NORTHWEST
East Oregonian
Page 2A
Friday, February 3, 2017
Senate committee
Oregon lawmakers backing pesticide
restrictions poised to shape farm policy will release revenue
Proposed changes to “right
plan next week
to farm” law would remove
protections for pesticides
By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
Capital Bureau
SALEM — Lawmakers with strong
track records of supporting pesticide
restrictions are chairing two Senate
committees that are positioned to affect
Oregon agricultural policies in 2017.
Senate Bill 499 — a proposal to strip
pesticide protections from Oregon’s
“right to farm” law — was introduced
at the behest of the Senate Judiciary
Committee, whose chair is Floyd
Prozanski, D-Eugene.
Oregon’s “Right to Farm and
Forest” law prohibits local ordinances
restricting common farm practices as
well as nuisance and trespass lawsuits
against such farm practices.
People who lose such lawsuits are
required to pay the opposing party’s
attorney fees, which has discouraged
such cases against farm practices from
being filed in Oregon.
Under SB 499, however, complaints
alleging nuisance or trespass from
pesticides are exempted from the “right
to farm” law.
The bill’s introduction at the request
of the Senate Judiciary Committee
bodes well for its chances for a vote
before the full Senate, particularly
since Prozanski has supported a harder
line against pesticide usage.
In 2015, for example, Prozanski
sponsored
bills
that
would ban neonicotinoid
insecticides and increase
notification and reporting
requirements for spraying
pesticides.
All of those bills died in
the Senate Committee on
Environment and Natural
Resources, which was
then chaired by Sen. Chris
Edwards, D-Eugene.
Edwards left the Legis-
lature last year to take a job
at the University of Oregon, so Sen.
Michael Dembrow, D-Portland, will
replace him as chair of that committee.
Dembrow was a chief sponsor of
legislation in 2015 — Senate Bill 613
— that would have increased notifica-
tion requirements for aerial pesticide
spraying of forestland, which died in
committee.
The Oregon League of Conservation
Voters gives Dembrow a 94 percent
“lifetime score” based on his support of
environmental legislation.
Scott Dahlman, policy director of
the Oregonians for Food and Shelter
agribusiness group, said his organiza-
tion hasn’t always seen “eye to eye”
with Dembrow.
Even so, Dembrow is known for
having an “open door” policy and will
hopefully keep an open mind on issues
affecting agriculture, Dahlman said.
Beyond Toxics, an environmental
non-profit, believes Dembrow is the
right choice to chair the
Senate Committee on the
Environment and Natural
Resources, though it’s too
early to say how he might
influence legislation, said
Lisa Arkin, the group’s
executive director.
Arkin said Oregon’s
approach to pesticides in
farming and forestry is
“outdated and unscientific”
and the state’s pesticide laws
are overdue for reform.
In the Oregon House, the elim-
ination of the Committee on Rural
Communities, Land Use and Water has
created some uncertainty for legislation
that affects agriculture, said Dahlman.
Bills that would have previously
been steered to this committee will
now likely wind up before the House
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Committee and the House Energy and
Environment Committee, he said.
The House Agriculture Committee
is chaired by Rep. Brian Clem,
D-Salem, who is a part-owner of a farm
and is familiar with agricultural issues,
Dahlman said.
Rep. Ken Helm, D-Beaverton, isn’t
as familiar with natural resource issues
but there’s no reason to think he won’t
be receptive to industry concerns, he
said.
By CLAIRE
WITHYCOMBE
Capital Bureau
SALEM — Lawmakers
in the Oregon Senate’s
Finance and Revenue
committee are expected
to release a package of
measures next week that
will likely include a broad-
based tax on business.
Facing a nearly $1.8
billion shortfall to maintain
existing services, business
tax talks are occurring
in the context of a larger
discussion legislators are
having about the volatility
of state revenue.
Most of the state’s
general fund comes from
income taxes, which rise
and fall with changes in
the economy and produce
what State Rep. Cliff
Bentz, R-Ontario, has
described as “crazy gyra-
tions.”
The Senate Finance
and Revenue Committee
Thursday discussed the
merits of three main types
of business taxes — a
gross receipts tax, a value-
added tax and a corporate
income tax.
As the name implies, a
gross receipts tax is applied
to a company’s gross sales.
It is paid regardless of
whether those receipts
generate a profit.
Measure 97, a $6
billion
state
gross
receipts tax that applied
to certain corporations,
was defeated at the ballot
box in November. The
tax would have required
some corporations to pay
the state 2.5 percent of
their annual Oregon sales
exceeding $25 million.
Because it only applied
Attorney: Iranian infant needs visa waiver for heart surgery
PORTLAND (AP) — The
family of a 4-month-old
Iranian girl is hoping to get
a waiver to President Donald
Trump’s immigration ban so
their daughter can have crit-
ical heart surgery in Portland.
Iranian doctors told the
child’s parents weeks ago
that she needed at least one
urgent surgery — and perhaps
several — to correct serious
heart defects or she will die,
said her uncle, Samad Taghi-
zadeh, a U.S. citizen who
lives in Portland. The family
had an appointment in Dubai
to get a tourist visa on Feb. 5,
but it was abruptly canceled
after Trump announced his
executive order on immi-
gration banning travel to the
U.S. by citizens of seven
Muslim-majority countries,
including Iran.
The family returned to Iran
with the baby, Fatemah.
“I don’t want to lose my
hope, but the big problem here
is time. She’s in an emergency
situation and if it takes a long
time, they’re going to lose
her,” Taghizadeh told the AP.
“They said a couple of weeks
ago she had to be in surgery.
They recommended three or
four weeks ago to do it.”
Doctors in Iran were
able to send the results of an
echocardiogram and other
records that show Fatemah
has structural abnormalities
and two holes in her heart,
said Jennifer Morrissey, a
Portland attorney helping
with the case. Morrissey
read the child’s diagnosis to
the AP from medical records
the immigration attorneys are
using to petition for a visa
waiver.
“Her heart is twisted. Her
heart’s working overtime to
compensate for that ... and
it’s causing more and more
damage to her every day that
she doesn’t get the surgery,”
said Amber Murray, another
Washington,
D.C-based
attorney working on the case.
The family chose Oregon
Health & Science University
in Portland because of its
proximity to family, Taghi-
zadeh said, but will go to
anywhere to keep Fatemah
alive. A lawyer for the family
says they are also looking at
hospitals in other countries,
including
Canada
and
Germany.
Murray told The Associ-
ated Press on Thursday she’s
filing an application for a visa
waiver immediately. If that
is rejected, she may file an
application for humanitarian
parole, which would allow the
baby to enter the U.S. solely
for medical treatment on
humanitarian grounds, even
without a visa.
That application, however,
requires an appointment, a
doctor’s letter and proof of
funds, she said.
Gov.
Kate
Brown
mentioned Fatemah’s case
on Thursday while signing an
executive order that said all
state agencies, and not just law
enforcement, must follow the
1987 statute that essentially
made Oregon the nation’s first
and only sanctuary state.
Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley
is also working to get the
family to the U.S., his office
said.
Meanwhile, Taghizadeh
can only wait for news on his
niece’s visa waiver request
and try to keep her mother’s
spirits up from afar.
“First, they’re counting
on me and second, they’re
counting on the U.S. govern-
ment,” he said.
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REGIONAL CITIES
Forecast
TODAY
SUNDAY
SATURDAY
Snow mixing with
sleet
Not as cold with a
shower or two
29° 25°
44° 34°
MONDAY
Mainly cloudy,
showers around
Mostly cloudy with
a bit of rain
PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
40° 32°
44° 31°
40° 24°
HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
39° 34°
26° 24°
PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
LOW
20°
18°
44°
28°
66° (1934) -18° (1950)
PRECIPITATION
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
Trace
Trace
0.09"
1.65"
1.51"
1.47"
HERMISTON
through 3 p.m. yesterday
TEMPERATURE
HIGH
Yesterday
Normals
Records
LOW
23°
17°
45°
29°
64° (1934) -28° (1950)
PRECIPITATION
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
0.00"
0.00"
0.06"
1.69"
1.10"
1.34"
SUN AND MOON
Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
First
Full
Feb 3
Feb 10
7:14 a.m.
5:05 p.m.
10:53 a.m.
none
Last
New
Feb 18
43° 29°
40° 24°
Seattle
42/39
ALMANAC
Yesterday
Normals
Records
42° 36°
Feb 26
Today
TUESDAY
Cloudy with a stray
shower
Spokane
Wenatchee
26/24
26/22
Tacoma
Moses
41/36
Lake
Pullman
Aberdeen Olympia
Yakima 27/25
32/29
44/40
40/35
29/23
Longview
Kennewick Walla Walla
39/38
26/25 Lewiston
25/22
Astoria
35/30
46/41
Portland
Enterprise
Hermiston
36/36
Pendleton 38/34
The Dalles 26/24
29/25
30/27
La Grande
Salem
36/34
46/45
Albany
Corvallis 46/42
46/45
John Day
41/37
Ontario
Eugene
Bend
35/30
48/45
37/29
Caldwell
Burns
40/36
36/29
Astoria
Baker City
Bend
Brookings
Burns
Enterprise
Eugene
Heppner
Hermiston
John Day
Klamath Falls
La Grande
Meacham
Medford
Newport
North Bend
Ontario
Pasco
Pendleton
Portland
Redmond
Salem
Spokane
Ukiah
Vancouver
Walla Walla
Yakima
Hi
46
32
37
53
36
38
48
30
26
41
43
36
33
53
51
54
35
28
29
36
36
46
26
34
39
26
29
Lo
41
29
29
46
29
34
45
24
24
37
36
34
31
42
46
48
30
21
25
36
30
45
24
28
37
25
23
W
r
sn
sn
r
i
sn
r
sn
sn
sn
r
sn
sn
r
r
r
sn
sn
sn
i
sn
i
sn
sn
i
sn
sn
Hi
48
37
44
51
37
40
51
43
39
44
45
41
39
52
51
53
40
36
44
46
47
50
34
43
48
41
36
Today
Beijing
Hong Kong
Jerusalem
London
Mexico City
Moscow
Paris
Rome
Seoul
Sydney
Tokyo
Lo
27
65
35
35
48
6
42
53
24
74
41
W
pc
c
s
r
pc
c
r
pc
pc
c
s
Lo
38
29
34
46
28
35
42
34
34
38
35
37
34
41
41
44
33
32
34
38
35
42
33
35
37
35
31
W
r
c
c
r
c
c
r
c
i
c
c
c
c
r
r
r
c
i
sh
r
c
r
sn
c
r
i
sf
Sat.
Hi
52
71
56
45
71
13
47
61
43
87
54
Klamath Falls
43/36
Lo
24
64
39
35
48
10
40
49
31
76
41
W
pc
sh
s
r
pc
c
sh
sh
pc
pc
s
(in mph)
Today
Saturday
Boardman
Pendleton
NE 3-6
W 4-8
VAR 2-4
S 6-12
UV INDEX TODAY
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
REGIONAL FORECAST
Coastal Oregon: Occasional rain today into
tomorrow.
Eastern and Central Oregon: A wintry
mix today, except a couple of showers in
the south.
Western Washington: Periods of rain today;
periods of rain, freezing on surfaces early
across the south.
Eastern Washington: Intermittent snow
today, accumulating 1-2 inches. A little snow
at times tonight.
Cascades: Snow today, accumulating 3-6
inches. More snow, some heavy, tonight and
tomorrow.
Northern California: Heavy rain today;
however, snow in the interior mountains.
0
0
1
0
0
NEWS
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COMMERCIAL PRINTING
Production Manager: Mike Jensen
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Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
WORLD CITIES
Hi
47
69
52
50
71
16
52
62
43
81
54
Classified & Legal Advertising
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NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
Sat.
WINDS
Medford
53/42
Corrections
An article in Thursday’s East Oregonian states 104 tribal
members have signed a petition opposing the expansion
of the Carty Generating Station at Boardman. The petition
has been signed by both tribal and non-tribal community
members. The East Oregonian works hard to be ac-
curate and sincerely regrets any errors. If you notice a
mistake in the paper, please call 541-966-0818.
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Subscriber services:
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to “C” corporation, it
would have applied to a
relatively small number of
businesses.
Legislators and lobby-
ists have since discussed
the possibilities for a
smaller tax spread over a
broader base of businesses.
A corporate income
tax generally taxes gross
receipts minus several
deductions such as labor
costs
and
operating
expenses, and typically at
a higher rate than a value-
added tax or gross receipts
tax.
A group of public
finance economists, whose
study of Connecticut state
taxes lawmakers reviewed
Thursday, found that the
corporate income tax “has
been eroded by intense
inter-state competition for
economic development,”
Oregon’s
legislative
revenue officials wrote in
a summary document.
A value-added tax is
collected in increments at
each stage of production.
It can put companies at a
competitive disadvantage
if they sell their goods out
of state, where they may
be taxed again.
A gross receipts tax
generally has a broader
base, meaning there are
few or no deductions
from what is taxed. It is
also typically simpler to
administer than a value-
added tax.
A broader base has
advantages, said Paul
Warner, the head of the
Legislative
Revenue
Office, because it mini-
mizes distortions in the
broader economy but can
be a “powerful revenue
generator.”
0
8 a.m. 10 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m.
0-2, Low
3-5, Moderate 6-7, High;
8-10, Very High;
11+, Extreme
The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ num-
ber, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.
Forecasts and graphics provided by
AccuWeather, Inc. ©2017
-10s
-0s
showers t-storms
0s
10s
rain
20s
flurries
30s
40s
snow
ice
50s
60s
cold front
70s
80s
90s
100s
warm front stationary front
110s
high
low
National Summary: As lake-effect snow falls in parts of the Northeast, rain will dampen
part of the Deep South today. Rain will soak much of the Pacific coast as areas of ice and
snow occur inland over the West.
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 87° in Edinburg, Texas
Low -19° in Bozeman, Mont.
NATIONAL CITIES
Today
Albuquerque
Atlanta
Atlantic City
Baltimore
Billings
Birmingham
Boise
Boston
Charleston, SC
Charleston, WV
Chicago
Cleveland
Dallas
Denver
Detroit
El Paso
Fairbanks
Fargo
Honolulu
Houston
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Kansas City
Las Vegas
Little Rock
Los Angeles
Hi
59
55
38
39
24
51
41
33
65
34
25
26
54
42
23
72
7
20
79
63
30
77
35
70
46
65
Lo
33
33
22
20
21
30
39
19
36
16
14
17
38
27
13
43
-11
11
62
46
14
50
21
49
24
52
W
c
pc
pc
c
pc
pc
sn
pc
c
pc
s
sf
c
pc
pc
pc
s
s
pc
c
pc
pc
s
pc
pc
sh
Sat.
Hi
61
53
37
38
28
56
44
33
54
38
32
33
55
58
28
75
4
30
80
62
36
60
45
68
47
67
Lo
33
37
20
25
18
43
38
23
39
27
27
26
48
28
24
45
-14
8
69
59
27
46
30
47
35
52
Today
W
s
pc
s
s
c
pc
c
s
pc
s
pc
pc
c
s
pc
s
pc
c
pc
c
pc
pc
pc
pc
c
pc
Louisville
Memphis
Miami
Milwaukee
Minneapolis
Nashville
New Orleans
New York City
Oklahoma City
Omaha
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Portland, ME
Providence
Raleigh
Rapid City
Reno
Sacramento
St. Louis
Salt Lake City
San Diego
San Francisco
Seattle
Tucson
Washington, DC
Wichita
Hi
37
45
82
23
24
44
64
33
45
31
35
75
31
33
43
28
52
62
36
45
67
61
42
77
43
39
Lo
18
27
66
14
13
21
45
22
26
23
21
49
13
17
24
23
39
52
21
38
56
53
39
45
25
24
W
pc
pc
pc
pc
s
pc
r
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
pc
r
pc
sh
r
s
c
pc
r
i
pc
c
pc
Sat.
Hi
42
50
82
32
34
51
62
34
55
48
35
76
28
33
47
45
52
61
44
47
66
59
48
79
40
55
Lo
32
40
66
27
20
38
51
25
40
25
26
50
18
21
26
22
33
46
35
34
52
49
37
45
31
33
Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain,
sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.
W
pc
pc
s
pc
sf
s
pc
s
c
pc
s
s
pc
s
s
pc
c
c
c
pc
pc
c
r
s
s
pc