Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 8, 2018)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018 Oregon receives grant for Astoria mulls phone service fee endangered species study to internet services, not just phone services. The com- pany believes such an ordi- nance would be unlawful, and they plan to submit their legal position to the city for review if the ordinance moves for- ward, she said. City Councilor Cindy Price said she felt “squeamish about imposing a 7 percent tax on a majority of Astori- ans,” and asked City Attor- ney Blair Henningsgaard why they city needed such a fee. Henningsgaard said a tele- communications tax is not unique to Astoria and is uti- lized by other cities in Ore- gon. The idea behind it is to equalize the playing field between telecommunica- tion providers, he said. Asto- ria Finance Director Susan Brooks had asked him why Astoria does not impose this tax when so many other cit- ies do. The City Council also conducted the first reading of a new 10-year franchise The Daily Astorian By TOM JAMES Associated Press Federal and state funds totaling $1 million have been set aside to study a new endangered species protec- tion plan in Oregon forests, a decade after a similar effort stalled amid controversy. The money is earmarked to pay for the first step in lay- ing out new rules for protect- ing endangered species in 630,000 acres of state-owned forest land west of the Cas- cades, including large tracts on the state’s northern coast. The plan would consider species including the spotted owl and marbled murrelet, and set guidelines for timber harvesting and recreational use. Officials hope the study phase will take about a year, followed by a year to craft the rules themselves, and a final year of review, said Cindy Kolomechuk, leader of the project at the Oregon Depart- ment of Forestry. Formally called Habitat Conservation Plans, the plans facilitate logging on lands where threatened species are found, essentially autho- rizing negative impacts in exchange for enhancing other protections. Previous efforts have sparked controversy in the state. A plan laying out pro- tections in the Elliot State Forest, in southwestern Ore- gon, became mired after disagreement over mar- bled murrelet rules. And an attempt to create a broader plan ended in 2008 without guidelines being adopted, amid controversy over bal- ancing protections against logging revenues. The conflicts reflect deeper tensions in the state, where businesses with ties to an historic logging indus- try have found themselves pitted against environmental groups. Preservation efforts poten- tially have a new dimension amid a national focus on cli- mate change, said Bob Van Dyk, of the Wild Salmon Center, a Portland conserva- tion group. “These are soggy, long- lived forests,” Van Dyk said. “They sequester enormous amounts of carbon.” The forestry department announced the funding for the study Monday. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service contributed $750,000 with the remainder coming from the state. The Astoria City Council is considering an ordinance that may trigger an increase in what people pay for phone services through Charter Communications. The council held a first reading of an ordinance to levy a 7 percent telecommuni- cations service tax on Charter Monday night. The fee would be passed on to Charter’s cus- tomers and could have a neg- ative impact, said a represen- tative for the company. Robin Smith, senior man- ager of government affairs with Charter, estimated that with the addition of the new fee the average customer would be paying $11 every month in city-imposed taxes. The company already pays a 5 percent franchise fee to pro- vide cable TV services along city rights of way. Smith also argued that the city’s ordinance is vague and could be seen to apply ordinance, an agreement with Charter for cable TV services. The company has not signed off on the new agreement yet, and is still seeking protec- tions and provisions they say would help it stay competi- tive if other, similar compa- nies set up shop in the area. Henninsgaard noted the city doesn’t provide these types of provisions in other franchise agreements. The city maintains six franchise agreements — with Pacific Power, Qwest, Coast Com, Lightspeed Networks, Northwest Natural and Char- ter — for telephone, internet, cable TV, gas and electric- ity services. The agreements allow the companies to use city rights of way to provide services. The city has been negoti- ating a new franchise agree- ment with Charter since the last agreement expired in 2011. Charter operates for now under an extension of the older agreement. Primary: Republican candidates divided on social issues Continued from Page 1A Q: Do you support a consti- tutional change clarifying that passing fees and eliminating tax deductions and exemptions requires a three-fifths majority vote in the Legislature? Why or why not? Buehler: Yes, the Oregon Constitution is clear: fees and taxes are revenue despite what Kate Brown and Salem Dem- ocrats want you to think. I’ve opposed $14 billion in new taxes and fees the governor has supported. I’ll balance the bud- get without increasing taxes and repeal the $1 billion tax on small businesses. Carpenter: Yes. We have this requirement for “tax increases.” Anything that takes more money from the peo- ple should fall into this same category. Wooldridge: The Consti- tution is clear that raising taxes required a supermajority vote, and Democrats have circum- vented this by claiming bills don’t raise taxes, when, in fact, they do. We have a tax and spending problem in Salem that must be stopped. Q: Should all abortions be legal? Why or why not? If only certain abortions should be legal, which kinds should be allowed? Buehler: The issue of abor- tion is between a woman and a doctor — not government and politicians — and it should be safe, legal and rare. That’s why I wrote and successfully passed first-in-the-nation leg- islation providing women in Oregon access to over-the- counter contraception without a prescription. This has sig- nificantly reduced unintended pregnancies. Carpenter: No. Abor- tion ends a human life, and all humans deserve equal protec- tion of law. Abortion should only be allowed for the health of the mother or in cases of rape or incest — and even then, adoption should be the first option. Wooldridge: I am pro-life. Period. Gov. Kate Brown’s extreme position that late-term and gender-based abortions must be provided by taxpay- ers is wrong. We need to have a conversation about putting lim- its on these types of abortions, and I’m confident that the majority of Oregonians agree. Q: What is your opinion on man-made climate change? Is it real? On what evidence is your opinion based? Buehler: I believe climate change is real, and human activity is part of the prob- lem. As governor, I’ll drive us toward a balanced approach that transitions us to renew- able sources without excessive, heavy-handed regulation that rewards cronyism, costs small businesses jobs and drives up the cost of living for hardwork- ing Oregonians. Carpenter: The climate is always changing. Is it caused by man? There is insufficient data, and regardless, we must balance the very real economic impact against hypothetical environmental impact. Wooldridge: Climate change is happening, but the Democrats have exploited nat- ural climate change to pun- ish businesses and raise taxes on workers and everyday Ore- gonians. We can protect our environment through well- thought-out public policy and by addressing our forest man- agement and wildfire mitiga- tion practices. Q: How would you pro- pose reducing gun violence in the state? Buehler: Better sui- cide-prevention measures and mental health support could dramatically reduce gun vio- lence, which is why I intro- duced legislation to supply vital information to every gun buyer at time of purchase. I also voted to close the “boyfriend loophole” to expand protection for survivors of domestic vio- lence from convicted abusers. Carpenter: The problem isn’t “gun” violence. The prob- lem is simply violence, and the solution is to change society from the current culture of vio- lence, stemming from the lost respect for human life. This will take a generation, but it must begin now. Wooldridge: We need to better protect our schools and families and increase security measures that do not violate the Second Amendment, and we must address our state’s lack of mental health care services. Q: Given the Supreme Court’s limitations on reform WANTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber Northwest Hardwoods • Longview, WA Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 of the Public Employees Retirement System, what spe- cific proposal would you advance to avoid increasing the state’s unfunded liability? Buehler: As governor, I won’t sign a single new spend- ing bill until the Legislature passes meaningful, substantive PERS reform. To start, I’d cap the benefits at $150,000 per year, require public employees to contribute to their retirement and transition employees into a more traditional 401(k)-type plan while protecting current retiree benefits. Carpenter: First thing is to convert all new hires to a 401(k) defined-contribu- tion retirement plan to halt increasing the debt and obli- gation. With this done, shor- ing up the existing liability can be achieved. A booming econ- omy from lowered taxes and decreased taxation will bring new revenue to keep Oregon solvent. Wooldridge: I would move our state’s taxpayer-subsidized benefits to a private-sector style 401(k) style benefit. The state would match the contributions made to employee retirement plans, and workers would rest assured their retirements were safe; right now, they’re in jeop- ardy because of a lack of polit- ical will. Q: What is the most import- ant issue facing the state, and how would you begin to address it? Buehler: It’s clear that Ore- gon has suffered from a terrible lack of leadership for too long. Our high school graduation rates put our children’s futures at risk, the skyrocketing cost of housing threatens our commu- nities, and our health care and pension systems are financially unstable. I’ll lead where Kate Brown has failed. Carpenter: Everything — from PERS to forests to home- lessness to schools — stems from 32 years of radical pro- gressive far-left leadership fail- ing Oregon. We address it all by rejecting leftist ideology and implementing a conserva- tive agenda as a chief executive officer. Oregon needs a leader, not another failed bureaucrat in charge. Wooldridge: We must address the culture that has normalized mediocrity. True leadership does not turn a blind eye to reality. I will lead by setting crystal-clear expecta- tions that will inspire others to achieve extraordinary results. There are many great people in Salem who need a leader in whom they can trust. MAY 17 CAREER FAIR at Providence Seaside Hospital Providence is calling. We are seeking compassionate individuals for on-call, part-time and full-time openings in a variety of clinical and non-clinical positions, including: • Nursing and Nursing Support • Food and Nutritional Services • Environmental Services/Housekeeping Whether you are trying to advance your career or get started in health care, come see what Providence has to offer. Providence Seaside Hospital Thursday, May 17 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We look forward to meeting you! Get a jump start on applying for positions at http://bit.ly/ProvidenceSeasideOpenings Providence Health & Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY Mothers Day Brunch th Sunday, May 13 , 10am to 4pm • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Honey Glazed Ham Pepper Crusted Baron of Beef Lemon Peppered Salmon Garlic Mashed Potatoes Rice Pilaf Broccoli with Cheese Sauce Scrambled Eggs Home Fried Potatoes Bacon Sausage Links Waffles with Strawberries Biscuits and Gravy Fresh Fruit Assorted Salads Homemade Desserts Mother’s Day REGULAR BREAKFAST MENU served from 7 AM TO 11 AM brunch buffet Sunday, May 13 th Served from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. BUFFET served from 10 AM TO 4 PM • Seafood Eggs Benedict • Eggs Benedict • Belgian Waffl es Potatoes O’Brien • Bacon • Honey Glazed Ham • German Sausage Pork Sausage • Blackened Salmon w/ Southwest Aioli • Salmon Olympic Tortellini Alfredo • Chicken Breast al Pesto • Award Winning Clam Chowder Assorted Salads • Fresh Fruit • Assorted Pastries and Cookies • Fruit Crisp BUFFET ONLY 11 AM TO 4 PM Flambé Fruit Crepes ~ Made to Order! REGULAR LUNCH & DINNER MENU served from 4 PM TO 8 PM Adults $ 25.00 • Children under 12 $ 14.00 Add a bottomless glass of champagne for $ 5 00 per person Adults $ 29 00 Seniors $ 26 00 Children (6-12) $ 15 00 Children (0-5) Free 1105 Commercial ST • Astoria • 503.338.6640 Buy 1 Entree & Get 2nd Healthcare is a Right Reduce K-12 Class Sizes Expand Vocational Career Training Experience That Matters Regular menu as well as: W ILD S ALMON O SCAR & H ALIBUT P ISTACHIO P RESENT THIS AD AND M OTHER ’ S RECEIVE 1⁄2 OFF THEIR ENTREE Reservations Recommended Tim Josi: The Right Priorities Build More Affordable Housing Mother’s Day Dinner • 3:00pm-9:00pm 42362 HIGHWAY 26 • Elsie, OREGON Located on milepost 18, Hwy 26 60 miles from Portland and 22 miles from Seaside Reservations gladly accepted • 503.755.1818 • 800.874.1810 www.camp18restaurant.com / 2 price 1 Fine Dining Casual, yet elegant valid 5/14/18- forever Lunch or Dinner www.silversalmongrille.com
