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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TuESDAY, JANuARY 22, 2019
OPINION
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
Publisher
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Editor
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OUR VIEW
Bills will test commitment to collaboration
A
s the Oregon Legislature
prepared to start work this
week, its leaders were say-
ing all the right things about work-
ing together, respecting rural Ore-
gon and doing what was best for
the state as a whole.
But, as the saying goes, “only
time will tell.”
In the Oregon House, the Dem-
ocratic and Republican leadership
have a more collegial relationship
than in the past. In the Senate, it
seems prickly.
Democrats gained supermajori-
ties in the House and Senate, which
enable them to pass tax increases
without needing any Republi-
can votes — if all Democrats stick
together, which is never a sure
thing. Some legislative issues, such
as potential changes in sentencing
laws, have an even higher thresh-
old for passage. In any case, Dem-
ocrats cannot conduct business
unless enough Republicans are
present for a quorum.
Through the leadership of Senate
President Peter Courtney, D-Salem,
the Senate has acted as a moderat-
ing influence on proposals emanat-
ing from the more liberal House.
But the November elections swung
the Senate to the left, and Courtney
worries about how he will balance
Michaela Roman/Statesman Journal
Gov. Kate Brown greets people at her inauguration.
the expectations of progressive
Democrats with the need to work
collaboratively with Republicans.
“We cannot do this, Democrats,
without Republicans. You gotta
understand that,” Courtney said at
the annual Associated Press legis-
lative preview on Friday. “We can-
not do this without Republicans.
Without the elephants in the room
— another way to put it — the don-
keys can’t do it.”
The question is whether the
90 legislators, as well as Dem-
ocratic Gov. Kate Brown, will
give more than lip service to that
collaboration.
The early signs are positive.
They almost always are at the start
of a legislative session.
Legislators went through civil-
ity training last week. Equal num-
bers of Democrats and Republicans
will serve on the joint legislative
committee charged with improv-
ing the State Capitol culture and
overcoming the specter of sexual
harassment. Courtney appointed
non-urban and urban senators —
Democrats Betsy Johnson of Scap-
poose and Elizabeth Steiner Hay-
ward of Beaverton — to jointly
serve as the Senate’s budget lead-
ers. He has introduced Senate
Bill 2, with Republican Sens. Bill
Hansell of Athena and Cliff Bentz
of Ontario, which could be a break-
through in providing greater land-
use flexibility in Eastern Oregon.
It might also be a good sign that
legislators are still trying to write
the carbon cap-and-invest legisla-
tion, which progressives demand
and conservatives dislike. Some
Democratic legislators had long
ago insisted that the legislation,
known as Clean Oregon Jobs, was
ready. Republicans have strived to
make it less onerous for businesses
and consumers.
Most bills passed by the Legis-
lature are routine and have bipar-
tisan support. Few of those will
make headlines. But many con-
tentious proposals — from taxes
to firearms — likely will pit busi-
ness vs. labor, rural vs. urban and
minority Republicans vs. majority
Democrats.
Those are the bills that will test
legislators’ commitment to collab-
oration, to civility — and to the
whole of Oregon.
LETTERS
No longer acceptable for
schools to discriminate
Vice President Mike Pence is offended
by the negative response to his wife, Karen
Pence, teaching at an anti-LGBTQ Chris-
tian school in Virginia — a school where
she also taught years ago (“Karen Pence
teaching at school that bans gay students,”
The Daily Astorian, Jan. 16).
While the school’s policy is technically
legal, it requires staff and parents to sign a
document stating that only heterosexuals
are acceptable, and only male/female mar-
riage is acceptable. Legal does not make it
moral, fair, tolerant or exemplary.
The school vilifies and does not accept
LGBTQ staff, students or parents. Change
anti-LGBTQ to women — no female staff,
students, parents. Or African-American
— no black staff, students or parents. Or
Asian — no Asian staff, students or par-
ents. Or Muslim — no Muslim staff, stu-
dents or parents. No Jewish, Catholic,
Native American or Hispanic staff, stu-
dents or parents.
There was a time when it was accept-
able to discriminate against all these
groups and more, but no longer. As Amer-
icans we aspire to create equality, diver-
sity, fairness, and tolerance. Vice President
Pence and his wife represent the values of
their extremist Christian sect, violate the
separation of church and state, and do our
nation a disservice.
It is the public that should be offended
by the Pences’ behavior.
TERESA DeLORENZO
Knappa
Welcome to two new
faces in public affairs
The city of Astoria received two sur-
prises to start the year. If you attended
recent Astoria City Council meetings, or
Design Review Committee meetings, you
may have noticed two faces new to pubic
affairs. Both are women, and each would
be considered among the younger mem-
bers of our governing community.
Sarah Jane Bardy, a member of the
Design Review Committee — and, more
importantly, a community member with a
passion for the way Astoria proceeds into
the future — made her feelings clear when
she spoke to the City Council, and very
directly reminded them that a vote in favor
of the proposed Fairfield Inn and Suites
was in defiance of the Planning Commis-
sion and the Design Review Committee in
respect to the height of the building and its
visual mass.
For her remarks, Ms. Bardy was
privately and publicly chastised by
the mayor, but this dressing down may
work in her favor (“Design Review Com-
mittee member confronted by Astoria
mayor over hotel comments,” The Daily
Astorian, Jan. 8). Previously she was
unknown, but now we recognize her com-
mitment to the city’s future; she has pas-
sion and she is unafraid to speak.
Another appearance was Jessamyn West
for appointment to the recently vacated
Ward 4 position for City Council. The sit-
ting councilors listened to several appli-
cants and unanimously chose Ms. West. A
grassroots community member who, along
with partners, organized the purchase of
the Odd Fellows hall in downtown Astoria.
Their plan is to lease one floor of the build-
ing to a local theater, and another to the
local dance and movement community.
Welcome, both of you.
JIM STOFFER
Astoria
Help out Coast Guard
any way you can
It really does not matter your opinion
of “wall” or “no wall,” we are not the ones
to solve the shutdown until the ballot box
gets our envelopes, and we must all vote to
have our voices heard.
Approximately 1.5 in 10 of us, maybe
more, are not getting paid a dime here
in Astoria because they are Coast Guard
employed, yet still must go to their duty
station and perform their jobs. We are a
“Designated Coast Guard City,” which is a
great title for a community to have, and we
must celebrate it in good times and bad.
Right now it’s bad. Let’s help them out
in any way you can, with a donation or
products. Items we use every day with-
out thought are now important: laundry
soap, dog and cat food, toilet paper, gas for
the car, let alone food. The Lower Colum-
bia River Chief Petty Officer Associa-
tion (CPOA) is set up to receive monetary
donations that will go to where it is needed
the most, along with pop-up food pantries.
We are a community that has many
opportunities to donate and volunteer to
(i.e. the animal shelter, the library, the Lib-
erty Theatre, the Scandinavian Heritage
Park, etc.) but these are folks who help
others in need, and save lives. Ask a fisher-
man who they want help from when their
vessel is broken down 60 miles offshore in
bad weather. Now is the time to help them.
Their services are appreciated.
Donations can be mailed to Lower
Columbia River CPOA, P.O. Box 34, War-
renton OR 97146.
PAT WILSON
Astoria
We are a Coast Guard
community
I know exactly what this government
shutdown means. My daughter, son-in-law
and their three children serve in the Coast
Guard where they have no close-by fam-
ily, there is no base housing and the cost of
living is very expensive. You do the math.
Think about what the impact would be on
you were you in their shoes.
It seems like every week there are sto-
ries of Coast Guard searches and res-
cues, of boats being towed to safety, illegal
drug shipments seized, illegal immigra-
tion attempts thwarted and other maritime
responsibilities being faithfully fulfilled.
They are always there for us. It is our turn
now to be there for them.
Recently, I have seen several local busi-
nesses do their part to assist our Coasties.
As an example, the Main Street Market
in Warrenton is offering those affected by
the shutdown interest-free charge accounts
for food purchases. Kudos to them. I am
challenging every North Coast and Long
Beach Peninsula business to pitch in. If
the basic humanitarian aspect isn’t enough
to convince you to help, remember —
the economic vitality of this entire region
depends to one degree or another on our
Coasties.
I am also challenging The Daily Asto-
rian and every local radio station to seek
out and maintain an ongoing list of every
business and what they are doing to let our
Coast Guard families know where they can
find assistance.
We are a Coast Guard community. It is
time for all of us to step up.
BILL GRAFFIUS
Gearhart
Killing sea lions won’t
solve the problem
It’s so sad that sea lions are going to be
killed (“Oregon starts killing sea lions at
Willamette Falls,” The Daily Astorian, Jan.
10).
Our areas have been overfished.
The fish population is low, due also to
so many dams up our rivers. The dams
were designed and built with no way for
fish ladders. So, as is usually the case,
humans put the blame on anything besides
themselves.
The balance of nature has been pushed
out of whack, and killing isn’t going to fix
the full problem. The sea lions are living
with nature.
Many love the sea lions in Astoria. This
is all just so sad.
ROBIN RODGERS
Astoria