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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 22, 2019)
A4 East Oregonian Tuesday, October 22, 2019 CHRISTOPHER RUSH Publisher KATHRYN B. BROWN Owner ANDREW CUTLER Editor WYATT HAUPT JR. News Editor JADE McDOWELL Hermiston Editor Founded October 16, 1875 OUR VIEW Taxpayers deserve explanation from city about DEQ fine T here are several questions that need to be answered regard- ing an $86,977 fine levied on the city of Pendleton by the Oregon Department of Environmental Qual- ity regarding its new fire station. One thing that is not in question is why the city was fined. ODEQ OK’d a city permit in 2018 to discharge storm water during con- struction of the new firehouse. The city was also required under the man- dates of the permit to create and execute an erosion and sediment blueprint. When DEQ officials visited the site last spring, they found the city had not put best practices into place to control erosion. The city also appar- ently violated the permit when it failed to visually monitor stormwater runoff during construction. The ODEQ levied the penalty on the city on Sept. 25. Pendleton Pub- lic Works Director Bob Patterson said the amount of the fine was a surprise and the city immediately worked to tackle the problem. The fact the city reacted fast to fix Staff photo by Ben Lonergan The city of Pendleton faces a hefty fine for erosion violations during the construction of the city’s new Fire Station One, at 1455 S.E. Court Ave. the challenge should be good news to voters. The quick response shows city officials want to fix the problem as fast as possible and not ignore it. What shouldn’t be good news to voters is the city somehow placed itself in a position where it might have to fork over about $87,000 in taxpayer money to the state. The key question is what hap- pened? Why did the city not display the proper oversight on this specific issue? What is the city going to do next? A partial answer to the last ques- tion was found in a story in this news- paper last week. The city attorney is working to appeal the size of the fine. That’s also good news. But it misses the central question as to why the city finds itself in this position in the first place. Ordinarily a rebuke from the state DEQ could be presented as a learning moment, a way to do better next time. Except in this case, the hefty fine should get the attention of every voter. More than anything, voters — tax- payers — need a very detailed and lucid answer as to why Pendleton must pay a fine. Even if the final price is dropped, it still doesn’t take away from the fact a series of decisions — or indecisions — placed the taxpayers of this community out on a limb. No one demands perfection from our elected and appointed leaders. We are all human and mistakes happen. But the taxpayers are going to need an explanation — and soon — about why this happened. OTHER VIEWS Turkey, Syria and our ignorant president rite down the date: Oct. 16, 2019. carried out an insurgency inside Turkey for When historians look back, decades.” they’ll identify it as the day The House has already expressed its dis- approval for the White House’s policy, vot- that the post-World War II order officially ing overwhelmingly on Wednesday to con- collapsed. demn the withdrawal. It happened not by coup, or by the disap- pearance of our collective will as a nation, Trump also netted a rebuke from Wyo- ming Rep. Liz Cheney, the daughter of for- but rather by the perturbed ramblings of a mer Vice President Dick Cheney and chair chief executive who has proven he is igno- rant of history, unconcerned about the of the House Republican Conference, who took issue with Trump’s instance the United nation’s long-term security, and utterly dis- interested in the finer points of policy and States didn’t need to worry about terrorists international diplomacy. who were “7,000 miles away.” Cheney reportedly reminded Trump that It was brought to vivid life in a jaw-drop- ping session at the White House on the terrorists who brought down Wednesday that saw Democratic the Twin Towers, and crashed congressional leaders walk out planes into the Pentagon and a amid a torrent of schoolyard insults Pennsylvania field in 2001, also from a sitting president. Trump came from 7,000 miles away. reportedly referred to Speaker of It’s already well-known that Trump is essentially a fourth-grade the House Nancy Pelosi as “a third tyrant squeezed into the body of a grade politician,” and taunted both septuagenarian. But the exchange her and Senate Minority Leader J ohn with Cheney was a necessary — Chuck Schumer with “see you at the L. M icek if incredibly — disturbing insight polls,” as they left. COMMENT into Trump’s narrowly juvenile The performance capped a day view of global politics. that was extraordinary, even by Listening to Trump, it was hard not to the surreal standards of Donald Trump’s think of similar “America Firsters” from 75 Washington. years past who somehow thought oceans It was punctuated by an Oval Office could still protect America from the dangers session in which Trump tied himself into of the wider world. rhetorical knots trying to distance him- self from the increasingly bloody con- Then the bombs fell on Pearl Harbor, flict between Turkey and the Kurds in German submarines began sinking Amer- ican ships, and the nation learned the hard Syria that he, in large part, had allowed to lesson that oceans were no protection. happen. America stepped up after those dark Speaking to reporters, Trump denied days, defeated the Germans and the Japa- that he’d given Turkey the “green light” to nese; rebuilt postwar Europe and laid the invade and said the Kurds, who were instru- mental in the American victory over the foundation for decades-long alliances; acted as a bulwark against Soviet aggression Islamic State, “were no angels.” through the Cold War; and has largely stood Trump tried to further buttress his argu- ments with a letter he’d sent last week to as a beacon of both security and freedom (despite a multitude of failings and missteps) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ever since. that read like someone’s cartoon conception When Trump threw the Kurds under the of how world leaders speak. bus, he shredded whatever remains of our “History will look upon you favorably credibility abroad and tarnished the honor if you get this done the right and humane of American fighting men and women who way,” Trump wrote in an Oct. 9 letter. “It have said, tragically, that they’re ashamed will look upon you forever as the devil if of their country’s conduct. The cease fire, good things don’t happen. Don’t be a tough while welcome, is days late, since hundreds guy. Don’t be a fool!” It concluded: “I will of Kurds have already died. call you later.” Trump, who has proudly boasted that he On Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence doesn’t need to read to make decisions or to announced a five-day cease fire that will consult with experts, has done damage that allow for a Kurdish withdrawal. But as may take decades to repair. Axios reports, “The agreement gives Tur- key what it wants — the removal of sanc- And we may all yet pay the price for his tions and support for a ‘safe zone’ free of great and unmatched hubris. YPG forces that they view as an extension ——— of the Kurdish Workers’ Party, which has John L. Micek is a syndicated columnist. W YOUR VIEWS School board misrepresenting bond’s effect on taxes Well here we go again. The Hermiston School Board is using a smoke and mir- ror program to confuse you over increased taxes. They state that, if passed, the tax will not increase since it is a deferred tax issue. Make no mistake — nothing is free. It may take a year or so, but we will surely be paying an additional tax on top of the $84 million passed in 2008, and it will run for many more years. The estimated additional tax is $1.40 per $1,000 of assessed property and will hit all personal property owners. It will no doubt raise rental fees for those peo- ple also. The proposal is for about the same as defeated two years ago. Ask yourself why we need more prop- erty purchased when we already have sprawling campus-like schools and blocks and blocks of school property. Also, I was surprised to see an article in the East Oregonian written by Rep. Greg and Sherri Smith supporting tax issues in Hermiston. It would seem to make sense if you live in Heppner, where you pay no taxes in Hermiston, then you should butt out of our issues. We are very capable of handling our own business, thank you. Jim Tiede Hermiston CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES U.S. SENATORS REPRESENTATIVES Ron Wyden 221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 202-224-5244 La Grande office: 541-962-7691 Greg Barreto, District 58 900 Court St. NE, H-38 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1458 Rep.GregBarreto@state.or.us Jeff Merkley 313 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 202-224-3753 Pendleton office: 541-278-1129 Greg Smith, District 57 900 Court St. NE, H-482 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1457 Rep.GregSmith@state.or.us U.S. REPRESENTATIVE SENATOR Greg Walden 185 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 202-225-6730 La Grande office: 541-624-2400 Bill Hansell, District 29 900 Court St. NE, S-423 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1729 Sen.BillHansell@state.or.us Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the East Oregonian editorial board. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opinions of the authors and not necessarily that of the East Oregonian. 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. 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 the editor to editor@eastoregonian.com, or via mail to Andrew Cutler, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801
