Page 4A
OPINION
East Oregonian
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Founded October 16, 1875
KATHRYN B. BROWN
DANIEL WATTENBURGER
Publisher
Managing Editor
JENNINE PERKINSON
TIM TRAINOR
Advertising Director
Opinion Page Editor
OUR VIEW
Vote yes on Hermiston,
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reformation plan
Back in 2014, we supported
makes up for joining the local
a plan to merge the Hermiston
district with neighboring Hermiston.
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In Hermiston, the tax rate for
which would have provided better
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emergency services in the county’s
from $1.20 to $1.75 per $1,000 in
west end.
assessed value. However, because
The ballot measure failed. But
of compression — which sets hard
now that the reformation plan is
tax limits on municipalities — most
back in front of voters two years
property owners in the city would
later — at a reduced cost and with
not see an initial increase in their
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Those outside the city will see
Here’s why:
the biggest tax hike. The maximum
The reformation
increase would be
will add personnel.
cents per $1,000
The issue looks 55
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in assessed value,
the Diagonal Road
means the
confusing on which
station in Hermiston
owner of a $100,000
the ballot, but home could pay up
would be staffed full-
time. Administration
an additional $55
its a simple way to annually
duties will be
in taxes.
to decrease
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Still, in our view,
centralized. A
that’s a low price to
delayed
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pay for better service
will work 40
and faster response
responses to
hours per week in
while still
emergencies. times,
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coming in below the
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receive response
district tax rates.
from Hermiston crews. And those
The issue does look confusing
crews will have more equipment
on the ballot, possibly one of the
at their disposal because there
reasons why it failed in 2014. Voters
will be enough employees on
who are in favor of the reformation
hand to operate it. If two or three
will have to vote to dissolve their
emergencies are happening at once
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— a growing concern in the growing create the new one.
If any of the votes fail, the whole
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paramedics will be able to deal with plan collapses.
If none of the votes fail, voters
it without delay.
have the ability on the May ballot
And those delays are happening,
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Hermiston Fire District Chief Scott
new district.
Stanton told the editorial board.
And even though the new district
Although he is working hard to
will be called Umatilla County Fire
make sure it doesn’t, Stanton said
District #1, it isn’t a county service.
there are increasing odds that a
Stanton said the name was just the
delay will result in a death, or a
simplest one they could come up
devastating loss of property.
with that didn’t include Hermiston
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emergency service coverage is lower RU6WDQ¿HOG
And that’s what the new district
than it was in 2014.
will be — the simplest way to
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provide timely emergency response
District, property taxes would be
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lowered by 31 cents per $1,000
We recommend a yes vote.
in assessed value. That more than
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
A need in Pendleton
for an off-leash dog park
Pendleton Parks is a collective in our
community, involving and fostering a
healthy and vibrant open area. Included
in that community are our canine
companions. They are considered
beloved family members to many and
are an integral part of their owners’ daily
lives.
The city of Pendleton is on track
and in line with supporting a healthy
outlet for our furry friends. Offering a
dog park will be a valuable addition to
Pendleton’s already impressive array
of neighborhood parks. A location on
the Umatilla River, already owned by
the city, is the perfect area for dogs to
run free and get the needed exercise
they desire. A recent letter to the editor
suggests a lack of value in offering a
place in our town for owners to exercise
and enjoy the day outside with their
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area will foster a healthy community
though the enjoyment of our beautiful
outdoor areas.
We have all heard that exercise is
good for us. In fact, the more exercise
dogs receive the better behaved they will
be (it likely works for humans as well).
I agree 100 percent with the editorial
comment made: “If you want a dog, take
care of it.”
Excellent point. Take them outside!
Take care of them and yourself. Do a
favor for your pet by introducing them
to other dogs (socializing). How do you
do this? Get outdoors and enjoy a run,
throw a ball or jump in the river. We
need a designated place to make this
happen. There is now no legal, off-leash
property to socialize your dog with other
dogs or even to let them run untethered.
Now is the time to move forward with a
location for dog owners to converge to
enjoy the outdoors.
Pendleton Parks is working for you
with this new offering. I hope animal
lovers and outdoor enthusiast will
see the value in a dog park as I have.
Other communities throughout Oregon
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safe, off-leash areas. We have a great
opportunity to provide such a space that
will allow our animals access to the river
and land to play, explore and socialize.
Pendleton is a healthy vibrate
community, a place where bike trails,
dog parks, river walks and community
programs bring us together.
Dawn DiFuria McClendon, commissioner
Parks, Recreation & Cemetery
Pendleton
Wolves staying busy,
even when in the limelight
Wow, we have received a lot of press
lately. Someone even started an ugly
rumor about us being poached — the
correct term is hunted. We hunt game
and livestock and humans hunt us.
I’d like to correct a misconception
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wildlife people go to great lengths
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about half of them because we eat the
evidence. Comments about our kills
being down this past year are direct
insults to our pack skills and my training.
We will hunt harder this year.
Alpha Wolf, Grand Packmaster
(as told to Mike Mehren, the wolf listener)
Hermiston
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 211 S.E. Byers
Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com.
OTHER VIEWS
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key immigration issue
D
Immigration Studies, which favors
ETROIT — Donald Trump
reducing levels of immigration into
won the South Carolina primary
the U.S., was not impressed. “(Trump)
across the board, but he did
made clear in October he didn’t
particularly well with the 10 percent of
believe what’s in his immigration
voters who named immigration as the
paper about skilled immigration,”
nation’s top issue.
Krikorian told me by email after the
In addition, some who named
Byron
debate, “and at the last debate he
other issues — the economy, national
York
showed he buys the ‘jobs Americans
security — were undoubtedly also
Comment
won’t do’ line on unskilled workers
concerned about immigration, and
too.”
Trump’s hard line likely helped him
“So will he ‘clarify’ his ‘I’m softening’
with them, too.
comment tomorrow, like he did after the
Which is why people who follow
October debate?” Krikorian continued. “His
immigration closely were stunned Thursday
embrace of foreign tech workers is particularly
night when Trump, at the Fox News debate
here in Detroit, announced that he has
shocking given that just days ago he featured
changed his position on one key element of
American workers replaced by Disney at one
the immigration debate — the use of H-1B
of his rallies.”
visas to bring skilled foreign workers into the
Even as Krikorian was typing his email
United States.
to me, Trump was at work doing just what
In the distant past — say, yesterday —
Krikorian predicted. “Megyn Kelly asked
Trump focused on abuses in the system, in
about highly skilled immigration,” Trump said
which some big companies have been caught
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using H-1Bs to bring in foreign workers,
about an hour after the debate ended. “The
force American employees to train their own
H-1B program is neither high-skilled nor
replacements, and then pay the foreign worker immigration: these are temporary foreign
less than the American had made — all to do
workers, imported from abroad, for the
mostly routine jobs in the tech industry.
explicit purpose of substituting for American
At his recent rally in Alabama — the one
workers at lower pay. I remain totally
in which Trump received the endorsement of
committed to eliminating rampant, widespread
Sen. Jeff Sessions, Congress’ strongest voice
H-1B abuse and ending outrageous practices
against expanding the troubled H-1B program such as those that occurred at Disney in
— Trump also won the endorsement of some
Florida when Americans were forced to train
American workers who were victims of H-1B their foreign replacements. I will end forever
abuse at Disney.
the use of the H-1B as a cheap labor program,
“The fact is that Americans are losing their
and institute an absolute requirement to hire
jobs to foreigners,” one of the laid-off workers $PHULFDQZRUNHUV¿UVWIRUHYHU\YLVDDQG
told the crowd. “I believe Mr. Trump is for
immigration program. No exceptions.”
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It would be hard to imagine a quicker or
In Detroit, Fox News’ Megyn Kelly
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pointed out that Trump’s campaign website
Sen. Marco Rubio, co-author of the Gang
has a strong statement against increasing the
of Eight bill, wants to increase the number of
number of H-1Bs, saying it would “decimate
H-1Bs; he’s a co-sponsor of another bill to do
American workers,” and yet in one debate
just that. After the debate, top Rubio campaign
Trump spoke favorably of the program. “So,
aide Todd Harris was happy to entertain
which is it?” Kelly asked.
questions about Trump’s changing positions.
“I’m changing,” Trump said. “I’m
“First of all, I’m not surprised that he so
changing. We need highly skilled people
easily took what yesterday was something that
in this country, and if we can’t do it, we’ll
he had said was a core principle and threw
get them in. But, and we do need in Silicon
it out the window, because the fact is that
Valley, we absolutely have to have.”
Donald Trump has no core principles,” Harris
“So, we do need highly skilled,” Trump
told me. “One of the hallmarks of a con man
continued, “and one of the biggest problems
is to say whatever it is that you need to say in
we have is people go to the best colleges.
order to fool somebody, and he obviously feels
They’ll go to Harvard, they’ll go to Stanford,
that what he needs to say to fool the people
they’ll go to Wharton, as soon as they’re
now is different than what it was yesterday.”
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I asked whether Sen. Rubio is happy to
stay in this country. They want to stay here
have Trump join him in advocating for H-1Bs.
desperately, they’re not able to stay here. For
“Sen. Rubio supports the H-1B program,”
that purpose, we absolutely have to be able to
Harris said. “The problem is we have no idea
keep the brain power in this country.”
where Donald Trump is going to be tomorrow
“So you are abandoning the position on
on this issue or frankly, any other issue.”
your website?” asked Kelly.
A short time later, Rubio himself issued
“I’m changing it,” Trump said, “and I’m
a statement noting that in the debate Trump
softening the position because we have to
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have talented people in this country.”
the debate was over, his handlers made him
Trump’s turnaround sent a jolt through the
reverse himself.”
group of policy wonks and activists who have
“The Republican nominee,” Rubio said,
opposed Gang of Eight-style comprehensive
“cannot be somebody who is totally clueless
immigration reform. “I’ve heard from enough
on so many issues, including his signature
tech workers displaced by H-1Bs that Trump’s issue.”
apparent answer very dispiriting,” tweeted the
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Byron York is chief political correspondent
Mark Krikorian, head of the Center for
for The Washington Examiner.