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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (June 22, 2019)
A4 THE ASTORIAN • SATuRdAy, JuNE 22, 2019 OPINION editor@dailyastorian.com KARI BORGEN Publisher JIM VAN NOSTRAND Editor Founded in 1873 JEREMY FELDMAN Circulation Manager JOHN D. BRUIJN Production Manager CARL EARL Systems Manager OUR VIEW Oregon lawmakers need to take a timeout T here is no better example of political failure than the move by Republican law- makers to walk away from the Ore- gon Legislature on Thursday. But before the usual blame machine cranks up in an effort to saddle GOP lawmakers with all the responsibility, voters should take a step back and carefully review this most recent brush up at the Leg- islature. That’s because a care- ful assessment will show there is plenty of blame to go around. Senate Republicans walked away in an effort to derail Oregon’s ambitious — and complicated — climate change legislation. House Bill 2020 — designed to slash the state’s carbon emissions — is entirely a creature of the Demo- cratic supermajority and, as such, should be a big red flag for voters. We wrote earlier in this space that we believe the bill would be disastrous for working-class Ore- gonians and do little to prevent climate change. We still believe that. The bill is a byzantine, mud- dled example of good intentions gone awry. What’s worse, Dem- ocrats crafted the legislation and then brushed off — repeatedly — AP Photo/Andrew Selsky Gov. Kate Brown deployed the state police Thursday to try to round up Republican lawmakers who fled the Capitol in an attempt to block a vote on a landmark climate plan. Republican attempts to reach a compromise on issues in the bill they felt hurt Oregonians. Instead of compromise, discus- sion and debate — hallmarks of democracy — the majority party at the Legislature acted in a unilateral manner unworthy of the traditions of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Senate President Peter Courtney’s decision to yank Sen. Betsy Johnson off the Ways and Means Committee for the cap-and- trade vote was a particularly naked power grab, in our opinion. Republicans in the Legislature are not without fault. Let’s face it, the GOP in Oregon has made a number of political miscues during this legislative session but this time, and on this issue, they are in the right. With a supermajority, the Dem- ocrats have the power to shove through whatever legislation they want. Democracy, though, isn’t about applying unchecked power. It is about seeking the best solution from a variety of different political viewpoints. It is about compromise. To make matters even worse — which hardly seems possible — Gov. Kate Brown delivered on a threat to use the state police to bring GOP lawmakers back to the Legislature if they departed. That means we — the state of Oregon — have descended to the low level of detaining elected law- makers, transporting them back to Salem and shoving them into the Senate to be present so the Democrats can pass their legis- lation. Such an action also isn’t democracy. Oregon lawmakers need to take a timeout, reflect on what is at stake, and then return to the Leg- islature with the goal of seeking a compromise. The core element of democracy is compromise. We need more of that instead of politi- cal grandstanding. LETTERS Wishful thinking won’t fix our climate wish I were 5 feet 6 inches tall. I wish ivy wouldn’t engulf my backyard shrubs every year. I wish we’d stopped climate change 100 years ago. I wish everyone wanted to deal with climate change now. I wish all businesses were members of Oregon Business for Climate, and wanted to find solutions for climate change. I wish Republican members of the Oregon Legislature would join the Democrats to vote for an ambitious climate change bill, instead of skipping out of Salem when they don’t get their way. I wish salmon weren’t dying from warming oceans and rivers and that Ore- gon’s mountains had reached normal snowpack levels every year, instead of only four of the last 10 years. I wish the owner of Fort George Brew- ery who endorsed HB 2020, Oregon’s Clean Energy Jobs bill, had gotten com- pliments, instead of rants and boycotts, for his far-sighted leadership. I wish Koch Industries, with annual revenues of $110 billion, and the owner of Wauna Mill, would agree to pay a measly $123,000 for the mill’s carbon emissions. Wishful thinking won’t fix our cli- mate. Fortunately, people facing the real- ity of climate change are developing a mix of effective strategies — including carbon cap and trade, carbon sequestra- tion, renewable energy, improved forestry practices, ending fossil fuel use and much more. Oregon can’t afford to postpone work- ing on climate issues. Please support the businesses and political leaders ready to develop and use practical fixes for climate change. LAURIE CAPLAN Astoria I Don’t allow tall buildings vote to recommend the height of buildings along the Astoria Riverwalk west of Second Street will happen Tues- day at 6:30 p.m. before the Astoria Plan- ning Commission at City Hall. While several commissioners are in favor of 28 feet, it appears there may be a majority pushing for 35 feet which, with roof-mounted equipment, means 40 feet (“Astoria considers waterfront changes,” The Astorian, May 29). Try to think of what buildings in our town are about 40 feet high, and mentally place them along the Riverwalk. The recent staff report (download at bit.ly/uniontown-reborn-draft) pro- vided to councilors on the Uniontown Reborn project, where they are pushing for 45-foot-tall buildings, states “the step back requirement will help to break up the massing of a larger building and may pre- serve view corridors” (bottom of page 11 of 35). In print, they say “may” preserve views, and when it doesn’t, we will not be able to complain. Do not allow taller/ A larger buildings, and you do not need to worry about breaking up their massing. The recently approved 45- to 50-foot- tall Hotel Fairfield’s bogus 10-foot step back doesn’t preserve views of the river or bridge, but it caused major problems in that there was no room left for parking of their 20 to 35 employees. Please try to find the petition in town to limit the height to 28 feet, and sign it before this meeting on the 25th. It can be found at a couple of our coffee shops, one of our bakery/restaurants and a barbershop. GEORGE (MICK) HAGUE Astoria Where’s the outrage? storia is not Manzanita beautiful, but it’s undeniably beautiful. It’s not Sea- side beach, but it’s close to the ocean. Its allure and attractiveness is in its working waterfront and maritime traditions. If tourism supplants industry as the primary focus, we will become the next Monterey, California. Then, only the ultra- wealthy will live here, and eventually only wealthy tourists will visit. One mainstay being pushed aside is our commercial fishermen. Gillnetters are being banished from the main river at the insistence of wealthy Portland interests. Our marinas are being turned into Disn- eyland-like amusement zoos, forcing our large fishing fleet to move. We spend millions capturing every ounce of human waste, while we encour- age an animal population to deposit an equivalent daily amount directly into the river. At the very least, it’s unsanitary. Sea lions are a plague like locusts; just cuter, smarter and not insects. Meanwhile, A they are decimating our signature salmon and sturgeon populations. All this with ret- icence from our political leaders. Where’s the outrage? As the new breed of politician — who lacks any institutional knowledge — capitulates to the lure and pressure of out-of town “progressive development” money, our waterfront identity is extracted like a natural resource as if we were a third-world country in the colonial era. We’re at a tipping point. Maintain a working waterfront and marine charac- ter, with good jobs and the dynamism pro- vided by young families, or become an exclusive retirement enclave with very lit- tle original charm. CHRIS CONNAWAY Astoria Retool auto plants rom its very source at the oil wells, to refineries, to automobile emissions, gasoline is a major contributor to climate change. The internal combustion engine has been powering automobiles for over 120 years. We now have new and much-im- proved technology which would greatly reduce the pollution caused by this old mechanism. The auto industry retooled, almost overnight, at the onset of World War II in order to manufacture tanks and military vehicles. It was a dire emergency, and our very lives and way of life was at stake. This is the time for auto plants to be retooled for producing electric cars, because our very lives and way of life are, again, at stake. RUTH LINDEMANN Seaside F That’s the way we’ve always done it he city of Warrenton is facing rapid growth and a housing shortage. Development practices of the past, con- sisting of a handshake and a wink, can no longer be tolerated. The preservation of locally significant wetlands and valued natural resources, which makes the greater Clatsop Plains area attractive to residents and visi- tors alike, are at risk. The pending Clear Lake Development proposed by San- dridge Construction should have been held accountable to meet city, county and state requirements prior submitting their proposal. The Planning Commission erred in their decision to preliminarily approve the development. The develop- er’s history of wetland violations, factual inaccuracies of supporting documents, the lack of proper permits and incom- plete information were not considered. Two members of the Planning Com- mission were absent from the meetings where the development proposal was reviewed. Responsible development and sus- tainable conservation should go hand- in-hand. We ask the Warrenton City Commission to overturn the Planning Commission’s decision and deny the development at their June 25 meeting. It’s time to send a message that a hand- shake must be earned. Smith Lake Improvement Inc. Board NANCY LEDGERWOOD SANDY TAGLIAVENTO KAY BARTHOLOMEW TERRY STEVENS Warrenton T
