3A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2017
State economists say
taxpayers can expect
a ‘kicker’ next year
Governor signs transportation bill
Ceremonial
event planned
for Ontario
By PARIS ACHEN
Capital Bureau
SALEM — Gov. Kate
Brown is scheduled to appear
at a ceremonial signing of a
$5.3 billion transportation
funding package in Eastern
Oregon Monday.
Brown officially signed
House Bill 2017 without notice
or fanfare on Friday.
The governor and lawmak-
ers have touted the legislation
as a chief accomplishment of
the legislative session, which
concluded in July.
The ceremonial sign-
ing is set for 10 a.m. at the
Ontario Train Depot. Brown
is expected to visit Ontario to
Woman
struck by
car near
Safeway
The Daily Astorian
A 25-year-old woman was
treated for minor injuries at
Columbia Memorial Hospital
on Monday night after she was
struck by a car near Safeway in
Astoria.
The woman entered a cross-
walk in the westbound lane of
Lief Erikson Drive near 33rd
Street at about 5 p.m. Just after
she began crossing, Candida
Ortega Castillo, 20, of Asto-
ria, made a right turn out of the
Safeway parking lot, striking
the woman.
The woman did not sus-
tain serious injuries, but Cas-
tillo was cited for not carrying
a driver’s license and failing to
stop and remain stopped for a
pedestrian.
Attempted
stabbing
reported
in Astoria
Pamplin Media Group
Gov. Kate Brown quietly
signed a $5.3 billion trans-
portation funding package
Friday, but will travel to Mal-
heur County next week for
a ceremonial signing.
highlight a $26 million proj-
ect in the package to construct
a reload facility central to mov-
ing products out of Malheur
County, The Argus Observer
reported Tuesday.
State Rep. Cliff Bentz, an
author of the legislation, rep-
resents Ontario. The Repub-
lican played a crucial role
in negotiating an agreement
between Republicans and
State lifts
campfire ban
at beaches
The Daily Astorian
Beachgoers are once again
free to light campfires at desig-
nated state beaches.
The state lifted the tem-
porary ban Tuesday, meaning
campfires, candles, charcoal
briquettes and tiki-style torches
will be allowed in designated
areas. The state announced the
restriction last week on all open
flames at state beaches. Since
then, only fuel sources that can
be easily turned off, such as
propane stoves and fire pits in
select areas, were allowed.
The ban was instituted in
anticipation of visitors this past
weekend for the solar eclipse
as well as increased fire danger
due to hot, dry conditions. All
permanent restrictions, includ-
ing no fireworks and keeping
fires contained in designated
rings, still apply.
The eight-year transporta-
tion plan includes staggered
hikes in the gas tax, increases
to registration and title fees,
and new taxes on payroll, new
vehicle purchases and bicycles
priced more than $200. The
package also calls for conges-
tion-priced tolling at some of
Portland’s bottlenecks, which
could include certain lanes on
Interstate 5 and Interstate 205,
to pay for congestion-busting
projects.
Among major projects
specified in the plan are con-
gestion relief on Highway 217,
widening northbound I-205
from Powell Boulevard to
Interstate 84 and initial invest-
ment in adding new lanes to
I-5 through Portland’s Rose
Quarter.
The Capital Bureau is a col-
laboration between EO Media
Group and Pamplin Media
Group.
By CLAIRE
WITHYCOMBE
Capital Bureau
SALEM — State econo-
mists say nearly $464 million
will be returned to taxpay-
ers next year after income tax
collections were higher than
expected.
Oregon operates on two-
year budget cycles. The most
recent biennial cycle con-
cluded in June.
When income tax collec-
tions exceed projections for
the state’s budget period by
more than 2 percent, state law
requires that the money be
returned to taxpayers, a phe-
nomenon called the “kicker.”
Since the state has col-
lected about 2.7 percent more
than predicted in May 2015,
about $463.5 million will be
returned to personal income
taxpayers during next year’s
tax filing period.
A similar “kicker” rule
applies to corporate income
taxes, except the excess is
kept and set aside for edu-
cation funding. Corporate
excise taxes ended the bien-
nium at about $111 million
more than the close of session
forecast.
Today’s forecast was the
first after the conclusion of a
long legislative session where
revenue was a key point of
contention between legis-
lators who advocated for
restructuring the state’s tax
system to boost revenue and
those who wanted to cut costs.
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The Daily Astorian
A man reportedly attempted
to stab a garbage truck driver
early Friday morning in down-
town Astoria.
The driver told police
he was stopped on the 1400
block of Commercial Street
just before 5 a.m. when a man
who appeared to be homeless
swiped at him with a knife and
missed. After the near miss, the
driver punched the man in the
face. The man then stood up
and quickly fled the scene.
The driver was not able to
provide a description of the
man, and no arrest has been
made.
Democrats that would win
enough votes to pass the bill,
said House Minority Leader
Mike McLane, R-Powell
Butte.
“I am happy she is coming
here,” Bentz said in a phone
interview from Ontario Tues-
day. “I think it is an important
part of the process of sharing
with the state the importance of
this particular legislation.”
Bentz and Rep. Greg
Smith, R-Heppner, the Mal-
heur County economic devel-
opment director, both served
on the legislative committee
that crafted the transportation
package.
Smith is guiding the plan-
ning for the reload facility in a
proposed industrial park, The
Argus Observer reported.
A nonprofit corporation is
being formed to govern the
new facility and hire a manager,
according to the newspaper.
www.smileastoria.com
Many things can affect the undesirable
breath issue. First and foremost, it gets
back to dental oral hygiene. Dental
plaque, which is a film of debris, bacteria
and bacterial toxins is the main culprit.
Hardened plaque, known as calculus or
tartar leads to receding gums, inflamed
gums and deepening pockets, giving
bacteria lots of hiding places. Other factors
are tobacco smoking and certain foods and
drinks. An important, but often overlooked
area is maintaining a clean tongue. This
can be best accomplished with the use of
a plastic tongue scraper to remove daily
debris. Finally, as a daily, oral rinse, ideally
one that is alcohol-free, is a good adjunct
to fresh breath control.
Loop-Jacobsen
Jewelers, Inc.
Q: I heard that
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1414 M ARINE D RIVE
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A: Yes!
Frank & Judy VanWinkle
A family owned
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(503) 325-6181
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Astoria, Oregon
Frank repairs
cuckoo, mantel, kitchen &
wall clocks. One, 8 or 30
day clocks. He does house
calls for Granddaughter
to Grandfather clocks in
Clatsop, Columbia and
Tillamook Counties. Frank
travels to Pacific County
WA for house calls also.
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• Wildlife Rescue
Exhibit and Service
Animals
• Disaster Prep/
Stormy Weather: Be
Prepared
• Making Friends of
All Ages
• Exploring Phone
Apps for Seniors
Smartphone
• What is Palliative
Care?
• Happier Body &
Advantages of
Acupuncture
• Genealogy at Your
Fingertips
• Senior Living Care
Options
• Ship Report/KMUN
• Living Well
• North Coast Trails/
Paddling
• Advance Directives/
POLST
• Dancing Your Way
to Fitness
• Advance Directives/
Medical Resources