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East Oregonian
Friday, December 15, 2017
Walden says new tax overhaul preserves key deductions
By MIKE ROGOWAY
The Oregonian/OregonLive
PORTLAND — Oregon
Congressman Greg Walden’s
office says a new version of
the Republican tax overhaul
before Congress will preserve
some key tax deductions that
Oregonians rely on, including
a major provision that would
allow the state’s residents to
continue deducting a portion
of their state income tax.
Compared with the tax
plans that originally passed
the House and the Senate,
that change alone could be
worth hundreds of millions of
dollars to Oregonians. Some
Oregonians still may pay
higher federal taxes under
the new plan than they would
under current tax rules.
The tax bills originally
passed by the House and
Senate would have elimi-
nated deductions for state
income taxes. Those deduc-
tions are especially important
to Oregonians, because the
state has an unusually high
income tax to compensate for
the lack of a state sales tax.
Oregonians deducted $8.5
billion in state and local taxes
in 2015, the most recent year
for which data is available.
Eliminating the income tax
deduction could have cost
Oregonians hundreds of
millions of dollars, which
would have partially or
completely offset tax cuts in
other parts of the bill for the
state’s residents, according to
tax experts.
AP Photo/Don Ryan, File
In this Aug. 23, 2017, file photo, House Speaker Paul Ryan, right, is joined by Rep.
Greg Walden, R-Ore., while speaking during a visit to Intel in Hillsboro.
Justin Discigil, Walden’s
communications
director,
said
the
Republican
congressman has been
working with members of
the conference committee,
which is reconciling the
House and Senate versions.
He said Walden pushed them
to retain local tax deductions
and other provisions of the
tax code that many Orego-
nians favor.
“While we have not seen
the actual bill text yet, it
is our understanding that
some of the changes he
has been pushing for have
been worked into the final
agreement,” Discigil said in
an email.
The House and Senate
bills allowed taxpayers to
deduct up to $10,000 in local
property taxes from their
federal taxes. Discigil said
Walden’s understanding is
that a revised version of the
bill emerging from confer-
ence committee would allow
deductions of both property
and income taxes, combined,
up to that limit.
“While we do not want
to rush to judgment - and
analyze what is only a partial
review of what we believe
the final plan will include -
Rep. Walden is encouraged
that the bill will incorporate
some of the improvements
he has worked to include,”
Discigil said.
Additionally,
Discigil
said Walden believes the
bill emerging from House
and Senate negotiators
makes other changes the
congressman had sought.
Those include:
Preserving
tax-exempt
private activity bonds, which
had been eliminated in the
first House bill. State and
local governments use the
bonds to finance affordable
housing and other public
projects, including roads.
Housing advocates had
warned that losing the bonds
WHISKY: Existing brand agreements still in place
Continued from 1A
Whisky now sells the equivalent of
3 million liters per year. According
to a Round-Up financial statement,
the rodeo made $1.7 million in
revenue from Pendleton Whisky
royalties in 2016.
“The existing brand agree-
ments are still in place,” Thomas
said.
Besides being a ubiquitous
presence at the rodeo, Pendleton
Whisky also plays a prominent role
as title sponsor of the Round-Up
Grounds’ second largest event.
Doug Corey, the co-organizer of
Pendleton Whisky Music Fest,
said he didn’t know how Becle’s
acquisition would effect the event,
although organizers are still plan-
ning to stage a concert in July.
Hood River Distillers will
continue to bottle Pendleton on
behalf of Proximo.
“We are very pleased with how
the Pendleton Whisky brand has
grown over the past 15 years,”
Hood River Distillers CEO Ronald
Dodge said in a statement. “This is
a tremendous opportunity for the
brand. Proximo has the resources,
the market reach and the commit-
ment to turn our dreams for the
Pendleton brand into reality.”
The companies expect the deal
to close during the first quarter
of 2018, subject to regulatory
approval and closing conditions.
PHS: Served food at Round-Up’s 1910 room
Continued from 1A
oven, a stove, a grill, a griddle, a
smoker and deep fryers.
The truck has already been
put to use at events like Oktober-
fest and the Round-Up. When
the culinary program acted as
the gourmet food service for
the Round-Up’s 1910 Room,
Swaggart said 12 students were
in the truck simultaneously
— handling everything from
cooking to cashiering to dish-
washing.
Swaggart is taking it a little
more slowly with the food truck
when it comes to warming
station service. The culinary
program served the warming
station once a week last year by
preparing the food beforehand,
because of the station’s limited
cooking space.
Although Swaggart is consid-
ering a more ambitious holiday
dinner next week, she decided
to stick with prepared food for
Wednesday’s meal of macaroni
and cheese, salad, applesauce
and yogurt parfait.
Swaggart made accommo-
dations for some of the diners
— one preferred to eat his food
out of a container with his own
utensils while another needed the
bacon chunks in the macaroni
removed because of an aversion
to pork — and then prompted
Saxton and fellow volunteer
Bella Baumgartner to open the
food truck.
“Alright, let’s go,” she told her
students. “Open for business.”
A queue of 10 warming
station clients gather in front of
the truck, the plastic utensils and
napkins in their hand acting as
a ticket. Swaggart described the
would exacerbate Oregon’s
housing crisis.
Retaining a deduction
for medical expenses and
student loan interest.
Eliminating an alternative
minimum corporate tax
that was included in prior
versions of the tax legislation.
Congress is planning to cut
the corporate tax rate from
35 percent to 21 percent, but
an alternative minimum tax
could have reduced the tax
savings Intel, Nike and other
large companies anticipated.
Other reports indicate the
new bill would eliminate a
proposed tax on graduate
students, which had greatly
concerned Oregon’s univer-
sities.
“Rep. Walden is focusing
on the impact of this bill
for the middle-class family
in his district, where the
median household income
is $49,000,” Discigil wrote.
“Those families will see a
significant tax break under
our plan, and that has been
Rep. Walden’s goal from the
beginning.”
Walden represents the
sprawling 2nd Congressional
District, 20 counties in
central, southern and eastern
Oregon.
The tax overhaul bills
passed the House and Senate
without a single Democratic
vote in either chamber, so
the Republican majorities are
steering the process them-
selves. Walden is among the
most influential Republicans
in the House, chairing the
powerful Committee on
Energy and Commerce
Committee. He’s the only
Republican from Oregon in
Congress.
Democrats,
including
Gov. Kate Brown and the rest
of the state’s congressional
delegation, remain firmly
opposed to the tax overhaul.
They argue that it would
disproportionately
benefit
wealthy Americans, increase
the federal deficit and reduce
funds available for social
programs.
Allowing deductions for
state income taxes would be
valuable for many Orego-
nians, but the $10,000 limit
on income and property
taxes could still hit some
taxpayers. Reports indicate
Republicans are planning to
lower the top federal tax rate
to preserve savings for the
wealthiest taxpayers.
Some
middle-income
taxpayers would no longer
itemize their taxes under
the new legislation because
the overhaul would nearly
double the standard deduc-
tion taxpayers can take, to
$24,000 for couples. Those
savings would be partially
offset by the loss of the
personal exemption and
other deductions.
The congressional tax
overhaul appears on track
for passage in the House. But
in the Senate, where Repub-
licans have just a two-vote
majority, party leaders are
still trying to lock down
votes to ensure approval.
LISCOM: Served as both
superintendent and principal
discuss the findings of the investi-
gation at the executive session next
“There really is not a big story week, just to complete it.
or scoop to tell — over the last few
Morris said the board will also
months it has become apparent that set a timeline fairly soon for hiring
I do not share the same
Liscom’s
replacement.
philosophy and beliefs
Liscom served as both
as the board members,”
superintendent and principal
Liscom said in her brief
of Stanfield Elementary
email. She thanked teachers
School — a role for which
for allowing her to serve the
Morris said they would
community.
likely discuss hiring two
School board chair Scott
people.
Morris said he didn’t totally
“I can’t speak for the
expect Liscom’s resigna-
whole board, but I’d say
tion, but that he had been
that’s what we should do,”
aware that she didn’t see Liscom
he said. “It’s a hard thing to
eye-to-eye with the board.
fill — a superintendent and
“I don’t know,” he said. “I think a grade school principal.”
there was just some different feelings
Liscom was hired in Stanfield in
on the board. It was just time.”
2014. She has worked as a teacher
Morris said the board was sched- and administrator in Athena-Weston
uled to have an executive session on and Pendleton.
Wednesday to discuss an investigation
The school district faced criticism
into a complaint against Liscom, but this summer after it told residents
the wrong policy number was listed that due to an accounting error it
on the agenda, so they postponed the hadn’t been collecting enough toward
executive session until next week.
a school levy. Liscom, who said the
At that point in the meeting, he mistake had been made before she
said, Liscom handed in her resigna- was hired, sent an informal letter of
tion.
explanation in August to taxpayers
Morris said they will likely still saying their rate would increase.
Continued from 1A
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Guests line up at the Pendleton Warming Station to get a
meal from the Pendleton High School culinary program’s food
truck on Wednesday in Pendleton.
warming station diners as “genu-
inely kind,” and they exchange
jokes and pleasantries as the
residents accept their meals.
Warming station executive
director Chris Clemons opened
the door for the lodgers as they
made their way into the dining
room.
“It almost brings tears to my
eyes, to see them parked out
here,” he said.
The warming station always
offers food to those who stay
there. Big John’s Hometown
Pizza delivers a weekly donation
and professional caterers often
deliver their surplus, Clemons
said.
But the food truck and
culinary program offer some
additional friendly faces besides
the volunteers who already staff
the warming station.
The new food truck garnered
a thumbs up from the Round-Up
as well.
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Yogurt parfait sits ready to be served in the Pendleton High
School culinary program’s food cart Wednesday in Pendleton.
Round-Up Publicity Director
Randy Thomas said the kitchen
in the food truck made the 1910
Room run smoother than it had
in 2016, when the chefs and
students made most of the food
at the Pendleton High School
kitchen and then plated it at a
rented trailer in the Round-Up
Grounds.
Swaggart is still thinking of
ways to utilize the truck. She said
it could be used for choir concerts
at the high school. Instead of the
usual bottled drinks and snacks,
the culinary program could offer
a fancy dessert.
She’s explicit that whatever
event the high school caters,
that it won’t encroach on private
enterprise.
“It’s important for us not be
seen as competition,” she said.
After the initial line, only a
few more lodgers trickled in,
allowing the original group to
come back for seconds. Swag-
gart and the girls closed down
the truck, took the leftovers
into the warming station for any
late-night visitors and bid the
volunteers goodbye.
Both Saxton and Baumgartner
said they enjoyed the experi-
ence. Swaggart said the volun-
teer opportunities are popular
enough with students that she
can bring back a different group
of helpers each week throughout
the warming station season.
The trio cleaned up the truck
before Swaggart drove it back to
a shed near the high school that
was built just for the vehicle.
———
Contact Antonio Sierra at
asierra@eastoregonian.com or
541-966-0836.
NAKAPALAU: Council adopted
social media policy unanimously
Continued from 1A
Another document states that in
2007 it was ordered that “the defen-
dant’s civil rights lost by operation
of law upon conviction be hereby
restored.”
Nakapalau was sworn in to the
Echo city council in January after
earning eight write-in votes for an
empty seat. He spoke at Stanfield
Secondary School’s assembly the
week of Veteran’s Day as an Army
veteran from the Vietnam War.
Nakapalau did not return a phone
message left Thursday night and has
not responded to previous attempts
by the East Oregonian to reach him
after his comments to Wilson. After
those comments came to light, he
attended a city council meeting on
Oct. 19 in which Councilor Robert
Harris asked that the council make a
public apology for Nakapalau’s words
and work on adopting a social media
policy. Nakapalau did not comment
during the meeting. The city issued a
public apology afterward referencing
“comments made by a councilor in a
Facebook dialog” and stating that the
city did not endorse discrimination or
disparaging remarks against someone
based on their sexual orientation,
race, etc.
An ethics policy and a social
media policy were both unanimously
adopted by the Echo city council on
Thursday night. The social media
policy tells councilors and staff that
they are “solely responsible for what
you post online.”
“Posting inappropriate remarks
about co-workers, council members
or members of the public, which
may be viewed as discriminatory,
harassing,
bullying,
malicious,
obscene,
threatening
violence,
intimidating, comments meant to
intentionally harm someone’s reputa-
tion, retaliation to what you preserve
(sic) to be another’s negative post,
and similar inappropriate or unlawful
conduct as a representative of the City
of Echo will not be tolerated and may
be subject to disciplinary action up to
or including dismissal if you are a city
Employee,” the policy reads.
It also asks people to be mature,
fair and accurate in their posts.
Both city administrator Diane
Berry and city attorney Bill Kuhn
stressed that it was only city
employees, not public officials, that
could be removed from their position
with the city if they violate the policy.
“The only recourse for removing a
council member is through the recall
process,” Berry said. “Oregon does
not have an impeachment process for
local officials.”
The ethics policy covers Oregon
law about conflicts of interest and
other issues, and asks that councilors
realize their actions affect the city,
possibly for years or generations to
come. It also asks them to be aware of
how their conversations and appear-
ance outside of council meetings
reflects on the city.
“Do not speak for the council to
citizens or the press unless you have
been given that duty or responsibility
specifically by the council as a whole
through a council motion,” the policy
states. “The council is a body and you
as a council member have no power
or jurisdiction outside the body unless
specifically given by the council.”
———
Contact Jade McDowell at
jmcdowell@eastoregonian.com or
541-564-4536.