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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 20, 2016)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Tuesday, September 20, 2016 OTHER VIEWS Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN DANIEL WATTENBURGER Publisher Managing Editor JANNA HEIMGARTNER TIM TRAINOR Business Ofice Manager Opinion Page Editor OUR VIEW Wrong solution for housing pinch Not content to legislate wages, New York City and San Francisco. The Big Apple has imposed rent a Portland Democrat now wants state government to act as Oregon’s controls on and off since World War I. Apartment vacancies have Chief Landlord. It’s one more example of the wave of proprietary all but vanished as tenants in rent- controlled units renew their leases governance that began in our in perpetuity. In San Francisco, largest city and has swept south to government limits the amount rents our state capital. can increase each year in an effort Housing already is one of the most regulated industries. And rent to preserve affordable housing. The policy has controls exacerbate backired. Instead the problems Let the private of renting out units supporters at below-market claim they ix: sector respond rates, owners offer affordability and supply. with market-based their apartments to well-heeled No matter, solutions rather visitors as weekend political leaders and like Tina Kotek are than by govern- getaways vacation rentals. anxious to exert Government- more control over ment directives imposed rent the private sector. that overreach. controls also The Speaker of the discourage House, fresh off her construction of new victory to raise the minimum wage and salivating over apartments and the maintenance of existing units. There is no incentive the $3 billion Measure 97 would for builders to build if they cannot generate in higher taxes, has made quickly recoup their investment. rental housing her next crusade. Kotek, who represents northeast The resulting housing shortages beneit existing homeowners, but Portland, says she will lead an create signiicant disadvantages for effort next year to repeal the the poor and those seeking to rent. state’s ban on rent-control laws. There’s no doubt that Portland is She also pledges to restrict all but experiencing steep increases in the “reasonable” increases in rental cost of housing. The booming tech fees and further restrict the ability economy and the city’s allure for of landlords to evict tenants. young professionals has created an “We need to prevent property imbalance between housing supply owners from making excessive and demand. Home price increases proit and protect tenants are among the highest in the nation. from economic eviction and Portland also has the 15th highest displacement,” Kotek said. Her apartment rents in the country. solution is to cede more control to But state and local governments state government — the same folks who have wasted billions of dollars can better address the situation by encouraging the supply of new on technology boondoggles and recently handed out $347 million in and refurbished dwellings. Let the private sector respond with improper or suspicious energy tax market-based solutions rather than credits. by government directives that Oregonians should be overreach. encouraged to look at how rent Unfortunately, that’s not The controls have worked in two other Portland Way. bastions of “progressive” politics: 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. OTHER VIEWS Partnerships will keep BMCC pool open D uring the Sept. 7 Blue Hermiston school districts, and Mountain Community the city of Pendleton and city of College Board of Hermiston parks and recreation Education meeting, the board departments for their candid made a inal decision regarding feedback, the willingness to work the pool’s future: The board together and understanding of a committed BMCC to keeping the tough situation. indoor pool open for two years, The college can now work until fall 2018. As a community with the aforementioned Chris partner, BMCC recognizes that stakeholders to make necessary Brown continued operations will afford immediate repairs to the pool Comment those who utilize the facility with — estimated at approximately the necessary time to partner with $50,000 — so that it can open each other to explore any viable options for swim team practice by early October for the future. Going forward, BMCC 2016 and remain operational for two is also committed to work in support years. Again, the board would like to thank of those options publicly discussed and may include things like raising additional all of those in our local communities who took the time to share their opinions and funds to repair the current facility or offer suggestions with perhaps fund a new to the pool. This indoor structure. Should any major regards It is important to input was valuable and note that during this carefully considered mechanical mal- interim 2-year period, prior to a inal decision function occur ... the being made. We also should any major mechanical malfunction all of those board has the right appreciate occur or any other issue who generously made surface that would to revisit the dura- donations toward a affect pool users’ health fund for the pool. tion of the pool’s and safety, the board Those donations has the right to revisit will go towards the continued use. the duration of the new endeavor our pool’s continued use. stakeholder groups The overarching reason for the choose to pursue, with the exception of board’s position as stated is that general those funds speciically ear-marked for fund dollars do not exist to continue immediate repairs. future operations or make the necessary BMCC is proud to be a community upgrades now for a fully operational partner in Umatilla, Morrow and status and any attempt to reallocate Baker counties, and we look forward funding from other college assets would to working alongside our community be seen as iscally irresponsible to the organizations in the future to continue citizens of Umatilla, Morrow and Baker indoor swimming opportunities in our counties who support BMCC for our region. primary mission of higher education. ■ We’d also like to thank our partners Chris Brown is the chair of the Blue and stakeholders with the Pendleton Mountain Community College Board of Swim Association, the Pendleton and Education. Vote like you mean it D oes it make sense to vote for have received essentially no media Gary Johnson, the Libertarian scrutiny, so that voters have no idea what they stand for. And their parties’ candidate for president? Sure, names sound nice: who among us is as long as you believe two things. against liberty? The truth, that the First, you have to believe that it Libertarian Party essentially stands makes no difference at all whether for a return to all the worst abuses of Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump the Gilded Age, is not out there. moves into the White House — Meanwhile, of course, it does because one of them will. Second, Paul you have to believe that America will Krugman make a huge difference which of the two realistic prospects for be better off in the long run if we Comment the presidency wins, and not just eliminate environmental regulation, because of the difference in their abolish the income tax, do away temperaments and the degree to which they with public schools, and dismantle Social respect or have contempt for democratic Security and Medicare — which is what the norms. Their policy positions are drastically Libertarian platform calls for. different, too. But do 29 percent of Americans between True, much of what Trump says is 18 and 34 believe these things? I doubt it. incoherent: in his policy proposals, trillion Yet that, according to a recent Quinnipiac dollar tax breaks are here poll, is the share of millennial gone tomorrow, back voters who say that they Your vote matters, today, the day after. But anyone would vote for Johnson if the election took place now. And and you should who calls him a “populist” isn’t looking at the general the preponderance of young act accordingly thrust of his ideas, or at Americans who say they’ll he has chosen as back Johnson or Jill Stein, the — which means whom economic advisers. Trump’s Green Party nominee, appear to be citizens who would thinking seriously brain trust, such as it is, is of hard-line, right- support Clinton in a two-way about what you composed wing supply-siders — whom race; including the minor Republican economists party candidates cuts her want to see hap- even have called “charlatans and margin among young voters pen to America. cranks” — for whom low from 21 points to just 5. taxes on the rich are the So I’d like to make a plea overwhelming priority. to young Americans: Your Meanwhile, Clinton has staked out the vote matters, so please take it seriously. most progressive policy positions ever Why are minor candidates seemingly advocated by a presidential candidate. drawing so much support this year? Very little of it, I suspect, relects support for their There’s no reason to believe that these positions are insincere, that she would revert policy positions. How many people have actually read the Libertarian platform? But if to 1990s policies in ofice: What some are you’re thinking of voting Johnson, you really now calling the “new liberal economics” has sunk deep roots in the Democratic Party, and should. It’s a remarkable document. dominates the ranks of Clinton’s advisers. As I said, it calls for abolition of the Now, maybe you don’t care. Maybe you income tax and the privatization of almost consider center-left policies just as bad as everything the government does, including hard-right policies. And maybe you have education. “We would restore authority somehow managed to reconcile that disdain to parents to determine the education of with tolerance for libertarian free-market their children, without interference from mania. If so, by all means vote for Johnson. government.” And if parents don’t want But don’t vote for a minor-party candidate their children educated, or want them indoctrinated in a cult, or put them to work in to make a statement. Nobody cares. Remember, George W. Bush lost the a sweatshop instead of learning to read? Not popular vote in 2000, but somehow ended our problem. What really struck me, however, was what up in the White House anyway in part thanks to the Ralph Nader vote — and the platform says about the environment. nonetheless proceeded to govern as if he had It opposes any kind of regulation; instead, won a landslide. Can you really imagine a it argues that we can rely on the courts. triumphant Trump showing restraint out of Is a giant corporation poisoning the air respect for all those libertarian votes? you breathe or the water you drink? Just Your vote matters, and you should act sue: “Where damages can be proven and accordingly — which means thinking quantiied in a court of law, restitution to the seriously about what you want to see happen injured parties must be required.” Ordinary to America. citizens against teams of high-priced ■ corporate lawyers — what could go wrong? Paul Krugman joined The New York Times It’s really hard to believe that young in 1999 as a columnist on the Op-Ed Page voters who supported Bernie Sanders in and continues as professor of Economics and the Democratic primary think any of this International Affairs at Princeton University. is a good idea. But Johnson and Stein YOUR VIEWS PAWS deserves county funding Pendleton Animal Welfare Shelter (PAWS) was established in 2009 with pledged support from the city of Pendleton, the CTUIR and the Umatilla County commissioners. Though the latter two entities have given grants, neither has followed through on their commitment for sustained inancial support. The city of Pendleton is doing acceptable support because of the agreement that PAWS will handle unclaimed pound dogs. PAWS is a countywide shelter, the only no-kill non-proit shelter, and is dedicated to providing programs for spay/neuter and transport, education, and community outreach. Now more than ive years into operation with statistics that reveal competency and commitment, it is time for people to come forward to once again call for the humane handling of the critters in this area. PAWS has very few months of funding remaining with which to compensate the employees that keep the shelter up to standard. It needs sustainable funding to cover its payroll, just like its counterparts in other counties receive. Through tireless fundraising efforts and managing its thrift store, PAWS is able to generate funds that cover shelter expenses and utilities, but not payroll. I wish I could say that our county commissioners follow their peers in other counties and vote the monthly support for the animal shelter, which would make the difference in its survival. But no, year after year they pass, with the thinking that tax support is not necessary. Wrong! I am convinced that a vast majority of citizens of this county would far rather spend the minor $12,000 investment in the shelter than having the shelter close and instead use highly paid sheriff’s department personnel to deal with “animal issues.” A very poor use of staff for sure! One of the excuses is that there is more than one shelter, so they would need to support all of them. I answer that by stating that no other animal care facility in Umatilla County pursued and received letters of support from the above governmental organizations, and no other effort was founded speciically to be a centralized countywide shelter. So, taxpayers, I ask that you come forward with comments to your commissioners and light a ire of concern that causes appropriate responsive support for PAWS. Unless we respond as a community, it is quite possible that this important asset will fold and once again our county will have the shame of inadequate/inhumane animal care. Shall we go backwards or forwards? It’s in your hands. Marjorie Iburg Pendleton 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.
