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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 2017)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2017 Port explores bond for new Life Flight hangar Project could spur airport development By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian The Port of Astoria is moving toward a bond mea- sure in the May election to finance development at the southern end of the Astoria Regional Airport, anchored by a new hangar for Life Flight Network. The Port Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to develop a bond measure and to begin permitting and engineer- ing on the project. Port Executive Director Jim Knight brought in David Albrecht, an expert in the municipal financing arm of the Special Districts Associ- ation of Oregon, to explain the hypothetical costs of a bond. Albrecht said he was given the preliminary assumption of a $1.8 million, three- to 10-year bond measure going to Clatsop County to voters in the May 16 election. The Port would need to submit bal- lot measure language to the county clerk’s office by March 16. If the Port went with a three-year bond, he said, the additional tax burden to county residents would be slightly less than 12 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. The burden would fall to slightly more than 5 cents per $1,000 on a seven-year bond, he said, but with more interest. The Port’s permanent minimum taxing rate is 12.56 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. Life Flight, which opened its first coastal base in War- renton last spring, received $665,000 in state grants and is investing another $285,000 to build a new hangar. The Port Commission voted last month to focus on developing the hangar at the south end of the airport, which staff and airport advisers have said would open further development opportu- nities by connecting to Airport Lane. The Port has received let- ters of support for the proj- ect from most hospitals and cities around the region, but staff has estimated anywhere between $650,000 to about $1 million in additional develop- ment costs for the Port. Knight brought in Willis Van Dusen, the former Astoria mayor, who volunteered to stump for a bond on behalf of the Port. Van Dusen said that if the bond is less than $2 million and helps separate Life Flight’s helicopters from fixed-wing aircraft, he’s all for it, having a daughter who’s a surgeon and a mother-in-law who has taken Life Flight to Portland twice. “I have discussed the item with some different businesses around the county to see what kind of support you would have for a bond measure,” Van Dusen said. “At this point, it’s been 100 percent support.” Airport Manager Gary Kobes said permitting for the Life Flight project needs to start immediately and will cost the Port about $40,000. If per- mitting starts today, he said, construction wouldn’t start any earlier than November. Engi- neering costs are estimated at more than $180,000, but Kobes said such work could wait until June. None of the costs for per- mitting and engineering are budgeted, he said, which pres- ents a risk to the Port. “We’d probably spend $40,000 to $50,000 by the time the bond could pass,” he said. Travel ban decision in hands of appeals court judges Washington state leading the fight Only 15 percent of the world’s Muslims are affected, the judge said, citing his own calculations. He added that the “concern for terrorism from those connected to radical Islamic sects is hard to deny.” By SUDHIN THANAWALA Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO — A federal appeals court will decide whether to reinstate President Donald Trump’s travel ban after a contentious hearing in which the judges hammered away at the admin- istration’s motivations for the ban, but also directed pointed questions to an attorney for two states trying to overturn it. It was unclear which way the three judges of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Cir- cuit Court of Appeals would rule, though legal experts said the states appeared to have the edge. “I’m not sure if either side presented a compelling case, but I certainly thought the gov- ernment’s case came across as weaker,” said Stephen Vla- deck, a professor at the Uni- versity of Texas School of Law. A ruling could come as early as today and could be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Trump tweeted early today: “If the U.S. does not win this case as it so obviously should, Public statements AP Photo/Jeff Chiu Karen Shore holds up a sign outside of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco Tuesday. we can never have the secu- rity and safety to which we are entitled. Politics!” The appeals court chal- lenged the administration’s claim that the ban was moti- vated by terrorism fears, but it also questioned the argument of an attorney challenging the executive order on grounds that it unconstitutionally tar- geted Muslims. The contentious hearing before the judges on the 9th Circuit focused narrowly on whether a restraining order issued by a lower court should remain in effect while a chal- lenge to the ban proceeds. But the judges jumped into the larger constitutional questions surrounding Trump’s order, which temporarily suspended the nation’s refugee program and immigration from seven mostly Muslim countries that have raised terrorism concerns. Huge audience The hearing Tuesday was conducted by phone — an unusual step — and broad- cast live on cable networks, newspaper websites and var- ious social media outlets. It attracted a huge audience, with more than 130,000 alone tuned in to the court’s YouTube site to hear audio. Judge Richard Clifton, a George W. Bush nominee, asked an attorney representing Washington state and Minne- sota what evidence he had that the ban was motivated by reli- gion. The two states are suing to invalidate the ban. “I have trouble understand- ing why we’re supposed to infer religious animus when in fact the vast majority of Mus- lims would not be affected.” Noah Purcell, Washington state’s solicitor general, cited public statements by Trump calling for a ban on the entry of Muslims to the U.S. He said the states did not have to show every Muslim is harmed, only that the ban was motivated by religious discrimination. Clifton also went after the government’s attorney, asking whether he denied statements by Trump and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who said recently that Trump asked him to create a plan for a Muslim ban. Judge Michelle T. Friedland, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, asked why the case should not move forward to determine what motivated the ban. “We’re not saying the case shouldn’t proceed, but we are saying that it is extraordinary for a court to enjoin the pres- ident’s national security deci- sion based on some newspaper articles,” said August Flentje, who argued the case for the Justice Department. Under questioning from Clifton, Flentje did not dispute that Trump and Giuliani made the statements. Clifton said he understood if the government argued that state- ments by Trump and his advis- ers should not be given much weight, but he said they are potentially evidence in the case. Connections to terror Friedland also asked whether the government has any evidence connecting the seven nations to terrorism. Flentje told the judges that the case was moving fast and the government had not yet included evidence to support the ban. Flentje cited a number of Somalis in the U.S. who, he said, had been connected to the al-Shabab terrorist group. The ban has upended travel to the U.S. for more than a week and tested the new administration’s use of execu- tive power. JASON GOODDING MEMORIAL CONCERT February 11 th , 2017 • Seaside Elks, 324 Avenue A ALL Donations at the Door go to Oregon Fallen Badge Foundation Th anks to these LOCAL SPONSORS Sta 8 PM C MU r S ts I at DOORS OPEN AT 7 PM Dave & Penny BARTHOLET F EBRUARY 23 What’s Ahead for the Regional and State Economies? A Columbia Forum Presentation Erik Knoder Erik Knoder has lived in Oregon since 1988. He received his master’s degree in natural resource economics from Oregon State University in 1999. Aside from labor market economics his research interests include land use, growth and development, and the fi shing industry. Erik joined the Oregon Employment Department as a regional economist June of 2003 and works in Newport. He is responsible for generating and disseminating labor market information for Lincoln, Tillamook, Clatsop and Columbia counties. Josh Lehner Josh Lehner is an Economist with the Oregon Offi ce of Economic Analysis. He develops the quarterly Oregon Economic forecast, including outlooks for employment, income and housing. Additional responsibilities include forecasting revenues for the Oregon Lottery, Oregon Judicial Department and state tobacco taxes. TO ATTEND: We Want to Know! Healthcare is a deeply personal experience. Please consider sharing your perspective as part of our Patient & Family Advisory Council (PFAC). This group of communi- ty members is passionate about helping Columbia Memorial Hospital be the best it can be. Join us by calling 503-338-7505. 2111 Exchange St., Astoria, Oregon • 503-325-4321 www.columbiamemorial.org • A Planetree-Designated Hospital LIMI SEATI TED NG RESER V For Members: Dinner & Lecture:$25 each; Lecture only: no charge SPACE E YOUR TODA For Non-Members: Dinner & Lecture: $35 each; Lecture only: $15 ea. Y! Appetizers will be available at 6 p.m. • Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. The speaker will begin after the dinner service is complete and non-dinner members and guests of the audience take their seats. Forum to be held at the CMH Community Center at 2021 Exchange St., Astoria. ColumbiaForum FOR RESERVATIONS OR TO JOIN COLUMBIA FORUM CONTACT: Holly Larkins at 503.325.3211 ext. 227 or forum@dailyastorian.com by Feb. 20, 2017 Columbia Forum is sponsored by: The Daily Astorian • Craft3 • OSU Seafood Laboratory • KMUN-FM Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa
