Page 2A
NORTHWEST
East Oregonian
Friday, April 10, 2015
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at ODFW
Legislation would
reduce property taxes
SALEM (AP) — A state
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not keeping up with the
rising revenue demands at
the Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife.
The Secretary of State’s
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Thursday.
It notes that hunting and
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most of the department’s
revenues, and the numbers
of people buying them have
been declining since the
1970s.
Meanwhile, the
department’s workload
has been growing to deal
with the impacts of a
JURZLQJSRSXODWLRQRQ¿VK
and wildlife habitat. And
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are at risk from deferred
maintenance.
Department director
Curt Melcher welcomed
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department’s revenue
problems, and noted that
there are three bills in the
Legislature to deal with the
issue, including one raising
fees for licenses and tags.
By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
Capital Press
SALEM — Farmers who raise crops
or livestock in urban areas could obtain
property tax relief under an Oregon bill
that would create urban agriculture in-
centive zones.
Supporters of House Bill 2723 say
that urban farmers improve food securi-
ty and teach city dwellers about agricul-
ture but face a high property tax burden.
The legislation would allow cities
and counties to designate zones where
undeveloped land is subject to lower
property tax rates so long as it’s used for
DJULFXOWXUHIRUDPLQLPXPRI¿YH\HDUV
Farmland in urban areas already
TXDOL¿HVIRUGHIHUUHGSURSHUW\WD[HVEXW
HB 2723 creates a new system in which
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right away, rather than in the third year
of farming as currently required, said
Ivan Maluski, policy director of the
Friends of Family Farmers group.
Also, growers would not have to pay
back taxes under the new program if
they decide to stop producing crops or
OLYHVWRFNDIWHU¿YH\HDUVKHVDLG
Maluski said the bill encountered
some concerns about enforceability and
land use implications, which are ad-
dressed in a proposed amendment.
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HB 2723 only relates to property tax-
es and doesn’t affect the inventory of
land available for development within
urban growth boundaries, he said.
The amendment also lays out
“checks and balances” that specify
how local governments will assess
properties that take advantage of the
urban agriculture incentive zones, Ma-
Mateusz Perkowski/Capital Press
Developer Eric Olsen examines crops growing on a parcel of land des-
ignated as a “village farm” for the neighborhood he built in Monmouth,
Ore. The Oregon Legislature is considering a bill that would provide tax
relief to urban farms.
luski said.
If only a portion of a property is
used for farming, the special assess-
ment would only apply to that area un-
der the bill.
The Oregon Farm Bureau’s main
concern with the bill is that it not un-
dermine the existing property tax de-
ferral system for farmland, said Mary
Anne Nash, public policy counsel for
the group, during an April 7 hearing on
the bill.
Because the urban agriculture in-
centive zone idea is novel, the program
should be subject to a sunset in roughly
¿YHWRVL[\HDUVVRWKDWODZPDNHUVFDQ
evaluate how it’s performing, she said.
Jon Chandler, CEO of the Oregon
Home Builders Association, said he
would like for cities to consider such
urban farms when calculating how
much land to include in their urban
growth boundaries.
Cities should be able to take into
account how much time urban farms
have taken advantage of the tax incen-
tives — for example, a property that’s
been in the program for 15 years may
be unlikely to be converted to another
use, he said.
Nash of ORB said that she found
that concept “troubling” because such
urban farms should not create addi-
tional pressure to expand urban growth
boundaries.
In that situation, an urban farm may
simply displace a rural farm, she said.
Rep. Brian Clem, D-Salem, said
the bill contains a “natural check” on
how much the program would actu-
ally be used, since cities and counties
are unlikely to forgo tax revenue and
landowners seldom want to give up the
opportunity to develop their property.
Urban farming is growing in prom-
inence, said Vic Gilliam, R-Silverton,
who sponsored the HB 2723 along
with Clem.
Marijuana possession,
sale and cultivation continue
to be offenses under federal
law.
Congress
prohibited
anyone selling controlled
substances from getting tax
breaks in 1982, after a drug
dealer claimed his yacht and
weapon purchases as legiti-
mate business expenses.
But Wyden and Blu-
menauer said times have
changed, and federal law
hasn’t caught up.
Last fall, Oregon joined
Colorado, Washington state
and Alaska and made pot
legal for anyone over 21 to
grow, buy and possess. Ore-
gon is also one of more than
20 states to allow the use of
medical marijuana, which in
many cases is sold through
dispensaries.
“This is about having eq-
uitable treatment for legiti-
mate businesses and putting
them on an equal footing,”
Blumenauer said.
The bill likely faces an
uphill battle. The Republi-
can-led Congress has largely
opposed marijuana legisla-
tion, and President Obama,
at a town hall in Jamaica,
said: “I do not foresee any-
time soon Congress chang-
ing the law at a national ba-
sis.”
There are over 200 med-
ical marijuana dispensaries
in Oregon. Recreational
possession and growing
will start in July, while re-
tail sales are not expected to
start until next year.
Wyden and Blumenauer
said the IRS rules are unfair
and burdensome to mari-
juana business owners, who
face tax rates of 70 to 90
percent. Many illegally take
the deductions, or go out of
business, they said.
“It drives so many people
away from legal business and
into the underground,” said
Shane McKee, co-founder
of Shango Premium Canna-
bis dispensary in Portland.
“It makes many businesses
unable to operate.”
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Copyright © 2015, EO Media Group
TODAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Sunshine mixing
with some clouds
Cooler with a
couple of showers
Some sun
67° 47°
55° 35°
MONDAY
TUESDAY
Mostly cloudy
Windy and cooler
with a shower
PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
60° 39°
64° 39°
55° 34°
HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
70° 45°
59° 35°
PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
LOW
61°
60°
89° (1925)
36°
38°
27° (2010)
PRECIPITATION
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
0.01"
0.23"
0.40"
2.97"
4.82"
4.36"
HERMISTON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
Yesterday
Normals
Records
LOW
63°
63°
81° (1960)
33°
39°
24° (1959)
PRECIPITATION
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
0.00"
0.26"
0.21"
1.78"
2.81"
3.32"
SUN AND MOON
Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
Last
New
Apr 11
Apr 18
6:19 a.m.
7:35 p.m.
12:51 a.m.
10:33 a.m.
First
Full
Apr 25
67° 40°
60° 34°
Seattle
60/43
ALMANAC
Yesterday
Normals
Records
63° 36°
May 3
Spokane
Wenatchee
62/42
64/46
Tacoma
Moses
61/41
Lake
Pullman
Aberdeen Olympia
Yakima 66/45
63/43
54/43
59/40
68/41
Longview
Kennewick Walla Walla
61/42
69/49 Lewiston
71/49
Astoria
69/48
55/42
Portland
Enterprise
Hermiston
63/45
Pendleton 61/38
The Dalles 70/45
67/47
68/48
La Grande
Salem
66/42
61/45
Albany
Corvallis 61/44
61/45
John Day
65/40
Ontario
Eugene
Bend
70/44
61/45
62/35
Caldwell
Burns
69/43
64/36
Medford
68/45
Astoria
Baker City
Bend
Brookings
Burns
Enterprise
Eugene
Heppner
Hermiston
John Day
Klamath Falls
La Grande
Meacham
Medford
Newport
North Bend
Ontario
Pasco
Pendleton
Portland
Redmond
Salem
Spokane
Ukiah
Vancouver
Walla Walla
Yakima
REGIONAL FORECAST
Eastern Washington: Sunshine and some
clouds today. Periods of rain tonight. A
couple of showers tomorrow.
Cascades: Sun and some clouds today.
Cloudy tonight; periods of rain, but dry in
the south.
Northern California: Low clouds followed
by sunshine at the coast today; mostly
sunny elsewhere.
Lo
42
38
35
45
36
38
45
43
45
40
34
42
37
45
44
48
44
49
47
45
35
45
42
39
46
49
41
Beijing
Hong Kong
Jerusalem
London
Mexico City
Moscow
Paris
Rome
Seoul
Sydney
Tokyo
Lo
47
65
43
49
53
37
49
44
38
59
50
To submit sports or outdoors information or tips:
VSRUWV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP
Real Estate Advertising: Jodi Snook
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COMMERCIAL PRINTING
Production Director Jake Duquette
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W
r
s
pc
pc
s
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pc
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s
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pc
s
pc
pc
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pc
s
pc
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Hi
53
52
49
54
54
46
57
52
59
49
52
50
45
57
52
54
63
61
55
55
52
56
52
46
55
57
59
NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
Sat.
Lo
40
23
23
42
21
25
35
30
35
27
24
30
26
36
38
40
31
38
35
40
22
37
32
26
40
39
31
W
sh
sh
sh
sh
sh
sh
sh
sh
sh
sh
sh
sh
sh
sh
sh
r
sh
pc
sh
sh
sh
sh
sh
sh
sh
sh
pc
W
pc
c
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
s
s
sh
r
Hi
70
72
52
56
75
56
60
62
66
72
58
Sat.
Lo
44
65
44
41
53
31
45
46
41
60
50
W
pc
r
r
sh
pc
s
pc
pc
s
pc
r
WINDS
Boardman
Pendleton
Today
Saturday
WSW 6-12
W 6-12
WSW 15-25
W 20-30
UV INDEX TODAY
1
3
5
To submit engagements, weddings and anniversaries:
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Today
Hi
70
74
56
68
78
50
69
62
64
70
54
To submit community events, calendar items and Your EO News:
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WORLD CITIES
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
Coastal Oregon: A little rain across
the north this afternoon; partly sunny
elsewhere.
Eastern and Central Oregon: Sunshine
mixing with some clouds today; pleasant
in the south.
Western Washington: A little rain; some sun
this afternoon, then turning cloudy across
the south.
Hi
55
66
62
55
64
61
61
67
70
65
60
66
61
68
54
57
70
71
67
63
64
61
62
64
62
69
68
NEWS
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Today
(in mph)
Klamath Falls
60/34
Corrections
The Wed. April 8 East Oregonian front page story “Stat-
ue decorations banned” was missing an important word in
the second paragraph. Decorations are banned in the city,
but statues are not. The EO regrets the error. If you notice
a mistake in the paper, please call 541-966-0818.
REGIONAL CITIES
Forecast
SALEM (AP) —
The Oregon House has
unanimously approved a
bill to designate a section
of Oregon Highway 7 near
Baker City as Mabry Anders
Memorial Highway.
Republican Rep. Cliff
Bentz of Ontario introduced
House Bill 2981 to honor
the 21-year-old Baker City
soldier who was killed in
Afghanistan in 2012.
The Baker City Herald
reports hat the section of
highway is between Baker
City and Phillips Reservoir.
The bill now moves
to the state Senate, where
it is expected to pass
unanimously.
PORTLAND (AP) —
Google is expanding its
presence in Oregon.
This week, the compa-
ny will open a new data
center in The Dalles. The
164,000-square-foot build-
ing nearly doubles the size
of the company’s current
data center in that town, the
Oregonian reports.
The cost of the new facil-
ity: $600 million.
*RRJOH¶V¿UVWVHUYHU
farm in The Dalles opened
in 2006. The company was
drawn to Oregon by cheap
power and favorable tax
breaks. The state has no
ADVERTISING
Advertising Director: Jennine Perkinson
MSHUNLQVRQ#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP
v
Multimedia consultants
• Jeanne Jewett
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• Dayle Stinson
541-966-0806 • dstinson@eastoregonian.com
• Terri Briggs
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Subscriber services:
For home delivery, vacation stops or delivery concerns: 1-800-522-0255
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'DOHVGDWDFHQWHU
Oregon lawmakers seek federal tax code change for legal pot
PORTLAND (AP) —
Two members of Oregon’s
congressional
delegation
plan to introduce bills that
would allow marijuana busi-
nesses operating in compli-
ance with state law to take
federal deductions on taxes
like other small businesses.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden
and Congressman Earl Blu-
menauer say the legislation
would alter a section of the
federal tax code that prohib-
its anyone selling controlled
substances from getting tax
breaks. At a press confer-
ence on Thursday, the two
legislators said they would
introduce the bills next
week.
sales tax, and special enter-
prise zones exempt the data
center’s computers from
local property taxes.
Still, Google paid $1.2
million to the city, Wasco
County and the local school
district when it won the tax
deal in 2013 for the new
data center.
About 175 people work
in Google’s data center in
The Dalles, according to the
city, including 90 contrac-
tors.
The company also
announced this week it has
OHDVHGDQHZRI¿FHLQGRZQ-
town Portland to replace its
previous one.
Google did not say how
many people would work
in the 15,000-square-foot
space. The company has
about 20 employees in
Portland, but said it has no
immediate plans to expand
there.
7KHFRPSDQ\¿UVW
RSHQHGDQRI¿FHLQ3RUWODQG
in 2010, when it bought a
small Tualatin company
called Instantiations.
Google says the Portland
lease is unrelated to ongoing
considerations to bring Goo-
gle Fiber’s Internet service
to Portland.
5
3
1
8 a.m. 10 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m.
0-2, Low
3-5, Moderate 6-7, High;
8-10, Very High;
11+, Extreme
The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ num-
ber, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.
Forecasts and graphics provided by
AccuWeather, Inc. ©2015
Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
-10s
-0s
showers t-storms
0s
10s
rain
20s
flurries
30s
40s
snow
ice
50s
60s
cold front
70s
80s
90s
100s
warm front stationary front
110s
high
low
National Summary: Showers and locally severe thunderstorms will affect the Deep South
and Atlantic Seaboard today. Spotty snow is in store for the upper Great Lakes. Clouds and
showers will approach the coastal Northwest.
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 93° in Carrizo Springs, Texas
Low 11° in Sunset Crater, Ariz.
NATIONAL CITIES
Today
Albuquerque
Atlanta
Atlantic City
Baltimore
Billings
Birmingham
Boise
Boston
Charleston, SC
Charleston, WV
Chicago
Cleveland
Dallas
Denver
Detroit
El Paso
Fairbanks
Fargo
Honolulu
Houston
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Kansas City
Las Vegas
Little Rock
Los Angeles
Hi
73
77
64
76
63
73
68
56
85
67
61
59
73
64
59
83
45
56
82
76
64
88
68
78
72
70
Lo
44
55
48
46
41
52
45
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63
43
36
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58
36
33
55
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62
57
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84
40
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81
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Sat.
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Today
Louisville
Memphis
Miami
Milwaukee
Minneapolis
Nashville
New Orleans
New York City
Oklahoma City
Omaha
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Portland, ME
Providence
Raleigh
Rapid City
Reno
Sacramento
St. Louis
Salt Lake City
San Diego
San Francisco
Seattle
Tucson
Washington, DC
Wichita
Hi
67
70
86
54
54
69
84
63
70
65
72
86
50
59
82
62
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60
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Sat.
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Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain,
sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.
W
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