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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (June 7, 2017)
Page 4A OPINION East Oregonian Wednesday, June 7, 2017 Founded October 16, 1875 KATHRYN B. BROWN Publisher DANIEL WATTENBURGER Managing Editor TIM TRAINOR Opinion Page Editor MARISSA WILLIAMS Regional Advertising Director MARCY ROSENBERG Circulation Manager JANNA HEIMGARTNER Business Office Manager MIKE JENSEN Production Manager OUR VIEW Hermiston, Washington School district smart to join out-of-state sports league Hermiston athletics is heading north, across the state line to become the only Oregon school in the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. Local prep sports fans and athletes do lose something with the decision — nostalgia, old rivalries, Hermiston’s ability to play for an Oregon state championship. But we gain much more — fair competition for a school that has outgrown its neighbors, less travel time and fewer missed classes for student athletes and their coaches, more money in the school’s athletics budget and more high profile events in Hermiston against big institutions from across the river. In the past, we’ve encouraged the thought of Hermiston joining the Mid-Columbia Conference, which consists of schools in the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla, but it always felt like a longshot. Getting both the OSSA and WIAA to agree to a plan — however reasonable — was never a sure thing for two organizations hyper-aware of tradition and not looking to upset the applecart. But as the OSAA continues to fine-tune its classification system, it became clear that Hermiston didn’t fit in well in whatever system they settled on. Both the OSAA and WIAA deserve credit for seeing the better choice, albeit one outside- the-box of state borders. The arrangement sets up Hermiston for big games in every sport with nearby, right-sized competition. It’s good for the city to have some regional promotion and welcome out-of-state visitors, who should be aware of the growing city that may soon be their equal. Hermiston’s excellent athletic facilities are sure to impress, and the extra attention afforded them may help bring in even more regional events to a community known for accommodating such events. And at the same time, we do hope that rivalry games with local schools — most notably Pendleton — continue in the future. Umatilla County wouldn’t be the same without the War on 84. So no, the city of the Bulldogs is not going to become Hermiston, Washington, any time soon. Keep your grubby Starbucks- and-plutonium hands off our watermelons, Washingtonians. Sports fans there will soon learn that in Eastern Oregon we spend a lot of time, energy and enthusiasm on high school sports. Giving each student athlete the best opportunity to work on their talents — while keeping the “student” in front of the “athlete” — should remain the goal. 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 Is this education budget for real? The Oregonian/OregonLive T he K-12 education budget approved by the Legislature’s Joint Ways and Means education subcommittee Thursday would — in functional states, at least — seem like great news. The committee is recommending allocating at least $8.2 billion in general fund and lottery dollars for the coming biennium to Oregon’s school districts — an 11 percent increase over the current biennium’s allocation. Not in Oregon, however. That enviable increase, fueled by a booming economy that’s pouring record amounts of money into state coffers, still won’t be big enough to stave off teacher layoffs and cuts across school districts due to rising employee health-care costs and pension obligations. And while Democrats on the subcommittee bemoaned large class sizes and short school years, they promptly approved the budget, arguably taking away some of the momentum for breaking Oregon’s cycle of shortchanging students. This is the price of legislators’ inaction in dealing with Oregon’s runaway spending problem. Despite facing a $1.4 billion budget deficit, lawmakers have yet to show the public a plan for restructuring how much public employers pay for benefits that threaten to gobble up bigger and bigger chunks of taxpayer dollars. While there’s talk of cost-containment proposals coming next week, time is getting short for the thorough analysis and evaluation that must take place. With just over a month left in the session, Democrats — who control the House, the Senate and the governor’s office — have a narrowing window to show just how genuine their commitment is to students and Oregonians as a whole. “Kicking the can down the road is no longer an option,” Jim Green, executive director of the Oregon School Boards Association, told The Oregonian/ OregonLive Editorial Board. Health care and pension contributions are only slated to soar in future biennia. “We need leadership.” Unfortunately, the leadership we’re seeing is in the form of how to deflect criticism or shift the blame. Consider Thursday’s subcommittee meeting. Sen. Rod Monroe, D-Portland, who co-chairs the Ways and Means education subcommittee with Rep. Barbara Smith Warner, reminded those at the meeting that each school district is governed by an elected school board that decides how money is spent. People, he advised, should go to their school boards to chime in on what they choose to fund. Except, as Rep. Julie Parrish, R-West Linn, pointed out, the state interferes with districts’ authority when it comes to employee compensation, even preventing them from seeking alternatives to the generous and expensive state-run health plan for Oregon educators. She, as well as other Republicans on the committee, voted against the budget for failing to include cost-containment provisions. Then, Smith Warner provided her own spin. The Portland Democrat decried that her own children will receive a year’s less instruction than students in Washington by the time they graduate. She shared her frustration of “having to patch together budgets year after year.” And giving a nod to the strong economy that is expected to deliver $1.3 billion more revenue in the 2017-2019 than in the current biennium, she then leaps to this conclusion: “Here, in a year where our economy continues to go great guns, I think what this all demonstrates is we have a broken revenue structure.” How about broken logic? The National Education Association says Oregon’s education spending per student exceeds the national average, yet our graduation rates are third worst. The state spends about $2,000 more per student than Washington does on its students. So the question should be: How do we use that money differently so that students get the education Oregonians are paying for? Such denial of Oregon’s unsustainable spending only turns Oregonians against all taxation proposals, including ideas that deserve consideration. That’s regrettable especially because Smith Warner and other Democrats have a legitimate point: Oregonians do need new tax measures that ease the burden on individuals, increase revenue from businesses and provide more stability than the volatile ups and downs driven by Oregon’s overreliance on personal income taxes. OTHER VIEWS Time to govern, Republicans O n Nov. 9, 2016, in the stunned of governing. Most of Washington afterglow of Republicans taking blamed that failure on intransigent the White House and holding conservatives in the Freedom Caucus. both chambers of Congress, former That charge stuck because in the House Majority Leader Eric Cantor Obama days, the Freedom Caucus put it plainly: felt free to be the loyal opposition to “It is now time for Republicans to the loyal opposition, the out-of-power govern,” he said on CNBC. “There’ll caucus within the out-of-power party. be no excuses now. And I think the But then in May, the Freedom Byron number one focus will be repeal and Caucus negotiated, cut deals, York replacement of Obamacare. I think compromised and, in the end, voted Comment that’s where they’ll go first.” “yes.” It started to try to govern rather Cantor was right, and it’s a than simply oppose. Conservatives reminder Republicans need to hear today, weren’t the only ones to adapt. The Tuesday as they return from recess with the first six Group of centrists splintered, and enough of months of the Trump presidency almost over. them got behind the bill. House Speaker Paul Members of the GOP majorities need to Ryan also changed his ways and fostered a realize that they have a job to do right now. more collaborative, not merely consultative, Contrary to what many politicians seem to legislating process. believe, that job is not, first and foremost, There’s still a long distance to cover before to get re-elected. Under President Barack Republicans can be said to be governing. The Obama, Republican healthcare bill needs to leaders had an effective pass the Senate, pass the formula for that. They House again and become would hold message law. votes, pass bills such as Republicans need to the repeal of Obamacare do tax reform, and as that had no chance of a practical matter, they becoming law, avoid need to get it down before forcing members to election season heats up take difficult votes, and next year. suppress dissent and On both of these efforts display unity by curtailing there will be dozens of the committee process competing interests. and the tradition of floor First, there’s K amendments. Street and the donor That won’t work base. Industry lobbyists anymore. There is now generally oppose no easy formula for Republicans to win Republicans’ repeal and replacement of elections. The job of Republicans, now that Obamacare. Special interests trying to protect voters have handed them control of the federal their credits and loopholes have successfully government, is to govern. fought off tax reform for years. Passing the Specifically, they must repeal Obamacare bills they need to pass will require, at some and make sure that its replacement is point, telling lobbyists to buzz off and telling reasonable, responsible and workable. Then the donors they don’t call the shots. voters will support it. Second, Republicans Second, there’s political pressure on need to reform the complex, distorting vulnerable incumbents. Liberal activists are federal tax code, for both individuals and dialing up the heat, and many Republicans are corporations, rekindling economic growth terrified of losing if they vote for something and, again, winning voter support. unpopular. Neither of these tasks will be easy. Both But Obamacare is crumbling and needs to will, indeed, be very difficult, and will meet be replaced. Likewise, our tax system needs fierce opposition. But important jobs are often to be reformed. Statesmanship requires taking hard, and the nation sent the current crop of unpopular stances. So, lawmakers, screw up lawmakers to Capitol Hill to do this one. your courage and get it done. The promise to repeal Obamacare is In any event, Republicans worried that an the central pillar of Republican control of unpopular vote will cost them their seats need government. Its passage in 2010 guaranteed to realize that there is no safe harbor anymore. the GOP takeover of the House. Republicans Failure to govern will also cost Republicans lost in 2012 when they nominated Mitt their majority. Their choice is between being Romney, who had created Obamacare’s thrown out of power for incompetence, and predecessor in Massachusetts. Running heading into the 2018 midterm elections on Obamacare repeal won the Senate in having demonstrated ability and resolve. 2014. Trump won the White House in 2016 Coming up with a tax bill and a healthcare promising grandiosely to repeal the bill on his bill that can pass both chambers will be first day on the job. very difficult. Passing them will be risky. Rushing repeal and replacement was Governing isn’t easy, but for Republicans never a good idea, and the American Health today, it’s their job. Care Act’s failure in March highlighted ■ that. It raised doubts around the country Byron York is chief political correspondent about whether Republicans were capable for The Washington Examiner. Republicans must repeal Obamacare and make sure its replacement is reasonable, responsible and workable. YOUR VIEWS New faces, same story in Pendleton city government I’ve talked to a few people and asked, “Why didn’t you vote?” The usual answer was: “It makes no difference, they’ll do what they want anyway,” lost confidence in leadership being a common thread. Though we have several new faces in city hall, I can’t help but wonder whether anything has really changed. Goals were set and ignored by the city manager because of distractions and city officials continued to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on projects that benefit a few friends and very little that benefit everyone. City officials continue to ignore the obvious, extension cords hanging from trees and light poles on Main Street, weeds popping up in street and sidewalk cracks, a dead tree still standing in front of city hall after two years, light poles still missing from the new overpass and viaduct, and deteriorating streets, to name a few. These and many others are all too visible to residents and visitors alike. I overheard a comment from a group of visitors at a recent ASA softball tournament. Overlooking Steve Cary Field, the group was in agreement when one of the parents uttered, “You can sure tell where the city spends its resources,” as they admired the condition of the softball field, not knowing that it was volunteers that made this facility possible. I fear a new plaque somewhere in town is the driving force at city hall. EOTEC update: Remember when the county commissioners committed the county to $45,000 a year for EOTEC operations? Well, it just went up to $75,000. The money pit just keeps getting deeper, much like our own Rivoli Theater, and that shortfall in the county budget, evidently, wasn’t so real after all. Congratulations to Pat Beard on his selection as the Convention Center manager. I look for a time when the center will, though perhaps wishful thinking, be able to support itself without tax dollars as a subsidy. If anyone can do it, I think Pat’s the man. Rick Rohde 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.
