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
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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
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HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY
Mothers Day
Brunch
th
Sunday, May 13 , 10am to 4pm
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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
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Casual, yet elegant
valid 5/14/18- forever
Lunch or Dinner
www.silversalmongrille.com