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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 13, 2020)
A4 THE ASTORIAN • TuESdAy, OcTObER 13, 2020 OPINION editor@dailyastorian.com KARI BORGEN Publisher DERRICK DePLEDGE Editor Founded in 1873 JEREMY FELDMAN circulation Manager JOHN D. BRUIJN Production Manager CARL EARL Systems Manager OUR VIEW Place limits on campaign money V oters will weigh several statewide ballot measures in the November election. Campaign contribution lim- its, new tobacco taxes, legaliz- ing psilocybin for therapeutic use and decriminalizing drug posses- sion each pose thorny public policy questions. Measure 107 Oregon has been among a hand- ful of states with no limits on polit- ical campaign contributions. Measure 107 would amend the state Constitution to allow laws that limit campaign contribu- tions and spending, require disclo- sure of campaign finance activity and require political advertising to identify the sponsors. The Oregon Supreme Court ruled in April that a $500 contri- bution limit in Multnomah County did not violate free speech protec- tions in the Constitution, a ruling that suggested new limits on cam- paign money would be legal across the state. The ballot measure would leave no doubt. The Legislature, local governments and voters, through the initiative process, would be able to set limits. We think some of the rhetoric about money in politics is exagger- ated. The same First Amendment that protects the rights of The Asto- rian to make political endorsements enables individuals, corporations and labor unions to spend money to influence elections. But reasonable limits on cam- paign contributions and disclosure requirements do not foreclose free speech. Vote “yes.” Measure 108 Looking to discourage smok- ing and vaping and raise money for public health, state legislators safe medical treatment for mental health conditions.” We believe the idea should be vetted by mental health experts and the Legislature, not voters. Vote “no.” Nike co-founder Phil Knight donated $2.5 million to Knute Buehler’s Republican campaign for governor in 2018. have recommended a sizable cig- arette tax increase and a new tax on e-cigarettes and nicotine vaping devices. Measure 108 would raise the tax on a pack of cigarettes by $2 — to $3.33. The cap on cigar taxes would climb to $1, up from 50 cents. The new tax on e-cigarettes and nicotine vaping devices would be 65% of the wholesale price. The taxes could generate more than $331 million in the next two- year state budget cycle. Ninety per- cent would go to the Oregon Health Plan and other public health pro- grams and 10% would go to pre- venting tobacco use. We know taxes on sales dispro- portionately affect low-income res- idents. But the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists smoking as the leading cause of preventable death, and many low-income residents rely on the Oregon Health Plan for their medi- cal care. We also believe the new tax on e-cigarettes and vaping makes sense, particularly given the increase in vaping among young people. Vote “yes.” Measure 109 Therapists who see the poten- tial of psilocybin — a hallucinogen drawn from mushrooms — to treat depression and other mental health conditions want to legalize the drug for use by people 21 and over at licensed service centers. Under Measure 109, no licenses would be issued until after a two- year development period overseen by the Oregon Health Authority. A sales tax would be imposed on psi- locybin products. The federal Food and Drug Administration has designated psilocybin as a potential break- through therapy for depression, but it remains a Schedule I drug under federal law, meaning it has no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. The Oregon Psychiatric Physi- cians Association opposes the mea- sure, warning that “science does not yet indicate that psilocybin is a Measure 110 There is an emerging consensus in Oregon that treatment, not pun- ishment, is the best approach to drug addiction. But treatment advocates are divided over Measure 110, which would decriminalize lower-level drug possession and divert mar- ijuana tax money to fund new addiction recovery centers across the state. Criminal penalties for drug pos- session — 1 gram or less of her- oin; 2 grams or less of cocaine or methamphetamine, for exam- ple — would be eliminated. Pos- session would result in a $100 fine or completion of a health assess- ment. Possession of larger amounts of drugs — but not commer- cial scale — would be reduced to misdemeanors. A financial impact statement pre- pared by the state found the mea- sure would reduce marijuana tax revenue that goes to schools, men- tal health programs, the state police and local governments. Several leading addiction and mental health treatment provid- ers oppose the measure, arguing it would destabilize existing pro- grams. The Oregon Council for Behavioral Health cautioned that it “provides no new funding, destroys pathways to treatment and recov- ery and fails to address racial injus- tice in our systems by decrimi- nalizing a narrow set of charges without resource for larger system innovation.” We think the Legislature is better equipped to evaluate these issues. Vote “no.” LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Wolf imberUnity is a powerful and rich political action committee. They are a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Originally, #TimberUnity was made up of log truck drivers concerned about fuel prices and climate change issues. Now hijacked by big corporations, they are pouring big dollar support to very right- wing candidates, including the Republican candidate for Oregon House District 32, who appears very reluctant to call herself a Republican. #TimberUnity disingenuously claims they are for working families, but take a look at who their endorsed candidates are. They are supporting Suzanne Weber, who has no proof of standing up for working people. Additionally, Weber’s donors are big corporations, including multiple out-of- state corporations. These corporations have never supported the interests of working people, and will continue to cut jobs as they automate their industries. In contrast, Debbie Boothe-Schmidt has a track record of fighting for our work- ing families, and has over a dozen union endorsements. Unions helped build Ameri- ca’s middle class. Debbie is supported by teachers, nurses and social workers, as well as small-busi- ness owners. She has broad, small-dol- lar support, and will truly represent all the folks in our north Oregon Coast district. Take time to learn how your vote will work for your interests. Don’t believe the false messaging by Weber that is being bought and paid for by obscene amounts of money trying to influence this election. Study the voters’ pamphlet to be an informed voter, then vote for Boothe-Schmidt. ALETHA S. WESTERBERG Astoria #T Our own values t is important for our House District 32 communities to have a representa- I tive who can work collaboratively with their colleagues in diverse communities throughout Oregon. We need someone who will not insult others, or flee when legisla- tive deliberations do not go their way. By the time this is printed, we will all have seen both the candidates’ statements and mailed cards from Debbie Boothe- Schmidt and her opponent. Debbie’s talk about her qualifications, her values, her priorities and her understanding of what is important to the 32nd District. She says nothing about her opponent. Suzanne Weber gives a brief back- ground of her education, her career and her job as Tillamook’s mayor. What sets her materials apart is her attacks. Her mailer shows a scary dark figure set against an out-of-control fire, representing (we assume) Debbie. Suzanne is all color- ful and smiling. Her statement in the vot- ers’ pamphlet again demeans Portland, and plays on the theme that Debbie and her supporters are extreme partisans and/or environmentalists. Suzanne uses her opportunity not to explain her priorities, but to attack and demonize. These are not approaches which would serve her successfully for us in the Legislature. The truth is that out-of-area financial support is coming to this campaign. We need to look to our own values and needs, and not to fear. I encourage you to vote for Boothe-Schmidt. JAN MITCHELL Astoria Right choice uzanne Weber is the right choice for House District 32. She has experi- ence as an educator, small-business owner and she currently serves as the mayor of Tillamook. What I admire about Suzanne is she is practical and nonpartisan. She focuses on understanding the issues important to our community, and developing solu- tions and results based on a common-sense approach, not rooted in a specific agenda S or political philosophy. She wants our rural North Coast com- munities to have a voice in Salem, and she vows not to align herself with the priorities of Portland politicians. We need a representative who rep- resents the North Oregon Coast first and foremost. Please support Weber. PATRICK NOFIELD Cannon Beach It would be a vote to continue with leg- islative representatives aligned with big unions and special-interest groups. Weber has the interests of only the citi- zens of House District 32 and the support of those from all parties. Vote for Weber. VINEETA LOWER Seaside Travesty T he recent “path to peace” negotiated by President Donald Trump, Jared Kush- ner, Benjamin Netanyahu, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain is a travesty. This plan ignores and neglects the rights of the Palestinian people, who were not consulted or considered. The occupation of their lands is a blatant overreach. Honoring the return of all Zionists to the territory, based on an obscure biblical reference, is hypocritical. Why shouldn’t white settlers return Native American people to their land? The U.S. displaced the native people less than 200 years ago. Ask your neighbor if they would return their home to the displaced native people. SAADA HADDAD Astoria T Interests n 2018, Rep. Tiffiny Mitchell won by about 5 percentage points, and just a few short months later it was apparent that she did not represent the people of House Dis- trict 32. Rather, she represented the big unions and special-interest groups that paid her way to the legislative seat. Don’t make that mistake again. A vote for anyone other than Suzanne Weber is a vote to continue to raise our taxes and implement ridiculous fees, tak- ing money from the vulnerable population on a fixed income, single parents and fami- lies already struggling to make ends meet. I Puffery here is no more important issue fac- ing Oregon today than forest industry reform. Yes, industry reform. The industry operates as Big Ag, and boasts of itself as Big Timber. What puffery. Loss of sawmill jobs due to conser- vative forestry is a hoax. There can be no domestic log shortage as long as raw unprocessed logs are loaded on ships and sent to offshore sawmills. In the world most of us live in, log exports equal job exports. We have been exporting saw logs since the mid-1960s, and now it is not even worthy of notice, question or comment? Why are Big Ag, and its wholly owned subsidiary Big Timber, and their captive legislators — Sen. Betsy (the buck stops here) Johnson, et al. — absolutely silent about log exports? Bottom line: forest practices, mean- ing labor costs, are prohibitive. There is no palatable way to speak of the unspeak- able; nothing is more upsetting than watch- ing woods workers fall in line as #Timber Unity showcasing their captivity and soli- darity with their bosses. Labor has lost its way, and has no place at the table. What will it take for the concerned cit- izens of Oregon to fully appreciate the incestuous arrangements the sawmill lobby has with the Oregon Department of For- estry? Why buy logs from real estate investment trust forest lands, when pub- lic forests are available on demand for high-quality raw material? What, indeed, is the highest, best use of our forests? Reform business practices, and forest practices will follow. GARY DURHEIM Seaside
