ANDREW CUTLER
Publisher/Editor
KATHRYN B. BROWN
Owner
WYATT HAUPT JR.
News Editor
JADE McDOWELL
Hermiston Editor
THURSDAY, OCTOBeR 22, 2020
A4
Founded October 16, 1875
OUR VIEW
Cliff
Bentz for
Congress
G
reg Walden is retiring, creating
a race for an open seat for Ore-
gon’s 2nd Congressional Dis-
trict. Cliff Bentz, a Republican, is the
best person to fill it.
Bentz, 68, is an attorney and former
state legislator — 10 years in the House
and two years in the Senate. His oppo-
nent, Democrat Alex Spenser, 55, has
worked many different jobs, including
as a writer. There are sharp differences
between them on a host of issues.
Spenser wants to require gun owners
to be regularly tested on every gun they
own for safety and proficiency. Bentz
does not want new gun laws. He wants
the ones in place to be enforced. That is
not to say, though, that he would not sup-
port changes if laws are not working as
they should.
Spenser supports expanding some-
thing like the Oregon Health Plan to
every American. Bentz does not want
a single-payer system. He wants people
to have health care. He doesn’t want the
government to control it all.
On climate, Spenser backs the “Green
New Deal.” We agree the nation needs a
bold climate action plan. The Green New
Deal is not the one. The federal govern-
ment should not guarantee everyone a
job, as nice as that might sound. The fed-
eral government should not be taking
total or partial control of energy, trans-
portation and more. It puts too much faith
and control in the hands of government
planners. Bentz’s concept is more cir-
cumspect, realistic and decentralized. He
believes climate change is real. He wants
innovation, sequestration and adapta-
tion. He wants solutions that save people
money and not more top-down fees.
Spenser’s vow to work toward ending
the divisiveness in Congress is appeal-
ing. But Bentz has real experience in
the Oregon Legislature working across
party lines. He never spent one day in the
majority while in office. He managed to
get things done. Two examples: Orego-
nians finally get an opportunity to pump
some of their own gas and they can drive
a little faster on rural roads because of
Bentz. He also helped lead the compro-
mise between Democrats and Republi-
cans to deliver the $5 billion state trans-
portation package in 2017. That package
does everything from helping transit to
repairing and improving roads.
With Walden’s retirement, Oregon’s
2nd Congressional District loses a pow-
erful, effective voice in Washington.
Bentz’s record of political accomplish-
ment is a much better starting point than
Spenser’s.
Merkley for U.S. Senate
O
regon should not send a conspiracy
stoker to represent us in the U.S.
Senate. Reelect Sen. Jeff Merkley.
Merkley, a Democrat, is about as lib-
eral as U.S. senators come. You could
describe him to people from out of state as
a younger Bernie Sanders and not be far
off. You can’t question his sincerity. His
thoroughness. His commitment to serving
Oregon and the nation.
He’s worked to make it easier for small
businesses to get federal contracts. He’s
worked to get funding that will enable
Oregon to keep more water in rivers by
improving irrigation. He’s worked to keep
federal health care benefits flowing to those
who have been jailed and are awaiting trial.
That’s important, so county jails don’t have
to pick up the expense. And he’s fighting
for a national approach to climate change,
to make health care affordable and acces-
sible, for affordable child care and much
more.
We don’t always see eye to eye with
him, such as his support for the Green New
Deal. We support climate action. Not that
plan. Despite any differences we have with
Merkley, he is the clear choice. It’s not even
close.
His opponent is Jo Rae Perkins, a
Republican. There are fairly predict-
able Republican/Democratic differences
between Perkins and Merkley on gun con-
trol, reproductive rights and much more.
And Oregonians deserve a serious debate
about the issues. But Perkins is a defender
and promoter of QAnon and uses it to
gather information. If you don’t know,
QAnon is an amorphous internet-driven
conspiracy theory. Its adventures into the
absurd include President Trump in a clan-
destine struggle against a deep state led
by Satan-loving pedophiles and North
Korea’s Kim Jong Un as a tool of the CIA.
Guess who is Adolf Hitler’s granddaughter,
according to QAnon? German Chancellor
Angela Merkel. Just to be clear: No, that is
not true.
On the night of her primary election,
Perkins posted a video in which she praised
QAnon and said, “I stand with Q and the
team.” Her campaign staff has since taken
it down. Perkins has said she regrets that.
If Perkins can’t see QAnon for what
it is, or is merely cultivating a few votes,
she doesn’t deserve your vote. Vote for
Merkley.
explaining the ‘right to rest’
JOHN
TURNER
OTHER VIEWS
L
ike most other cities in America,
Pendleton is wrestling with how
to manage its homeless popula-
tion. The city does not plan to use its lim-
ited resources to provide robust services to
the homeless. Nevertheless, they are fel-
low human beings and they have the same
Constitutional rights the rest of us enjoy.
A couple of fairly recent Federal Dis-
trict Court cases have further defined the
rights of the homeless and have issued
guidance on what cities can and cannot do.
In 2019’s Martin v. Boise, the court held
that there is a right to be homeless and to
be able to rest. The government cannot
criminalize homeless people for sleeping
outdoors on public property if there is no
other access to shelter. More recently, in
the July of 2020 case of Blake v. City of
Grants Pass, the court said that the home-
less could not be denied the life-sustaining
activities of resting, sleeping and seeking
shelter from the elements.
The city of Grants Pass had an
anti-camping ordinance that also prohib-
ited sleeping in a car for more than two
hours. These laws applied to all public
spaces in Grants Pass at all times, includ-
ing parks. There were no public shelters
available in Grants Pass.
The recent “Right to Rest” ordinance
passed by the city council tries to walk
the line between providing legal access to
some public properties for the purpose of
sleeping (not camping), while denying rest-
ing in other public properties. For exam-
ple, our parks have closed at 10 p.m. for
many years. Therefore, permission will not
be granted to routinely camp overnight in
parks (the city manager has the authority to
grant a waiver for special events).
People may not sleep in the right-of-
way, including sidewalks, driveways and
doorway entrances. Sleeping is permit-
ted, including inside a tent, on other pub-
lic property from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. the next
day, but a temporary campsite may not be
established. Sleepers must pack up their
belongings, clean up and vacate their sleep-
ing spot by 6 a.m.
Where are these other public proper-
ties? Well, the city owns parcels of land
near the convention center, surrounding
all public buildings, 6 vacant acres in the
north Riverside area and near the airport.
The Umatilla River banks are public prop-
erty and there are a few small publicly
owned parcels of land scattered through-
out the city. The Community Development
Department can provide more specific
information about city-owned property.
Is this new ordinance perfect? Of
course not, but it does a couple of things.
The ordinance complies with federal
law by affirming the right of the homeless
to rest and provides guidance on when and
where that might take place. It is a tool that
police can use to enforce the law and it pro-
vides a reasonable right of appeal before
legal action would take effect. Remember,
none of this pertains to your private prop-
erty and if you have a problem with home-
less campers, please call the Pendleton
Police Department so you can have them
“trespassed.”
There is room for greater thought, cre-
ativity and efforts to provide options for
homeless citizens to live in every commu-
nity. It is the responsibility of local govern-
ment and law enforcement to provide the
public with health and safety, and to pro-
tect the public from illegal intrusion. How-
ever, homelessness is not an issue for the
criminal justice system to solve, nor should
local governments be required to provide
shelter for the homeless.
It will require an effort from the com-
munity as a whole to address not only
where the homeless rest, but to address the
services, from the public and private sec-
tors, which will be provided to the home-
less. The city continues to engage in part-
nerships and discussions about dealing
with homelessness, and community part-
ners are vital to this effort.
———
John Turner is the mayor of Pendleton.
YOUR VIEWS
EDITORIALS
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.
LETTERS
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
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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:
editor@eastoregonian.com,
or via mail to Andrew Cutler,
211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801
Service to Morrow County
is Matlack’s focus
To Ken Matlack, upholding the Con-
stitution of the United States of Amer-
ica and the Bill of Rights is a way of life.
Ken has a history of upholding the Con-
stitution and defending the rights of all
people. Ken is not afraid to take a stand
on difficult issues, even if it’s not popular
at the time. Ken always tries to do what is
right by the people, and is an ethical man
with integrity.
Sheriff Matlack expects the best out
of his staff and leads the way by serv-
ing with sympathy, empathy and com-
passion. He promotes the concept of suc-
cession planning to make sure he always
has a well-trained staff and will mentor,
train and cultivate that growth. Sheriff
Matlack has the knowledge, experience,
integrity and a proven track record of
LETTERS DEADLINE
The East Oregonian does not run endorsements of more than 400 words.
The East Oregonian will institute a deadline for letters to the editor, so we can be fair with
all the letters we receive and allow for responses before Election Day, if necessary.
We run the letters on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please submit your endorsement letters to the editor by noon Friday, Oct. 23. You can
email them to editor@eastoregonian.com, or mail them to East Oregonian, c/o Andrew
Cutler, 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton, 97801.
We will publish our last letters on Saturday, Oct. 31. Any letters received after the dead-
line will not run. Election Day is Nov. 3.
serving the citizens of Morrow County at
a high level.
He has emplaced a command staff
that has taken his lead and goes the extra
mile to serve and protect the public. Sher-
iff Matlack continually raises the bar of
excellence, to ensure his staff is provid-
ing the best service possible.
In this election race, Ken Matlack is
the qualified and proven candidate for
sheriff. Sheriff Matlack has my full sup-
port and in November 2020, please join
me in reelecting Kenneth W. Matlack for
Morrow County sheriff.
John A. Bowles
Morrow County undersheriff/
emergency manager
Heppner