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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2018
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
Publisher
JIM VAN NOSTRAND
Editor
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CARL EARL
Systems Manager
OUR VIEW
Buehler for governor
Oregon needs leadership
Children at risk
The state’s child welfare agency audit
shows decades of neglect and lack of
accountability. To Brown’s credit, she
removed the agency head and set out steps
to improve the system. But the steps were
never followed. And the agency’s fail-
ure to follow those steps still has not been
addressed. Her failure to demand account-
ability puts our most vulnerable children
at risk.
The Oregon Health Authority audit
pointed out millions misspent on Medicaid
payments, noting that the agency lacked
“well-defined, consistent and agency-wide
processes” to detect improper payments.
Following the release of a draft public
relations plan crafted by OHA to smear
Family Care, a Portland-area health care
provider, the OHA director resigned, but
Brown hired the communications direc-
tor who drafted the plan to an economic
development position in the governor’s
office, according to the Register-Guard.
Can’t wait any longer
Kate Brown has spent 25 years in state
government, and knows Oregon’s peo-
ple and values. She’s personable and
plays well to a state that was described
by the Washington Post as one of the
nation’s most “anti-Trump.” But we no
longer have time to take a wait-and-see
attitude on PERS, education, vulnera-
ble Oregonians and our rural, natural
resource-based economies.
Both Republicans and Democrats play-
ing to the base have helped push nearly
one-third of Oregon voters into the non-
affiliated category — more Oregon vot-
ers are neither Democrats or Republicans
than are affiliated with either party.
Oregonians are tired of politics as usual.
We urge a vote for Buehler to lead
Oregon.
A Buehler governorship carries risk.
It requires that he come through on his
promise to be a moderate governor,
working with a Democrat-controlled
Legislature to get action on his ambitious
ideas for education, housing and health. It
also relies on the Legislature being will-
ing to work with Buehler.
But based on his record, Buehler
has showed an ability to make deci-
sions based on the best outcomes for
Oregonians — and not always along
party lines. He is pro-choice, in favor of
gay marriage and often critical of Trump.
He supported the “coal to clean” energy
bill, breaking ranks with Republicans to
vote for it.
We don’t like some of Buehler’s stands
— supporting the LNG terminal in Coos
Bay, and repealing the state’s sanctu-
ary law through Measure 105 — but he
demonstrates an awareness of the need
for timely and decisive action that’s been
lacking from Brown.
Kate Brown has not convinced us that
the next four years will be different than
her first four years as governor. The next
four years under Knute Buehler will.
Vote ‘yes’ for
Astoria school bond
Please vote ‘yes’
for Astoria kids
n Nov. 6, you, the citizens of Astoria,
can make a choice to help the children
of our town. Chances are you know a child
living in Astoria. Whether you’re a parent
or a grandparent, a neighbor or an employer,
children make up almost 20 percent of the
population in Astoria, and as such, it is our
responsibility to keep them safe and ensure
that their right to a quality education is met.
On Nov. 6, you can vote “yes” for Astoria
kids. “Yes” for John Jacob Astor getting a new
boiler, so the school will not have to close over
winter. “Yes” for upgrading Astoria Middle
School’s fire alarm system, so they can stay safe
and enjoy much-needed ventilation and natu-
ral light in the outdated building. “Yes” for fix-
ing Astoria High School’s significant security
concerns. Safety and security in our schools are
urgent priorities.
Saying “yes” for Astoria kids says “yes”
to Astoria’s future. Their success will be our
success, too. So please vote “yes” for Asto-
ria kids.
REBECCA SHERMAN
Astoria
I
O
regon unemployment rates are
at historic lows and the state
revenue forecast at historic
highs. The state’s incumbent governor
should be riding a wave of approval into
the Nov. 6 election. So why then, in the
latest polling, is Kate Brown only barely
leading Republican Knute Buehler?
There are at least two reasons for
the closeness of this race. After a long
drought, Oregon Republicans have
nominated a credible candidate who
appeals to mainstream Oregonians. And
Gov. Brown is vulnerable because she
lacks the kind of bold leadership that
Oregonians like to think they deserve.
The Daily Astorian’s editorial board
believes that the Oregon governor’s race
comes down to leadership on pension
reform, education, natural resources and
human welfare.
PERS
Despite the largest revenue bud-
get ever projected for the 2019-21 bien-
nium, $1.1 billion will go to fund the
Public Employees Retirement System’s
liabilities — a 38 percent increase in
PERS expense in just two years. Those
increased revenues won’t ever reach the
classroom, fund more public safety per-
sonnel or programs for our most vulner-
able populations. It will go straight to the
public employee pension liability. In its
worst manifestation, school districts are
laying off teachers in order to pay the
benefits for retired personnel.
Gov. Brown thinks that state employ-
ees need to have more “skin in the
game,” and recent union contracts
require state employees to pay a 6 per-
cent contribution to their retirement in
place of the employer contribution. But
Brown gave state employees a 6.95
percent raise to more than offset the
contribution.
State Rep. Knute Buehler and Gov. Kate Brown debate in Portland.
Buehler says, “I won’t sign any new
spending bills until I have a PERS reform
bill on my desk.” He wants to transition
state employees to a private-sector style,
401(k) retirement plan, and cap the final
salary used to calculate an employee pen-
sion at $100,000, essentially limiting
maximum pension benefits to $45,000
to $50,000 a year, indexed to inflation.
The proposal could save as much as $500
million per biennium. We call that bold
leadership.
Gillnetting
Former Gov. John Kitzhaber’s 2012
ban of gillnetting on the main stem of
the Columbia River assumed that gillnet-
ting took more than a sustainable num-
ber of salmon out of the river for the fish-
ery. Five years later, studies showed that
banning gillnetting has not had a positive
effect on salmon runs. The Oregon Fish
and Wildlife Commission recognized the
failure of the ban and in 2017 approved an
enhanced “rebalancing” plan that allowed
limited gillnetting.
Gov. Brown, in a letter to the commis-
sion, said the rules adopted for the fish-
ery reforms were “not acceptable” and she
asked for the rules to be reversed. “The
rules should clearly match … the policy of
my administration,” she wrote.
Kitzhaber’s gillnetting ban cost him
the Clatsop County vote in the 2014 elec-
tion. We think Kate Brown’s demand to
enforce her policy over science should
cost her the Clatsop County vote too.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Vote for Mitchell,
Brown and Bonamici
he critical midterm election is upon us.
Your vote matters. My vote matters. Our
votes are our voice. I’m voting for Tiffiny
Mitchell, Kate Brown and Suzanne Bonamici;
all strong Democratic women. Voting for these
three dedicated women creates a strong Ore-
gon and that contributes to a strong America.
This focused Democratic trifecta will work
to ensure that we all have access to affordable
health care and protect women’s reproductive
rights.
Tiffiny, Kate and Suzanne will confront
the dangers of climate change and work for
effective solutions. They will support a vital,
healthy economy for all Oregonians. They
are dedicated to the welfare of our children
through strengthening Oregon’s education sys-
tem, which in turn, will build opportunity for
them.
Look for your ballot in the mail. Don’t
delay; vote as soon as your ballot arrives.
Strong, dedicated, focused representation is
what Oregon needs. Tiffiny, Kate and Suzanne
are applying for the jobs to represent you and
me. Let’s hire them. Vote.
CATHEY RYAN
Seaside
T
Vote Wev for
county commissioner
’m voting for Pamela Wev in the District 3
Clatsop County Commission race. Pamela
has broad experience from a lifetime work-
ing with smaller municipal systems. She is an
experienced, respected professional in land use
planning, as well as a talented negotiator and
leader. And, she understands how to encourage
sustainable economic growth. These four qual-
ities alone make her the superior candidate.
The county badly needs grounded, ener-
getic leadership to solve the manifold prob-
lems on its plate: enhancing affordable housing
options; upgrading an aging and inadequately
designed jail complex; creating reason-
able options for the homeless; servicing pub-
I
lic health and mental health needs; and, most
importantly, helping to maintain healthy indus-
tries in forestry and fishing. The commission
must take a strong leadership role in direct-
ing the new county manager in tackling these
tasks.
Like it or not, we are going to grow rapidly
in the next several years. Pamela has the tal-
ents to assist us in doing so in a sensitive, sus-
tained fashion. Her unique talents are vitally
needed on the county commission.
DAVE KRUGER
Astoria
Hotel project
should reduce scale
he proposed Fairfield Hotel roof line is
47 feet high, which is two feet above the
limit, and its roof-mounted equipment is an
additional foot higher. There is only enough
parking for hotel guests, which includes the
space most use for Josephson’s Smokehouse.
This leaves none for a repurposed Stephanie’s
Cabin or any of the hotel’s employees. Reduc-
ing the scale would greatly help, and many
hope the Design Review Committee will
require such at their 5:30 p.m. Nov. 1 meeting
— or deny it.
Business owners along Commercial Street
told me they left Cannon Beach and Seaside
because those towns rely too much on tour-
ists. They moved to Astoria to have a more
year-around economy. I would hate for Asto-
ria’s economy to be viable only during tour-
ist season.
The hotel design with balconies overlook-
ing the Riverwalk will make walking this spe-
cial path much less special with people inter-
acting with us from on high. The Urban Core
plan — for which the city is now accepting
public input at Tuesday’s 6:30 p.m. special
Planning Commission meeting — has pictures
of buildings with balconies facing both sides
of the Riverwalk — think gauntlet with few
river views. If the Fairfield is allowed balco-
nies, then denying others will be difficult.
GEORGE (MICK) HAGUE
Astoria
T
O
am an Astoria teacher and parent. I support
the Astoria school bond because we are hin-
dered by our aging facilities. Our students and
staff deserve to work and learn in buildings
where the boilers work, and can be repaired
when needed, where the walls are connected to
the floors, and where all classrooms have win-
dows for natural light.
The bond will also update many specific
departments at Astoria High School, providing
our students with modern opportunities in sci-
ence, art, music, technology and career explo-
ration. The current facilities are 60 years out of
date. The bond will fix that.
My third-grader recently had a nightmare
about a school lockdown. Our kids deserve to go
to school where they are safe. We need buildings
that are up to date for our children’s safety. The
bond will enclose most of our exterior doors and
create single points of entry that can be moni-
tored for the safety of everyone in the buildings.
Our children are our responsibility and
our future. Please vote “yes” for Astoria kids.
REBECCA PIERCE
Astoria