ANDREW CUTLER
Publisher/Editor
KATHRYN B. BROWN
Owner
PHIL WRIGHT
News Editor
JADE McDOWELL
Hermiston Editor
SAturDAy, MAy 22, 2021
A4
Founded October 16, 1875
OUR VIEW
Tip of
the hat,
kick in
the pants
A
kick in the pants to Umatilla
County’s low voter turnout.
This week’s election featured
two bonds and many contested races of
significance to the community. Hermis-
ton and Pendleton school board members
will shape most Umatilla County
students’ experience as those students try
to catch up after a year of distance learn-
ing while COVID-19 still circulates in
their communities. The Blue Mountain
Community College board will tackle
tough decisions that might make or break
the college during a critical time in its
history.
And yet a measly 19% of Umatilla
County voters decided to exercise their
right to have a say in who will be making
those decisions. A total of 37,951 voters
chose to forfeit their voice. That puts the
county third to last, just above Crook and
Linn counties.
Low voter turnout is a consistent prob-
lem for Umatilla County. The phenom-
enon can create unequal representation,
as those most likely to vote often don’t
represent the general population. Their
average age is far older, for example, and
they tend to be less moderate.
Community leaders — elected offi-
cials, activists, church leaders, service
club members — need to put their heads
together and think about ways to increase
participation in future elections.
A tip of the hat to all those who
ran for office in the May 18 election.
Campaigning is a significant time
commitment, whether candidates win or
lose. We appreciate those willing to move
away from simply complaining and actu-
ally do something to try and make their
community a better place.
Those who lost their races helped
prompt more discussion and scrutiny, and
gave voters a choice that may have helped
spur more people to turn in a ballot.
Those who won their races will now face
even more time commitments, but also
the opportunity to make a real difference.
We hope they approach their office with
wisdom and integrity.
A tip of the hat to InterMountain
Education Service District’s Migrant
Education Program, which recognized its
graduating seniors on May 15.
Seniors there shared how much the
program’s additional support meant to
them during their education. One student
said it helped her not only feel more at
ease as she started at a new school, but
inspired her to pursue a teaching degree.
It seems the program is working as
intended.
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 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:
editor@eastoregonian.com,
or via mail to Andrew Cutler,
211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801
YOUR VIEWS
‘Free’ money would bolster
city budget
It’s that time of the year — budget
time. Due to the pandemic and the
resulting stimulus funds from the
federal government, for the first time
under current management, money will
not be a problem when preparing our
next budget.
A recent East Oregonian editorial
characterized this windfall as “free”
money, although we all know it’s far
from being free since it comes from
the income taxes we pay to support our
federal and state governments.
Speaking of those stimulus funds, the
question arises on how it will be spent.
One request comes straight from the city
manager. In his own words, the general
fund, that pot of money that funds
services like police, fire and parks, has
shrunk in recent years and the city could
use the stimulus to help shore it up.
That’s an interesting statement in
itself as it would seem that with all the
new construction projects, rapidly rising
real estate values, a significant increase
in marijuana and alcohol tax revenue,
another increase in the utility fee on
your water bill, plus federal and state of
Oregon grants, common sense says the
available general fund dollars should
actually be increasing.
So where’s the money going? That’s a
question that only city hall can answer.
So where does this new $3.4 million
of federal stimulus money fit into the
new budget? It appears that the bulk of
the funding will end up in the General
Fund and aimed at reducing the backlog
of maintenance on the city’s vast real
estate holdings and infrastructure.
However, with that much cash on
hand, the temptation to dip into the pot
to cover the cost of some new project
proposed by a special interest group,
like that new dog park that admittedly
the Parks Department can’t afford
because of cost overruns on the new
Til Taylor Park splashpad, or the latest
housing crisis facing the city for more
high-dollar housing, may be just too
great.
It could turn into another slush fund,
much like the Pendleton Develop-
ment Commission (PDC) has become.
Borrowing money to support the PDC
projects will be providing a tidy little
profit of $200,000 for Banner Bank in
coming year’s proposed budget.
Rick Rohde
Pendleton
Investing in families
provides many benefits
After living in Hermiston for 20
years, I have noticed how much our
small town has grown in multiple
aspects.
I have seen Hermiston better its
schools, open new businesses and create
a community. I have also seen levels of
crime, homelessness and cost of living
increases. With President Joe Biden’s
proposed American Family Plan, I can
see these unwanted characteristics of
Hermiston minimize.
Biden’s American Family Plan
suggests providing free universal
preschool. As I’m sure you all know,
preschool is seen as a luxury and not
an accessible option for all families.
After studying at Oregon State Univer-
sity with a focus on child development,
I have seen the positive influence early
education has on society. Early child-
hood education has been seen to posi-
tively impact their adulthood in many
aspects, such as reducing risky behav-
iors, achieving school readiness, and
better employment outcomes.
In addition to universal preschool,
Biden also introduces the idea of
extending tax cuts that will benefit a
vast majority of the Hermiston popula-
tion. It also supports the idea of provid-
ing direct support to children and
families. These two ideas will decrease
the homelessness rates in Hermiston as
well as help with the costs of living.
In my class on family policy this
term, we have examined how providing
direct help does not discourage work as
many may assume, but lessens financial
stress on individuals.
Although these policies may seem a
far reach, it is an effort to invest in our
families, which will only benefit our
community.
Yulaidi Ornelas
Hermiston
CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
U.S. PRESIDENT
Joe Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
GOVERNOR
Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court Street
Salem, OR 97301-4047
503-378-4582
U.S. SENATORS
Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5244
La Grande office: 541-962-7691
Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753
Pendleton office: 541-278-1129
REPRESENTATIVES
Bobby Levy, District 58
900 Court St. NE, H-376
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1458
Rep.BobbyLevy@state.or.us
Greg Smith, District 57
900 Court St. NE, H-482
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1457
Rep.GregSmith@state.or.us
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
Cliff Bentz
2185 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6730
Medford office: 541-776-4646
SENATOR
Bill Hansell, District 29
900 Court St. NE, S-415
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1729
Sen.BillHansell@state.or.us