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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (May 7, 2015)
Page 4A OPINION (DVW2UHJRQLDQ 7KXUVGD\0D\ Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN Publisher JENNINE PERKINSON Advertising Director DANIEL WATTENBURGER Managing Editor TIM TRAINOR Opinion Page Editor OUR VIEW The long road to normalization RI8PDWLOODKDYHH[WHQGHGWKHLU 0HGLFDOPDULMXDQDPRUDWRULXPV PRUDWRULXPVZKLOHFRPPLWWHHV DFURVV(DVWHUQ2UHJRQDUHOLIWLQJ councilors and commissioners $\HDUDJRIXHOHGE\IHDUDQG LJQRUDQFHWKHVHEDQVZHUHLQVWLWXWHG LQYHQWUXOHVIRUWKHQHZLQGXVWU\ +HUPLVWRQ¶VRXWULJKWEDQRQ DVDZD\WRVORZWKHSUHYDOHQFHRI SRWDQGNHHSSHRSOHIURPFRQYHQLHQW both medical and recreational dispensaries will look access to their more archaic with each PHGLFLQH%XWD\HDU In less than SDVVLQJPRQWK ODWHUWKH\DUHFRPLQJ %XWDVPXFKDVVRPH off the books without 60 days, JRYHUQPHQWDOERGLHV much of a fuss. The slow but steady recreational seem content to delay journey to marijuana marijuana WKHGHFLVLRQPDNLQJ the calendar won’t wait. QRUPDOL]DWLRQKDV EHJXQ will be legal ,WKDVUHFHQWO\ÀLSSHG WR0D\DVWKHÀRZHUV (YHQLQ3HQGOHWRQ for adults in outside the window will ZKHUHSURJUHVVLV attest. DOZD\VVORZWKH Oregon. ,WLV7PLQXV moratorium was days until we enter RI¿FLDOO\OLIWHGRQ Tuesday. While dispensaries remain WKHPDULMXDQDHUDLQ2UHJRQZKHQ LWEHFRPHVOHJDOIRUDGXOWVWR HIIHFWLYHO\EDQQHGEHFDXVHRIWKH UHFUHDWLRQDOO\JURZDQGXVHWKHGUXJ FLW\¶VEXVLQHVVOLFHQVHUXOHVWKH EDOOLVUROOLQJDQGLWLVSRVVLEOHWKDW 7KHURDGWRQRUPDOL]DWLRQLQWKLV dispensaries may soon be a part of VWDWHZLOOKDYHSOHQW\RIEXPSVDQG the city’s business community. EUXLVHVDQGPLVXQGHUVWDQGLQJV%XW 6RPHPXQLFLSDOLWLHVDUHPRYLQJ those who walk down that road IDVWHUVRPHVORZHU/D*UDQGHKDV of their own accord and deal with ORQJKDGUXOHVLQSODFHWRDOORZ problems as they arise will be much DQGJRYHUQPHGLFDOPDULMXDQD better off than those that must be dispensaries. On the other end of GUDJJHGNLFNLQJDQGVFUHDPLQJLQWR WKHVFDOHERWKWKHFLW\DQGFRXQW\ the future. 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. YOUR VIEWS FCC must reverse decision on Internet neutrality The Federal Communications Commission’s recent decision to place the Internet under public utility rules ZLOOLQÀLFWPDVVLYHFRVWVRQFXVWRPHUV SDUWLFXODUO\WKRVHOLYLQJLQUXUDODUHDV with limited Internet access. /DZPDNHUVLQ:DVKLQJWRQKDYH DQREOLJDWLRQWRFRUUHFWWKLVPLVWDNH EHIRUHWKHUHJXODWLRQVEHJLQWRWDNHWKHLU WROO,DSSUHFLDWH5HSUHVHQWDWLYH*UHJ :DOGHQ¶VOHDGHUVKLSLQUHYHUVLQJWKH FCC’s misstep. 1HYHUEHIRUHKDVWKH)&&DVVHUWHG VXFKEURDGFRQWURORYHUWKHEURDGEDQG LQGXVWU\7KHLQGXVWU\KDVWKULYHG DOORZLQJWKH,QWHUQHWWRHYROYHDWLWVRZQ pace. $VDUHVXOWWRGD\WKH,QWHUQHWLVD YLEUDQWVRXUFHRILQQRYDWLRQJHQHUDWLQJ ELOOLRQVLQHFRQRPLFDFWLYLW\DQG PLOOLRQVRIMREV1RZWKLVSURJUHVV FRXOGFRPHWRDVFUHHFKLQJKDOW &RPSDQLHVWKDWKDYHUHOLHGIRU\HDUVRQ DPXFKOLJKWHUUHJXODWRU\UHJLPHQRZ face a world of uncertainty. :LWKWKHIXWXUHLQVXFKOLPER companies will undoubtedly cut back LQYHVWPHQWLQWREXLOGLQJQHZQHWZRUNV 7KHVROXWLRQLVIRU&RQJUHVVWRUHLQVWDWH the restrained framework that has been so critical to the Internet’s success. 8QOHVV&RQJUHVVWDNHVDFWLRQVRRQWKH )&&¶VUXOHVWKUHDWHQWRYLUWXDOO\FKRNH the Internet as we know it. Polly Johnson Pendleton Too much of our tax bill goes to education ,DPYRWLQJQRRQWKH%OXH0RXQWDLQ &RPPXQLW\&ROOHJHERQGDQGWKH Pendleton School District local option OHY\+HUHDUHP\UHDVRQVIRUYRWLQJQR 7KH%OXH0RXQWDLQ&RPPXQLW\ &ROOHJH%RQGLQFOXGHVPLOOLRQIRU what I call maintenance. A homeowner FDQQRWOHY\DWD[RQKLVQHLJKERUVWRSD\ for repairs to his home. :K\FDQ¶WWKHFROOHJHVSHQGPRQH\ HDFK\HDUIRUXSNHHSIURPLWVEXGJHW", KDYHQRWKHDUGRIDQ\SODQWRNHHSWKLV IURPKDSSHQLQJDJDLQLQDIHZ\HDUV If the Pendleton School District WD[OHY\SDVVHVLWZLOOEH\HDUVRI RYHUULGHOHYLHV0\LGHDRIDQRYHUULGH OHY\LVVKRUWWHUPKHOSXQWLODWD[LQJ GLVWULFWFDQVROYHDSUREOHP7ZHQW\ \HDUVLVORQJHQRXJKWRFRUUHFWWKH GLVWULFW¶VRYHUVSHQGLQJ<RXFDQRQO\ OLYHRQDFUHGLWFDUGVRORQJ (YHU\ERG\DJUHHVWKDWHGXFDWLRQ LVLPSRUWDQWEXWLIERWKWD[HVSDVV HGXFDWLRQZLOOEHSHUFHQWRIP\WD[ ELOO,ZDQWVRPHPRQH\OHIWIRU¿UH DPEXODQFHSROLFHURDGVMDLOVDQGRWKHU FLW\DQGFRXQW\QHFHVVDU\H[SHQVHV ,I\RXGRQ¶WYRWHGRQ¶WFRPSODLQ Rex J. Morehouse Pendleton BMCC a major factor in Eastern Oregon economy ,DPZULWLQJWRHQFRXUDJHP\IHOORZ YRWHUVWRVXSSRUWWKH%OXH0RXQWDLQ &RPPXQLW\&ROOHJHERQGLQWKH XSFRPLQJHOHFWLRQ $VD%0&&JUDGXDWH,NQRZWKH EHQH¿WV,KDYHHQMR\HGDVDUHVXOWRIWKDW H[SHULHQFH,WKHOSHGPHVWD\LQ(DVWHUQ 2UHJRQIRUP\FDUHHU7KHDQQXDOOLVWRI ORFDOJUDGXDWHVGHPRQVWUDWHVWKHEHQH¿WV WKDW%0&&EHVWRZVRQRXUDUHD %0&&LVDOVRDPDMRUIDFWRULQ HFRQRPLFGHYHORSPHQW7KHDELOLW\ to identify and respond to workforce WUDLQLQJQHHGVLVFUXFLDOWRDWWUDFWLQJ QHZHPSOR\HUVDQGVXSSRUWLQJ H[LVWLQJHPSOR\HUV,QDGGLWLRQWRWKDW WKHDYDLODELOLW\RIKLJKHUHGXFDWLRQ resources is an important amenity that LVLQFUHDVLQJO\LPSRUWDQWLQHFRQRPLF GHYHORSPHQW %0&&LVDQDVVHWWKDWZHQHHGWR VXSSRUW7KHRULJLQDOFDPSXVZDVEXLOW LQDQGZHQHHGWRPDLQWDLQLW 3OHDVHMRLQPHLQYRWLQJ\HVRQWKH %0&&ERQGPHDVXUH Tim Mabry Hermiston Plass an exemplary candidate for BMCC Quality board members are critical WRDQ\RUJDQL]DWLRQDQG%OXH0RXQWDLQ &RPPXQLW\&ROOHJHZLOOEHZHOOVHUYHG E\KDYLQJ6XVDQ3ODVVRQLWV%RDUGRI Education. ,KDGWKHSULYLOHJHRIZRUNLQJZLWK 6XVDQIRUHLJKW\HDUVDW%0&&$V GLUHFWRURIJUDQWVVKHZDVH[WUHPHO\ VNLOOHGDWIRUPLQJLQWHUQDOFROODERUDWLRQV ZKLOHVROYLQJSUREOHPVWRPHHWJUDQW VSHFL¿FDWLRQVDQGDUWLFXODWLQJFROOHJH QHHGV6KHZRUNHGGLOLJHQWO\WREXLOG UHOLDEOHEXGJHWVDQGNHHSDOOSDUWQHUV ZHOOLQIRUPHGGXULQJWKHJUDQWSURFHVV +HUTXDOLW\DQGYHU\VXFFHVVIXOZRUN JHQHUDWHGRYHUPLOOLRQLQJUDQW UHYHQXHIRU%0&& 6XVDQ3ODVVYDOXHVWKH%0&& PLVVLRQDQGLVZLOOLQJWRVHUYHLQDERDUG FDSDFLW\WRKHOSWKHFROOHJHHYROYHDQG JURZ6KHLVDQH[HPSODU\FDQGLGDWHDQG GHVHUYHVRXUYRWH OTHER VIEWS *HUPDQ\WKHJUHHQVXSHUSRZHU % ERLIN — A week at the FRXQWU\¶VIRXUPDMRUFRDOQXFOHDU American Academy in XWLOLWLHVWKDWRQHRIWKHP(2QMXVW %HUOLQOHDYHVPHZLWKWZR split into two companies — one FRQWUDGLFWRU\IHHOLQJV2QHLVWKDW IRFXVLQJRQVTXHH]LQJWKHODVWSUR¿WV *HUPDQ\WRGD\GHVHUYHVD1REHO IURPFRDORLOJDVDQGQXFOHDUZKLOH 3HDFH3UL]HDQGWKHRWKHULVWKDW the other focuses on renewables. *HUPDQ\WRPRUURZZLOOKDYHWR *HUPDQVMRNLQJO\FDOOWKHP³(2II´ RYHUFRPHLWVGHHSO\LQJUDLQHGSRVW DQG³(2Q´ :RUOG:DU,,SDFL¿VPDQGEHFRPHD 2QHSUREOHP*HUPDQ\VWLOOKDV Thomas PRUHVHULRXVDFWLYLVWJOREDOSRZHU Friedman WRQVRIFKHDSGLUW\OLJQLWHFRDOWKDWLV And I say both as a compliment. used as backup power for wind and Comment 2QWKH¿UVWSRLQWZKDWWKH VRODUEHFDXVHFOHDQHUQDWXUDOJDVLV *HUPDQVKDYHGRQHLQFRQYHUWLQJ PRUHH[SHQVLYHDQGQXFOHDULVEHLQJ DOPRVWSHUFHQWRIWKHLUHOHFWULFJULGWR phased out. VRODUDQGZLQGHQHUJ\IURPQHDU]HURLQ 6RLIWKDW¶VWKHVWRU\RQUHQHZDEOHSRZHU DERXW\HDUVKDVEHHQDJUHDWFRQWULEXWLRQ KRZDERXWQDWLRQDOSRZHU"7ZRJHQHUDWLRQV to the stability of our DIWHU:RUOG:DU,, planet and its climate. *HUPDQ\¶VUHWLFHQFHWR The centerpiece of the project any power outside its *HUPDQ³(QHUJLHZHQGH´ ERUGHUVLVGHHSO\LQJUDLQHG RUHQHUJ\WUDQVIRUPDWLRQ in the political psyche here. ZDVDQH[WUHPHO\JHQHURXV 7KDWLVDJRRGWKLQJJLYHQ ³IHHGLQWDULII´WKDWPDGHLW *HUPDQ\¶VSDVW%XWLWLV DQREUDLQHUIRU*HUPDQV not sustainable. There is WRLQVWDOOVRODUSRZHURU DQLPSUHVVLYHZHLJKWWR ZLQGDWKRPHDQGUHFHLYH *HUPDQ\WRGD\²GHULYHG DSUHGLFWDEOHKLJKSULFHIRU IURPWKHTXDOLW\RILWV WKHHQHUJ\JHQHUDWHGRII JRYHUQLQJLQVWLWXWLRQLWVUXOH their own rooftops. of law and the sheer power 7KHUHLVQRGHQ\LQJWKDW of its economy built on WKHHDUO\GD\VRIWKHIHHGLQ PLGVL]HEXVLQHVVHV²WKDWLV WDULIIZHUHH[SHQVLYH7KH XQLTXHLQ(XURSH subsidies cost billions :KHQ\RXWDONWR*HUPDQ RIHXURVSDLGIRUWKURXJKDVXUFKDUJHRQ RI¿FLDOVDERXW*UHHFHWKHLUPDLQFRPSODLQW HYHU\RQH¶VHOHFWULFELOO%XWWKHJRDOZDV LVQRWDERXW*UHHN¿VFDOSROLF\ZKLFKLV QRWVLPSO\WREX\PRUHUHQHZDEOHHQHUJ\ EHWWHUODWHO\EXWDERXWWKHURWDQGFRUUXSWLRQ ,WZDVWRFUHDWHGHPDQGWKDWZRXOGGULYH LQ*UHHFH¶VJRYHUQLQJLQVWLWXWLRQV7KH down the cost of solar and wind to make *UHHNV³FRXOGQ¶WLPSOHPHQWWKHVWUXFWXUDO WKHPPDLQVWUHDPDIIRUGDEOHRSWLRQV$QGLQ UHIRUPVWKH\QHHGHGLIWKH\ZDQWHGWR´RQH WKDWWKHHQHUJLHZHQGHKDVEHHQDQXQGLOXWHG *HUPDQ¿QDQFLDORI¿FLDOVDLGWRPH$WKHQV¶ VXFFHVV:LWKSULFHGURSVRIPRUHWKDQ institutions are a mess. SHUFHQWIRUVRODUDQGSHUFHQWIRUZLQG With the United States less interested in ]HURFDUERQHQHUJ\LVQRZFRPSHWLWLYHZLWK (XURSH%ULWDLQIDGLQJDZD\ERWKIURPWKH fossil fuels here. (XURSHDQ8QLRQDQGWKHODVWYHVWLJHVRILWV ³,QP\YLHZWKHJUHDWHVWVXFFHVVRIWKH EHLQJDJOREDOPLOLWDU\SRZHU)UDQFHDQG *HUPDQHQHUJ\WUDQVLWLRQZDVJLYLQJDERRVW Italy economically hobbled and most NATO WRWKH&KLQHVHVRODUSDQHOLQGXVWU\´VDLG5DOI PHPEHUVVKULQNLQJWKHLUGHIHQVHEXGJHWV, )XHFNVWKHSUHVLGHQWRIWKH+HLQULFK%RHOO GRQ¶WVHHKRZ*HUPDQ\DYRLGVH[HUFLVLQJ 6WLIWXQJWKH*HUPDQ*UHHQ more leadership. Its Party’s political foundation. economic sanctions are ³:HFUHDWHGWKHPDVV already the most important PDUNHWDQGWKDWOHGWRWKH counter to Russian LQFUHDVHGSURGXFWLYLW\DQG DJJUHVVLRQLQ8NUDLQH$QG GUDPDWLFGHFUHDVHLQFRVW´ LQWKH0HGLWHUUDQHDQ6HD And all this in a country ZKHUH(XURSHIDFHVDULVLQJ whose northern tip is the WLGHRIUHIXJHHVDQGZKHUH same latitude as the southern tip of Alaska! Russia and China just announced that their 7KLVLVDZRUOGVDYLQJDFKLHYHPHQW$QG QDYLHVZLOOKROGDMRLQWH[HUFLVHLQPLG0D\ KDSSLO\DVWKHSULFHIHOOWKHVXEVLGLHVIRUQHZ *HUPDQ\ZLOOKDYHWRFDWDO\]HVRPHNLQGRI LQVWDOODWLRQVDOVRGURSSHG7KH*HUPDQVZKR (8QDYDOUHVSRQVH LQVWDOOHGVRODUHQGHGXSPDNLQJPRQH\ZKLFK 7KHUHODWLYHZHLJKWRI*HUPDQSRZHU LVZK\WKHSURJUDPUHPDLQVSRSXODUH[FHSWLQ YLVjYLVWKHUHVWRI(XURSHMXVWNHHSV FRDOSURGXFLQJUHJLRQV7RGD\PRUHWKDQ JURZLQJEXWGRQ¶WVD\WKDWRXWORXGKHUH PLOOLRQ*HUPDQKRXVHKROGVDQGFRRSHUDWLYHV $*HUPDQIRUHLJQSROLF\RI¿FLDOSXWWKHLU DUHJHQHUDWLQJWKHLURZQVRODUZLQG GLOHPPDWKLVZD\³:HKDYHWRJHWXVHGWR HOHFWULFLW\³7KHUHDUHQRZDWKRXVDQGHQHUJ\ DVVXPLQJPRUHOHDGHUVKLSDQGEHDZDUHRI FRRSHUDWLYHVRSHUDWHGE\SULYDWHSHRSOH´VDLG KRZUHOXFWDQWRWKHUVDUHWRKDYH*HUPDQ\ HQHUJ\HFRQRPLVW&ODXGLD.HPIHUW OHDG²VRZHKDYHWRGRLWWKURXJKWKH(8´ 2OLYHU.ULVFKHUWKHYLFHFKDLUPDQRIWKH +HUH¶VP\SUHGLFWLRQ*HUPDQ\ZLOO *UHHQ3DUW\¶VSDUOLDPHQWDU\JURXSWROGPH EH(XURSH¶V¿UVWJUHHQVRODUSRZHUHG ³,KDYHDIULHQGZKRFRPHVKRPHDQGLIWKH VXSHUSRZHU&DQWKRVHDWWULEXWHVFRH[LVWLQ VXQLVVKLQLQJKHGRHVQ¶WHYHQVD\KHOORWR RQHFRXQWU\\RXDVN"7KH\¶UHJRLQJWRKDYH KLVZLIH+H¿UVWJRHVGRZQVWDLUVDQGORRNV to. DWWKHPHWHUWRVHHZKDWHOHFWULFLW\KHKDV Ŷ produced himself. ... The idea now is that Thomas L. Friedman won the 2002 Pulitzer HQHUJ\LVVRPHWKLQJ\RXFDQSURGXFHRQ Prize for commentary, his third Pulitzer for \RXURZQ,W¶VDQHZGHYHORSPHQW´$QGLW The New York Times. He became the paper’s KDVFUHDWHGVRPXFKSXVKEDFNDJDLQVWWKH foreign-affairs Op-Ed columnist in 1995. Today, more than 1.4 million German households and cooperatives are generating their own solar and wind electricity. This is a world-saving achievement. Karen L. Hill Pendleton DEADLINE TODAY! Editor’s note: /HWWHUV WR WKH HGLWRU UHJDUGLQJ LVVXHV RQ WKH 0D\ EDOORWPXVWEHUHFHLYHGE\WKHEast OregonianE\SP0D\WRHQVXUH SXEOLFDWLRQLQWLPHIRURXU0D\HGLWLRQ/HWWHUVUHFHLYHGDIWHUWKHGHDG OLQHZLOOEHSRVWHGRQOLQHEXWQRWLQSULQW(PDLO\RXUWKRXJKWVWRHGLWRU# HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRPRUGURSWKHPDW6(%\HUVLQ3HQGOHWRQ 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.