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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (June 6, 2015)
VIEWPOINTS Saturday, June 6, 2015 First fire of the season I kept seeing smoke as a backdrop behind P\ ZRUNSODFH $W ¿UVW LW ZDV D EHDXWLIXO white. Then turned gray and dark. It was EDIÀLQJ:DVQ¶WVXUHZKDWZDVJRLQJRQ — Jasmine Landeros ,WVPHOOHGOLNHVWLQN\IHHWP\VRQVDLG not me! — Tonya L Perkins 6R GLI¿FXOW WR ¿JKW ¿UH LQ WKHVH FRQGL- WLRQV6WD\VDIHEURWKHUVDQGVLVWHUV — Levi Raber Pendleton school district releases boundary proposal So sad to see those schools go. I attended /LQFROQDVDFKLOGDQGFDQ¶WLPDJLQHLWQRW EHLQJDVFKRRO,W¶VFUD]\WKDWNLGVWKDWDUH used to walking to school will have to be bused across town. — Jennifer Bush 7KH VFKRRO GLVWULFW KHOG ¿YH GLIIHUHQW SXEOLF PHHWLQJV LQ $SULO DVNLQJ IRU IHHG- back on the new proposed boundary lines. They did give everyone a chance to voice their opinions and I believe they did the best MREWKH\FRXOGLQXVLQJWKHIHHGEDFN — Karen Willis 7KHUH LV YHU\ OLWWOH VWDWH VXSSRUW IRU public education in Oregon. The lottery LVVXSSRVHGWRKHOSEXW\RXFDQ¶WSURYLGH quality education with an indirect tax like that. I would gladly pay a 5 or 6 percent VWDWHVDOHVWD[LIDJRRGVROLGSLHFHZHQWIRU public education. — JD Smith One of the great lessons of the Twitter age is that much can be summed up in just a few words. Here are some of this week’s takes. Tweet yours @Tim_Trainor or email editor@eastoregonian. com, and keep them to 140 characters. By ADAM DAVIS Capital Insider/EO Media Group O QHKXQGUHGPLOOLRQGROODUVRI VWDWHIXQGVIRUDIIRUGDEOHKRXVLQJ something Oregon voters do not PHQWLRQDVRQHRIWKHPRVWLPSRUWDQW problems they want their local and state JRYHUQPHQWRI¿FLDOVWRGRVRPHWKLQJ about? Really? The proposal is being championed by a JRYHUQRUIDFLQJDHOHFWLRQLQDVWDWH where existing services are likely to be FXWEHFDXVHRIWKH3(56GHFLVLRQZKHUH high school graduation rates are among the worst in the nation, and where a crumbling LQIUDVWUXFWXUHWKUHDWHQVWKHVWDWH¶VHFRQRP\ Really? $IIRUGDEOHKRXVLQJ"5HDOO\" 2XUIRFXVJURXSVDQGVXUYH\VVXJJHVW that Gov. Kate Brown (and Gov. John .LW]KDEHUEHIRUHKHULVQ¶WFUD]\,QD recent DHM Research statewide survey, SHUFHQWRI2UHJRQYRWHUVDJUHHGWKHLU FRPPXQLW\KDGDVLJQL¿FDQWDIIRUGDEOH housing problem, and 62 percent agreed WKDWORZLQFRPHZRUNLQJIDPLOLHVFDQQRW ¿QGDIIRUGDEOHKRXVLQJLQWKHLUFRPPXQLW\ 7KDW¶VZKDWZHFDOO³YDOLGDWLRQ´LQWKH opinion research business. $PRQJJURXSVWKDWDUHRIWHQVNHSWLFDO RQWKHVHW\SHVRILVVXHVHYHQPHQ SHUFHQWFRPSDUHGWRZRPHQSHUFHQW and Republicans (50 percent compared to 'HPRFUDWVSHUFHQWIHHOWKDWDIIRUGDEOH housing is a problem. Additionally, UHJDUGOHVVRIJHQGHUDQGSDUW\2UHJRQLDQV IHHOZDJHVIRUPLGGOHLQFRPHMREVKDYHQRW kept up with the rise in home prices. 6RIDUVRJRRG6DOHPZHKDYHD problem. :HOOVRUWRI'HVSLWHDJUHHPHQWWKDW WKHUHLVDSUREOHPRQO\DERXWDWKLUGRI 2UHJRQYRWHUVIHHOVWURQJO\DERXWWKDW agreement. $QGLQDWUDGHRIIFRQWH[WZLWKRWKHU SXEOLFSURJUDPVDQGVHUYLFHVDIIRUGDEOH housing has never been a top tier concern. 7KHXSVKRWLVWKDWDIIRUGDEOHKRXVLQJLVD FRQFHUQRI2UHJRQYRWHUV-XVWSHUKDSVQRW as big a concern as other problems. :KDWFDQWKHJRYHUQRUDQGKHUDOOLHVGR WRLQFUHDVHYRWHUV¶FRQFHUQ DQGVHQVHRIXUJHQF\DERXW DIIRUGDEOHKRXVLQJ"/LQN it to something Oregonians care about more — jobs, IRUH[DPSOH Forty-eight percent RIYRWHUVDJUHHWKDWORFDO governments should SULRULWL]HLQYHVWPHQWVLQ housing because it creates local jobs, 40 percent say WKH\VKRXOGQ¶WDQG percent are unsure. So the governor making the connection to 11,000 new jobs, direct or indirect, is good. But our research suggests the connection ZRXOGEHVWURQJHULILQVWHDGRI³ORFDO JRYHUQPHQW´VKHVDLG³ORFDOJRYHUQPHQW working in partnership with the community DQGWKHQRQSUR¿WVHFWRU´9RWHUVDUH SODFLQJDORWPRUHWUXVWLQWKHQRQSUR¿W sector these days than in the public sector. Strengthen it even more by talking at the same time about what the money ZRXOGPHDQIRU2UHJRQ¶VVPDOOEXVLQHVVHV across the state and you have the jobs angle covered. The governor and her supporters can make strong connections to other issues Oregonians care about as well, such as helping children succeed in school and OLIHDQGPDNLQJLWSRVVLEOHIRUKDUG ZRUNLQJIDPLOLHVWRJHWWKHKRXVLQJWKH\ QHHGZLWKRXWVDFUL¿FLQJIRRGDQGEDVLF necessities. 6XSSRUWIRUZRUNLQJIDPLOLHVLV particularly appealing to moderate and more 7HD3DUW\0D\HOHFWLRQ GHIHDWGXHWRYRWHUPDODLVH D id anyone read the May 21 East Oregonian newspaper? Many things pop out. One, LI\RX¶UHFRPSHWLQJ\RXQHYHUEUDJ about beating second string. ,W¶VDOZD\V\RXU closest competitor. 6RWKDQNVIRUWKH acknowledgment, East Oregonian. Yes, ZHDUHDIRUFH <RXUVWDWHPHQWRI DQWLWD[LVRQO\KDOI WUXH:HNQRZWD[HV are a necessary evil, but when is enough, enough? Especially ZKHQSHUFHQWRIRXUWD[GROODUVJR WRVFKRROVDQGZH¶UHQRWJHWWLQJRXU PRQH\¶VZRUWK,IJRYHUQPHQWZRXOG WXUQIURPLWVVRFLDOLVWDJHQGDDQGJR back to its roots, they would have enough! The bond is bondage. Just look at your home mortgage, when you borrow $100,000 you pay back RQD\HDUORDQ,VWKH ERQGDQ\GLIIHUHQW"7KHUHLVDWUXWKLQ OHQGLQJODZ:K\GRHVWKLVODZRQO\ DSSO\WRIUHHHQWHUSULVHDQGQRWWRRXU government? Even the school levy passed in SDUWEHFDXVHRIWKHHQGOHVVVXSSO\RI money they have, and human nature. ,I\RXZDQWVRPHWKLQJ\RXJRDOORXW IRULW,I\RXGRQ¶WZDQWVRPHWKLQJ you ignore it and hope it will go away, i.e. 33 percent voter turnout with the GHFHSWLRQWKDWLWZRQ¶WFRVWDQ\WKLQJ Thirty-three percent voter turnout is WKHSUREOHP7KDWLVQRWSHUFHQWRI WKHSRSXODWLRQEXWUDWKHUSHUFHQWRI registered voters. Sixty-seven percent RIWKHSHRSOHVD\³:KDWJRRGGRHVLW do, because they are going to do what WKH\ZDQWDQ\ZD\"´:KHQDERQGRU levy is repeatedly run and run until it passes; honest people simply give XS:HOOVKDPH on us. As I walked around the county, everywhere I went SHRSOHVDLG³1R ZD\ZLOOLWSDVV´EXW XQIRUWXQDWHO\LWGLG pass and only with a mere 33 percent voter turnout. Compassionate conservative ZDVWKHELUWKRIPRGHUQLGHRORJ\ which morphed into wishy-washy. :LVK\ZDVK\EUHHGVDSDWK\DQG indecisiveness, which in turn results in the 33 percent voter turnout that we witnessed during the election process last month. 7RGDWH,KDYHQRWIRXQGDWHD party member who is anti-community and compassionateness as the EOGHVFULEHV:HXQGHUVWDQGWKH LPSRUWDQFHRIHGXFDWLRQDQGZH¶YH pointed out how value is reduced by LQHI¿FLHQFLHV:K\DUHWKRVHTXDOLWLHV described as abrasive or paranoid ZKHQLQWUXWKWKH\DUHQ¶W"7HD 3DUW\ORRNVDKHDGDWZKDW¶VFRPLQJ down the pike and alerts voters to EHSUHSDUHGIRUWKHUHVXOWVRIWKHLU The school levy passed because of the endless supply of money they have, and human nature. decisions. ,WZRXOGEHQLFHLIWKHEO would UHSRUWWKHQHZVLQVWHDGRIWU\LQJWR PDNHLW%XGJHWFXWVDUHPDGHRIWHQ but taxes continue to increase. Maybe that is the new math our schools are WHDFKLQJ:KDW¶VWKHSRLQWRIFXWWLQJ EXGJHWVLIWD[SD\HUVVHHFRQWLQXDO UDLVHVLQWD[HV"&XWWKHSUREOHPVRII DWWKHURRWV²LI\RXFDQ¶WDIIRUG DKLJKHUVWDQGDUGRIOLYLQJGRQ¶W buy unnecessary things and expect taxpayers to cover the cost. The tea SDUW\LVUHIUHVKLQJLWVFXSE\WU\LQJ WR¿OWHURXWDOOWKRVHWKLQJVWKDW muddy the tea (i.e. daycare in BMCC, ¿UHVWDWLRQQHZ\HOORZVLGHZDON DSSURDFKHVIRUWKHKDQGLFDSSHGWKDW QRZPXVWEHUHPRYHGGXHWRVXUIDFHV WKDWLPSHGHZKHHOFKDLUDFFHVV Compassion is shown by trying to PDNHWKH³WHD´PRUHSDODWDEOHIRU taxpayers, who are choking on raising taxes that eat into our living cost. 7RFKDUJHWKDW7HD3DUW\LVHQWLUHO\ XQZLOOLQJWRUHFRJQL]HWKHEHQH¿WVZH UHFHLYHIURPWD[HVZDVDWRWDOO\ELDVHG VWDWHPHQWIURPWKHEO:HDUHDYLWDO SDUWRIWKHIULHQGVDQGQHLJKERUVWKDW PDNHRXUZRUOGJR¶URXQG Compassionate conservatism is DOLYHDQGGRLQJZHOOLQ3HQGOHWRQ 8QIRUWXQDWHO\WKHEO and others are blinded by their abrasive and paranoid IHHOLQJVWRZDUGWKHWHDSDUW\RSSRVLQJ their ideas and views. Ŷ Eli Stephens leads the Pendleton Tea Party Patriots, Rob Lovett leads Greater Hermiston Area Tea Party and Larry Nye the Milton-Freewater Tea Party. Capitol renovation worth the price tag By GARY WILHELMS I t seems the Capitol Renovation 3URMHFWKDVEHHQJHWWLQJDOLWWOH PRUHDWWHQWLRQUHFHQWO\7KDW¶V JRRGHYHQWKRXJKVRPHRIWKH attention indicates we have work to do. :HNQHZDOODORQJWKDWWKHUH would be reluctance by some because RIWKHFRVWRIWKHSURMHFWRUEHLQJ GLVORFDWHGIURPWKH&DSLWRO%XLOGLQJ IRUDOHQJWK\SHULRGRUWKHLUEHOLHIWKDW public schools should be seismically UHWUR¿WWHG¿UVW²DOOOHJLWLPDWH concerns. :KDW,¶YHOHDUQHGLQRYHUDGHFDGH RILQYROYHPHQWLQWKHSURMHFWLVWKDWLW is truly an expensive project at about PLOOLRQEXWWKDWLVQRWRXWRI line with similar projects around the country or even right here in Oregon. The project will not become less H[SHQVLYHZLWKWLPH:HVKRXOGDFW now while the construction industry LVORRNLQJIRUSURMHFWVZKLOHPDQ\ LQRXUZRUNIRUFHDUHVWLOOORRNLQJ IRUMREVDQGZKLOHERQGUDWHVUHPDLQ IDYRUDEOH7KH&DSLWRO%XLOGLQJLV WKHRQO\VWDWHEXLOGLQJIRUZKLFKWKH Legislature has total responsibility. 7KHEXLOGLQJLVRYHU\HDUVROGDQG needs work. But, more importantly, we KDYHDOOVHHQHQRXJKLQIRUPDWLRQE\ QRZWRUHDOL]HWKHEXLOGLQJLVXQVDIH Page 5A Affordable housing key to attracting jobs Quick takes By ELI STEPHENS, ROB LOVETT AND LARRY NYE Local Tea Party Leaders East Oregonian LQWHUPVRILWVDELOLW\WRZLWKVWDQG DVLJQL¿FDQWVHLVPLFHYHQW,IRU one, am unwilling to simply roll the dice as to whether the building will be occupied by employees, public RI¿FLDOVVFKRRONLGVDQGRWKHUVGXULQJ our next earthquake. I am likewise unwilling to guess what the Richter VFDOHLVJRLQJWRVD\² ",ZDQWWRNQRZWKDWDVD FRQFHUQHGFLWL]HQDQGWD[SD\HU,KDYH met my responsibility. :LWKUHJDUGWREHLQJGLVORFDWHG IURPWKH&DSLWRO%XLOGLQJIRURYHU three years, it has been determined to EHWKHPRVWHI¿FLHQWFRVWHIIHFWLYH DQGVDIHVWZD\WRSURFHHGZLWKWKLV very complex project. Delaying the project will simply delay the inconvenience. Somebody someday LVJRLQJWRGHDOZLWKLW6KRXOGQ¶WZH step up, accept the responsibility and get the job done? How we deal with the seismic UHWUR¿WWLQJRIRXUSXEOLFVFKRRODQG DOVRSXEOLFVDIHW\EXLOGLQJVLVD high priority and somewhat daunting challenge. There are over 2,000 public school buildings and nearly 1,000 SXEOLFVDIHW\EXLOGLQJVLQ2UHJRQ :KLOHWKHSULPDU\UHVSRQVLELOLW\ IRUWKHVHEXLOGLQJVOLHVZLWKWKH local taxing districts, it is certainly UHDVRQDEOHWRORRNWRWKHVWDWHIRU help. To that end, the Legislature has previously created a program to assist local government and school districts ZLWKWKHFRVWRIVHLVPLFUHWUR¿WV &XUUHQWO\WKHUHDUHSURSRVDOVIURP legislators in both political parties to VLJQL¿FDQWO\LQFUHDVHWKH¿QDQFLDO support available in that program. As ZLWKWKH26&53SULPDU\IXQGLQJ IRUWKLVSURJUDPLVWKURXJKWKHVDOH RIERQGV7KHUHDUHRIFRXUVHRWKHU worthwhile legislative proposals UHTXLULQJWKHVDOHRIERQGV7KHVWDWH RI2UHJRQWKDQNIXOO\LVOLPLWHGRQWKH DPRXQWRILWVERQGHGLQGHEWHGQHVV So, all these many worthwhile programs must compete to be included LQWKH/HJLVODWLYH6HVVLRQ¶V&DSLWDO &RQVWUXFWLRQ%LOO6LQFHPRVWRIWKHVH projects, and especially the public schools, are long-term, it seems to me the responsible approach would be WRIRUPXODWHD&DSLWDO&RQVWUXFWLRQ package that accommodates the 26&53WKHSXEOLFVFKRROVSXEOLF VDIHW\EXLOGLQJVDQGRWKHUSULRULWLHV determined by the Legislature on a structured long-term basis. It VKRXOGQ¶WEHDTXHVWLRQRIDOORU QRWKLQJIRUHLWKHUWKHSXEOLFVFKRROV RUWKH26&53$UHVSRQVLEOH&DSLWDO Construction package can and should be done. Ŷ Republican Gary Wilhelms served four sessions in the Oregon House. conservative Oregonians. 6R*RYDQGVRRQWREHFDQGLGDWH %URZQKDVKHUVHOIDQLVVXHRIFRQFHUQWR Oregonians, without a doubt. However, the million dollar question about the $100 million investment is how the program will be developed and presented to Oregonians. $QGHYHQLIWKDWLVGRQH SHUIHFWO\ZHPXVWVWLOO DVNZKHWKHUDIIRUGDEOH housing will be able to beat back the competition IRULQIUDVWUXFWXUHIXQGLQJ IURPVXFKKHDY\KLWWHUV as school buildings, water and sewer systems, and the new Multnomah County Courthouse. It remains to be seen ZKHWKHUKHUKDQGOLQJRI DIIRUGDEOHKRXVLQJZLOO help her win money and votes next year, or help her opponents gain advantage against her. *RY%URZQDQGDIIRUGDEOHKRXVLQJ advocates need to be sure the program GRHVQRWEHFRPHWKHODWHVWSRVWHUFKLOGIRU JRYHUQPHQWZDVWHIXOQHVVDQGXQLQWHQGHG negative consequences. (Does the energy FUHGLWVSURJUDPULQJDEHOO" Instead, make it a partnership with the public and private sectors and talk about LWVLPSRUWDQFHIRUMREVDQGHFRQRPLF justice among hard-working Oregonians. %HFUHDWLYHOHYHUDJHRWKHUIXQGLQJDQG VHHNLQGHSHQGHQWRYHUVLJKW:LWKWKHVH IRXQGDWLRQVWKRVHWKRXVDQGVRIQHZKRPHV PD\JHWEXLOWZHOODIWHUDOO Ŷ Adam Davis, who has been conducting opinion research in Oregon for more than 35 years, is a founding principal in DHM Research, an independent, non-partisan ¿UP9LVLWZZZGKPUHVHDUFKFRP 48 percent of voters agree that local governments should prioritize investments in housing. 3RRUPDQDJHPHQW RIOLEUDU\GLVWULFW DIIHFWLQJFRPPXQLW\ an interim or permanent GLUHFWRU$PD]LQJO\WKH n May 22, visitors to DJHQGDIRULWVQH[WUHJXODUO\ the Heppner library scheduled meeting on May IRXQGWKHGRRUORFNHG 20 did not include anything on a day the library should related to the imminent have been open. The current GHSDUWXUHRIWKHGLUHFWRUQRU situation with the operation GLVFXVVLRQRIZKRZRXOG RIWKH2UHJRQ7UDLO/LEUDU\ be managing employees District will likely result in DVRI-XQH1RWWKDWLW more unscheduled closures, really mattered, because the or even a reduction in the meeting was canceled with QXPEHURIKRXUVWKHOLEUDULHV MXVWDIHZKRXUV¶QRWLFH in Boardman, Heppner, and In addition to the Irrigon are able to operate. GHSDUWXUHRIWKHGLUHFWRU The OTLD is overseen a new board member E\D¿YHPHPEHUERDUGRI ZLOOWDNHRI¿FHRQ-XO\ directors elected at large 1 (replacing the member by the district taxpayers. FXUUHQWO\VHUYLQJDVFKDLU $OWKRXJKDOORIXVVKRXOGEH and another board member H[WUHPHO\JUDWHIXOWRWKRVH has announced he will be who are willing to volunteer resigning in August (which to serve on boards like this will leave a vacancy to one, it is not unreasonable EH¿OOHGE\DSSRLQWPHQW to expect even volunteers to 0RVWRUJDQL]DWLRQVIDFLQJ responsibly manage district VXFKDVLJQL¿FDQWOHDGHUVKLS IXQGVEXLOGFRPPXQLW\ change would see it as partnerships, conduct an opportunity to review meetings in accordance WKHRUJDQL]DWLRQDQGLWV with Oregon law, and be IXQFWLRQVGHWHUPLQHERWK responsive to the needs and short- and long-term GHVLUHVRIWKHSHRSOHZKR needs and priorities, and elected them. GHYHORSDOLVWRIVNLOOVDQG The OTLD expended TXDOL¿FDWLRQVWKDWZRXOG PDQ\WKRXVDQGVRIGROODUVLQ be necessary to implement OHJDOIHHVLQDGUDZQRXWDQG WKHRUJDQL]DWLRQ¶VFXUUHQW unnecessary dispute with priorities. The board has an important community GRQHQRQHRIWKDW partner over the Irrigon 7KHERDUG¶VEXGJHW library. Although the library committee meeting was also did eventually open, most canceled on May 20 and has people are probably unaware EHHQUHVFKHGXOHGIRUSP WKDWVHYHUDOPRQWKVDIWHU on June 10 at the Heppner ¿QDOO\³RSHQLQJ´WKHUHDUH library. The board apparently RQO\DOLPLWHGQXPEHURI also intends to review shelves installed, there is applications and decide on QRIXUQLWXUHLQWKHPHHWLQJ a new director at a special room, and no display PHHWLQJWREHKHOGDIWHUWKH cases or chairs in the budget committee meeting. I OREE\1RDQVZHUKDVEHHQ urge everyone in the district IRUWKFRPLQJDVWRZK\WKH to come to both meetings on OLEUDU\KDVQRWEHHQ¿QLVKHG June 10. The actions (and in some I have spoken to a FDVHVWKHLQDFWLRQRIWKH great many people across district over the last several WKHGLVWULFWLQWKHODVWIHZ years have severely damaged months. It was very sad to PDQ\RIWKHFRPPXQLW\ OHDUQWKDWWKHFRPSOHWLRQRI relationships that are vital the Irrigon library came at WRWKHVXFFHVVRIDOLEUDU\ such a high cost — money 9ROXQWHHUJURXSVSRWHQWLDO wasted on lawyers, angry IXQGLQJSDUWQHUVDQGRWKHU patrons, annoyed community local governing bodies are SDUWQHUVIUXVWUDWHG QRZZDU\RILQYROYHPHQW employees, and an exhausted with the district. director and board. It is On April 30 the board time to take a deep breath RQO\WKUHHRIWKH¿YH and begin the recovery PHPEHUVDWWHQGHGDFFHSWHG SURFHVV,I\RXFDQ¶WPDNH WKHUHVLJQDWLRQRILWVFXUUHQW the meeting, please email GLVWULFWGLUHFWRUHIIHFWLYH the board your thoughts at June 1. The board took no otldboard@centurylink.net. IRUPDODFWLRQWRHQWHULQWR Alternatively, speak to the an employment agreement board members personally. based on the outgoing In either case, please be GLUHFWRU¶VRIIHUWRZRUN SROLWHDQGUHVSHFWIXO²WKH\ part time in June. Although are all volunteers doing WKHUHZDVDEULHIGLVFXVVLRQ a very tough job with no DERXWWKHGLUHFWRU¶V compensation. recommendation to consider Ŷ hiring an interim director, Sue Oliver lives near the board did not discuss Irrigon and is an applicant what the selection and hiring for the Oregon Trail SURFHVVZRXOGEHIRUHLWKHU Library’s director position. By SUE OLIVER O
