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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2015)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Friday, May 1, 2015 Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN Publisher JENNINE PERKINSON Advertising Director DANIEL WATTENBURGER Managing Editor TIM TRAINOR Opinion Page Editor OUR VIEW Tip of the hat; kick in the pants Tip of the hat to two local school districts, who took advantage of a few ROGIDVKLRQHG¿QDQFLDOPRYHVWKDWZLOOVDYHWD[SD\HUVDERDWORDGRIPRQH\ /DVWZHHNWKH+HUPLVWRQ6FKRRO'LVWULFWUH¿QDQFHGPLOOLRQLQ general obligation bonds. Because we are living in a climate of ultra-low LQWHUHVWUDWHVWKHUH¿QDQFHFXWWKH district’s APR in half and shaved two years off the term of the loan. In total, the move will save Hermiston taxpayers $2 million. They weren’t the only one to take advantage either. The Umatilla School District joined WKHPODVWZHHNE\UH¿QDQFLQJLWVJHQHUDO obligation bond, thus saving taxpayers $451,000 over the life of the loan that stretches into 2022. %RWKDUHVPDUWPRYHVWKDWEHQH¿W their constituents and increase the support and trust of the community. And we should expect organizations to do everything they can to stretch our dollars — which we have voted to give them — as far as they will go. Other municipal organization should take advantage of the cheap lending terms and follow the lead of these two school districts. Three cheers to accountants! A tip of the hat to Hermiston residents who helped haul away more than 60 tons of junk GXULQJWKHFLW\¶V¿UVW&OHDQ6ZHHSHYHQWODVWZHHNHQG 0RVWRIWKHGURSRIIVZHUHGLI¿FXOW to-recycle items such as tires, electronics and hardened concrete, the kind of stuff that can’t really be left out on the curb for pickup either. That’s where Clean Sweep comes in, making it as free and easy as possible for citizens to get rid of the kind of junk that can make a city look grubby. Now Hermiston has 60 tons of that grubbiness off its streets and lawns, and the city is better for it. At a cost of just LW¶VDQHFRQRPLFDOO\HI¿FLHQW way to clean up a neighborhood or a street. $ERXWSHRSOHWRRNDGYDQWDJHRIWKLV¿UVWRSSRUWXQLW\DQGDVZRUGRI PRXWKVSUHDGVDQGDKLJKSUR¿OHSUHVHQFHH[SDQGV\RXFDQEHWLWZLOOEHD service that many more Hermiston residents will take advantage of. Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the East Oregonian editorial board of Publisher Kathryn Brown, Managing Editor Daniel Wattenburger, and Opinion Page Editor Tim Trainor. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opinions of the authors and not necessarily that of the East Oregonian. LETTERS POLICY The East Oregonian welcomes original letters of 400 words or less on public issues and public policies for publication in the newspaper and on our website. The newspaper reserves the right to withhold letters that address concerns about individual services and products or letters that infringe on the rights of private citizens. Submitted letters must be signed by the author and include the city of residence and a daytime phone number. The phone number will not be published. Unsigned letters will not be published. Send letters to Managing Editor Daniel Wattenburger, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com. Deadline! Editor’s note: Letters to the editor regarding issues on the May ballot must be received by the East Oregonian by 5 p.m. May 7 to ensure publica- tion in our May 9 edition. Letters received after the deadline will be posted online but not in print. OTHER VIEWS 2016 will be here soon I t’s conventional wisdom that the “pregame.” The real game starts at 2016 Republican presidential some point in the future, perhaps in race is at such an early stage that $XJXVWZKHQWKH¿UVW5HSXEOLFDQ the polls don’t matter. They’re just a debate takes place in Ohio. But the measurement of name recognition at pregame, if that’s what it is, matters this point, some observers say, and the too. Candidates are getting their only only people really paying attention FKDQFHWRPDNHD¿UVWLPSUHVVLRQ to the campaign are reporters and ,QWKHFDPSDLJQWKH¿UVW hard-core party activists. Republican debate was held May 5, Byron Maybe that was true in earlier 2011, in Greenville, South Carolina. York years. But it doesn’t seem to be the The participants were Ron Paul, Comment case now. “One thing about this Herman Cain, Rick Santorum, Tim election — Republicans are paying Pawlenty and Gary Johnson. (Don’t DWWHQWLRQ´VD\VD*23SROOVWHUQRWDI¿OLDWHG remember Johnson? He’s the former New with any campaign. “They are very concerned Mexico governor who ended up running as a about who the nominee is going to be, and the Libertarian.) idea that what a candidate says now doesn’t The big question that night was whether matter could not be further Pawlenty could ascend to from the truth.” the top tier of candidates. Look at the recent CNN/ (He couldn’t.) But the real ORC poll. First of all, it’s a lesson of the evening, at KXJH¿HOGDQGQRFDQGLGDWH least in retrospect, was dominates — Jeb Bush WKDWWKH*23¿HOGZDVVWLOO is in the lead with just 17 remarkably unformed at that percent. But nearly all stage. the respondents surveyed 7KLV\HDU¶V¿HOGVHHPV have picked a candidate to much more stable at an support; add together every earlier time. Yes, Kasich candidate’s little share of the might enter the race — he vote and the total nears 100 certainly sounded that percent, with few undecided. way last weekend in New There’s Bush’s 17 Hampshire — and yes, percent, followed by Scott perhaps another candidate Walker with 12 percent; will give it a try, too. But then Rand Paul and Marco the basic structure of the Rubio with 11 percent each; 5HSXEOLFDQ¿HOGVHHPV Mike Huckabee with 9 percent; Ted Cruz nearly set. with 7 percent; Ben Carson and Chris Christie And strong, too. Back in 2011 and 2012, it with 4 percent each; Rick Perry and Rick was common to hear Republicans complain Santorum with 3 percent each; and Carly DERXWWKHZHDNQHVVRIWKHLU¿HOG6RPH Fiorina, Lindsey Graham, Bobby Jindal and complain today — some always do — but John Kasich with 2 percent each. Then there WKHIDFWLVWKH*23¿HOGLVDSUHWW\ are 5 percent who say they support some other impressive group. Governors with solid candidate. records, senators who have made their mark in Add it up, and that’s 94 percent of WKH6HQDWHSOXVLQWULJXLQJ¿JXUHVZKRFRPH 5HSXEOLFDQVZKRVD\WKH\VXSSRUWDVSHFL¿F from outside the world of politics. candidate now. The rest — a pretty tiny Not all of them will make it even to the number of undecided — say they can’t make a Iowa caucuses. And they’ll drop off like decision or have no opinion. ÀLHVDIWHUWKDW7KHNH\WKLQJIRUWKHZLQQLQJ Of course, that’s just for now. Many will candidate is to realize that he will have to be change their minds, but they are already taking able to assemble a coalition of those voters the race seriously. who support other candidates in the current At this point, many voters are likely FDQGLGDWH¿HOG7KDW¶VZKDWLWZLOOWDNHWR making preliminary decisions based on very win. little information. They know Scott Walker One thing a candidate — or anyone fought unions in Wisconsin. They know Jeb else, for that matter — should not do is Bush is George W. Bush’s brother and George dismiss what is going on in the race now as H.W. Bush’s son. They know Ted Cruz was meaningless because it is so early. Plenty can involved in the government shutdown. change, but it might be that when February “That’s why these announcements are 2016 comes around, and the voting begins, important,” says the pollster, “because it is some themes (and front-runners) in the race WKH¿UVWWLPHWRDVVRFLDWHPRUHIDFWVZLWKHDFK will look a lot like they look now. candidate. And you’ve seen each candidate get Ŷ a little bump when they announced.” Byron York is chief political correspondent Some analysts describe this period as the for The Washington Examiner. This year’s field seems much more stable at an earlier time. The basic structure of the Republican field seems nearly set. YOUR VIEWS Not too late to move Don Requa statue Well, I am with Mr. Fritz Hill about the Requa statue: It’s not a done deal. The location of the bronze statue of Mr. Don Requa was apparently determined by the Pendleton City Council meeting April 21. Who actually made that decision? I still believe the citizens of Pendleton and the surrounding area have a right to another appeal that the Requa statue be placed at Pendleton High School. If it is up to the city council to appoint a Pendleton Arts Advisory Committee, I suggest no city council member be on the committee, nor the mayor or city manager. The city council and Pendleton Arts Advisory Committee should create a comprehensive set of rules and guidelines, as suggested by Mike Forrester, for any public art within the city limits. It should be up to the Umatilla County commissioners to form a similar arts committee for the county. Mr. Requa is not likely to attract tourists as will other historic ¿JXUHVRQ0DLQ6WUHHW,QNHHSLQJ with Pendleton’s pioneer theme, a statue of Moses Goodwin, or a covered wagon, or both, would be much more appropriate at %URZQ¿HOG3DUNQHDUZKHUHWKH pioneers crossed the Umatilla River. The size of such statues should be considered. The statue of Mr. Requa will RYHUSRZHUWKHOLWWOH%URZQ¿HOG Park. People have asked me why he is more important then other well-known Pendleton residents. He isn’t, except for high school students. I predict, in years to come, if Pendleton retains its western and Round-Up reputation, the statue of Mr. Requa will be moved to where it belongs: Pendleton High School. Dorys C. Grover Pendleton Pendleton schools need levy funds to operate Please continue to help the children in our local schools by voting yes on the renewal of the Pendleton School District local option levy, Measure 30-105, which will be on the May 19 ballot. This levy, continuing with no increase at a maximum tax rate of 40 cents per assessed value, provides additional school operating funds that are not provided by the state. Failure of this levy to pass would mean a loss of approximately $470,000 per year IRUWKHQH[W¿YH\HDUVRURYHU $2.25 million in revenue to the Pendleton School District. Imagine what another $2 million loss to operating funds would look like: a reduction in funding of salaries for teachers, meaning layoffs that would result in increased class sizes again, cuts to academic programs again — when we’ve just started building them back up — a freeze on adding critical technology into the classrooms, and more. The loss of even one teacher impacts our students. This local option levy was initially approved by voters in 2000 and renewed in 2005 and 2010. It is not a new or additional tax. The tax rate does not increase. We know it’s still tough economic times for individuals, businesses and organizations. Renewal of this existing levy is greatly needed. Our schools are a critical link in the development and education of our community’s youth. I urge you to join us in voting yes on the continuation of PSD local option levy. knew I needed some type of degree past a high school diploma. I stayed at BMCC because I found that teachers were well versed in their subjects, in many cases they had or still were working in the ¿HOGWKH\DUHWHDFKLQJLQ,DOVR stayed at BMCC because the level of dedication from the community had made departments like the science and agriculture departments an up-to-date facility that compared to large four-year schools. The current BMCC bond would help to ensure that our region is still in the forefront of improving our local economic work force. I am in support of the bond because it is one of the few ways we can ensure our tax dollars go to what we want them to go for. This bond also takes advantage of a state match of dollars making our local tax dollars stretch. I hope you will join me when you get your ballet and vote yes for the BMCC bond. BMCC graduate appreciates college BMCC bond dollars necessary for upgrades I feel compelled to write a letter in support for the Blue Mountain Community College bond. One of the great things about Eastern Oregon is the ability to receive a high level of education locally that helps drive our own economy. I attended BMCC because I I am writing to ask for your support in voting yes for the Blue Mountain Community College bond levy. I would like to point out several of the reasons why we need to give this initiative our support. This bond will allow the college Debbie McBee Pendleton School Board member Aaron Duff Milton-Freewater to update and expand technology and infrastructure to improve instructional capabilities and RSHUDWLRQDOHI¿FLHQFLHV ,WZLOODOVRJHQHUDWHVLJQL¿FDQW operational savings for the college E\UHSODFLQJDJLQJLQHI¿FLHQW heating, cooling and plumbing and electrical systems. BMCC serves 10,000 students each year, and an average of 82 percent remain in the local area, making positive economic and social contributions. Investing a dime a day for a 15-year bond will raise $23 million to support capital improvements at all BMCC locations in Umatilla and Morrow counties. I received my AA from BMCC in 1980, which allowed me to continue on to OSU where I graduated with a degree in business. I returned to BMCC in 1987 to pursue additional studies, and it was during this time that I met my wife who was also a student at BMCC. Therefore I can personally attest to the value of having a community college in our area. I continue to live and work in Umatilla County, as well as serve on numerous boards and committees in order to give back to the community and country that means so much to me. Let’s get it done this time, and thank you for your support. Jerry Baker Athena
