, the French philosopher if they proceed recklessly ement of the atrocity — the guns (UQHVW 5HQDQ DUJXHG IHDU to destroy the present. The glorious end times are just liberty more than they fear that were used in the killing. around the corner. persecution. But the crucial issue, it seems to This kind of thinking The successful mass David me, is what you might call the tech- movement tells such people is fantastical. “In the prac- Brooks nology of persuasion — how is it that that the cause of their frus- tice of mass movements,” the Islamic State is able to radicalize a tration is outside themselves and that Hoffer continues, “make-believe plays couple living in Redlands, California? the only way to alter their personal situ- perhaps a more enduring role than any ation is to transform the world in some other factor.” The fanatics stage acts of What psychological tools does it radical way. violent theatricality, acutely aware of possess that enable it to wield this far- 7R QXUWXUH WKLV VHOIVDFUL¿FLQJ DW- their audience. They dress up in military ÀXQJLQÀXHQFH" titude, the successful mass movement costumes. They rent mysterious black The best source of wisdom on this ¿UVWGHQLJUDWHVWKHSUHVHQW,WVGRFWULQH SUVs. Shooting a bunch of unarmed general subject is still The True Believ- celebrates a glorious past and describes innocents couldn’t be more pathetic, but erE\(ULF+RIIHUZKLFKKHZURWHEDFN a utopian future, but the present is just they play it with all the theatrical drama- in 1951. Hoffer distinguished between an uninspiring pit. The golden future turgy of a Hollywood action movie. Hoffer summarizes his thought this practical organizations and mass move- begins to seem more vivid and real ments. The former, like than the present, and in way, “For men to plunge headlong into a company or a school, this way the true believ- an undertaking of vast change they The offer opportunities for er begins to dissociate must be intensely discontented yet not self-advancement. The from the every- destitute, and they must have the feel- glorious herself central preoccupation of day facts of her life: Her ing that by the possession of some po- a mass movement, on the end times home, her town, even tent doctrine, infallible leader or some other hand, is self-sacri- her new child. Self-sac- new technique they have access to a ¿FH7KHSXUSRVHRIDQRU- are just UL¿FH LV DQ LUUDWLRQDO DFW source of irresistible power. They must ganization like the Islam- so mass movements get also have an extravagant conception of around ic State is to get people to their followers to believe the prospects and potentialities of the negate themselves for a that ultimate truth exists future. Finally, they must be wholly the larger cause. in another realm and can- LJQRUDQWRIWKHGLI¿FXOWLHVLQYROYHGLQ Mass movements, be derived from lived WKHLUYDVWXQGHUWDNLQJ([SHULHQFHLVD corner. not he argues, only arise in experience and direct ob- handicap.” The big thing that has changed in certain conditions, when servation. a once sturdy social structure is in a Next mass movements denigrate the past 60 odd years is that you don’t state of decay or disintegration. This WKH LQGLYLGXDO VHOI (YHU\WKLQJ WKDW LV actually have to join a mass movement is a pretty good description of parts of unique about an individual is either any more. You can follow it online and the Arab world. To a lesser degree it is criticized, forbidden or diminished. The participate remotely. The correct response is still the a good description of isolated pockets LQGLYLGXDO¶V LGHQWLW\ LV GH¿QHG E\ WKH of our own segmenting, individualized FROOHFWLYH JURXS LGHQWLW\ DQG IRUWL¿HG same, however. First, try to heal the VRFLHW\ZKHUHVRPHSHRSOH¿QGWKHP- by a cultivated hatred for other groups. social disintegration that is the seed- selves totally cut off. There’s a lot of self-renunciation go- bed of these movements. Second, offer The people who serve mass move- ing on here. Ironically the true believ- positive inspiring causes to replace the ments are not revolting against op- HU¶VIHHOLQJWKDWKHLVVHOÀHVVFDQOHDG suicidal ones. Third, mass movements pression. They are driven primarily by to arrogance and merciless cruelty. It are conquered when their charisma is frustration. Their personal ambitions can also be addictive. If the true believ- destroyed, when they are defeated mili- DUH XQIXO¿OOHG 7KH\ KDYH ORVW IDLWK er permitted himself to lose faith in his tarily and humiliated. Then they can no in their own abilities to realize their creed then all that self-imposed suffer- longer offer hope, inspiration or a plau- sible way out for the disaffected. dreams. They sometimes live with an ing would have been for nothing. By '$9,'%522.6 New York Times News Service A
