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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (May 27, 2015)
A4 Opinion wallowa.com May 27, 2015 Wallowa County Chieftain Updating Oregon’s gas tax makes sense A s summer driving EDITORIAL season rolls in, it’s a good time to think The voice of the Chieftain about how we pay for our roads. With petroleum prices lower for the time being and more drivers buying hybrid and electric cars, Oregon is about to experiment with taxing vehicles based on the miles they are driven instead of on the fuel they consume. This is an interesting and valid exercise, but one that raises a variety of issues that must be addressed. The basic scheme is to replace fuel taxes paid at the SXPSZLWKDÀDWFHQWSHUPLOHFKDUJHIRUXVHRISXEOLF roads in Oregon. Up to 5,000 volunteers will start testing the concept on July 1, using small digital devices to track their mileage. California, Washington and Indiana all are at earlier stages of considering the concept. U.S. drivers, especially those who don’t live in the Northeast where there are more toll highways, are pretty spoiled when it comes to transportation costs. Generally, our gasoline is taxed at far lower rates than is the case in the rest of the developed world. And we face far fewer toll roads. Drive through France, Mexico and scores of other places, and you will be reaching for your wallet every hour or so. It’s safe to say nobody relishes having to pay either taxes or tolls, but expensive public infrastructure like highways and bridges is one of the best examples of government providing something private citizens need but are unable to accomplish on our own. Considering the systemic changes underway in oil markets and automobiles, fuel taxes simply can’t keep up. Only in recent years has technology come along that will allow accurate monitoring of actual miles driven, giving a new option for transportation funding. Civil liberties activists see the monitoring devices as a potential intrusion on privacy, in effect giving government a real-time picture of where all vehicles are moving at any given time. Oregon has responded by designing one option that uses global positioning satellite tracking and another option that relies on a simple odometer that counts passing miles. Any records that are collected are supposed to be carefully controlled and then destroyed after they have served their revenue purpose. In any event, such privacy worries may be pointless in a nation where smart phones can already be tracked anywhere and cameras watch over many streets and highways. Another concern is expressed by owners and dealers of hybrid and electric cars, who fear they will lose the tax advantage they gained from buying less gasoline or diesel. But the fact is that they use the roads, too, and should be helping pay to maintain them. As this trial of charging for highway use moves forward, it will bear watching to make certain that rural drivers — who are bound to have to travel greater distances to jobs, schools, healthcare and other necessities — are no more burdened than they already are by fuel taxes. Anything that might worsen the state’s urban-rural divide must be avoided. Oregonians are suspicious about any changes in the tax system. We do a better job than many states of keeping LWIDLU3HRSOHZLOOEHMXVWL¿DEO\ZDU\RIWKLVPLOHDJHWD[ But if it works, it might be an equitable way to match our highway use with what we pay. USPS No. 665-100 32%R[(QWHUSULVH25 2I¿FH1:)LUVW6W(QWHUSULVH2UH 3KRQH)D[ :DOORZD&RXQW\¶V1HZVSDSHU6LQFH (QWHUSULVH2UHJRQ M EMBER O REGON N EWSPAPER P UBLISHERS A SSOCIATION P UBLISHER E DITOR R EPORTER R EPORTER A D S ALES CONSULTANT G RAPHIC D ESIGNER O FFICE MANAGER Marissa Williams, marissa@bmeagle.com Rob Ruth, editor@wallowa.com Stephen Tool, stool@wallowa.com Kathleen Ellyn, kellyn@wallowa.com Brooke Pace, bpace@wallowa.com Robby Day, rday@wallowa.com Cheryl Jenkins, cjenkins@wallowa.com P UBLISHED EVERY W EDNESDAY BY : EO Media Group 3HULRGLFDO3RVWDJH3DLGDW(QWHUSULVHDQGDGGLWLRQDOPDLOLQJRI¿FHV Subscription rates (includes online access) Wallowa County Out-of-County 1 Year $40.00 $57.00 6XEVFULSWLRQVPXVWEHSDLGSULRUWRGHOLYHU\ See the Wallowa County Chieftain on the Internet www.wallowa.com facebook.com/Wallowa | twitter.com/wcchieftain POSTMASTER — Send address changes to Wallowa County Chieftain P.O. Box 338 Enterprise, OR 97828 Contents copyright © 2015. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. SNAP Incentive boosts health Wallowa County Farmers Market and /RZHU9DOOH\)DUPHUV0DUNHWDUHSDUWQHU- ing up to launch a SNAP Incentive pro- gram for this farmers market season. Here’s how it works: the markets match the money that SNAP (food stamp) users spend at the market, dollar for dollar, up to $10. The $10 can be used on fresh fruits and vegetables at the market throughout the season. By doubling the amount they can buy at the market, the program makes local, fresh food more accessible for peo- ple who have low incomes. It helps them stretch their limited food budget while empowering them to make healthy choic- es for themselves and their families. SNAP Incentive programs have been tested across the country and shown to increase the amounts of fruits and vegeta- bles that participants eat. Wallowa County )DUPHUV0DUNHWDQG/RZHU9DOOH\)DUPHUV Market are bringing the program to farm- ers markets in Wallowa, Enterprise, and Joseph this summer. The program began at WKH¿UVW)DUPHUV0DUNHWLQ-RVHSKRQ0D\ 23, and will start in Enterprise on Thursday, June 4. The program will begin at the same WLPHIRUWKH/RZHU9DOOH\)DUPHUV0DUNHW located in Wallowa (open on Friday, Satur- day, and Sunday in Spring/Summer and on Saturdays year-round). In February, I wrote a column about food insecurity: the state of being without UHOLDEOH DFFHVV WR D VXI¿FLHQW TXDQWLW\ RI affordable, nutritious food. About 1,000 people in this county suffer from food insecurity, and as I explained in my last amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables, it’s important to make extremely fresh, local produce accessible to them because Lauren Johnson it delivers the most nutrient bang for your buck. Incentive programs also support local column, that can mean increased risk of diet-related diseases, developmental prob- farmers. SNAP already brings in federal lems in children, and an increased risk of dollars to the county: in 2011, SNAP us- psychological problems in children like ers in Wallowa County spent $1,533,562 aggression, anxiety, depression, and hy- at grocery stores and farmers markets. If peractivity, as well as depression in adults. 100% of people in Wallowa County who SNAP incentive programs allow TXDOL¿HGIRU61$3VLJQHGXSIRULWDQDG- food-insecure families to choose the most ditional $921,320 would be brought into nutritious food by expanding their limit- the county. Incentivizing SNAP users to ed food budget. Double Up Food Bucks, spend part of those funds at farmers mar- a similar program offered at more than kets would allow local producers to bene- PDUNHWV DFURVV ¿YH VWDWHV IRXQG ¿WIURPWKRVHIHGHUDOGROODUVDQGIURPWKH that “93% of participating SNAP users at match funds). Slow Food Wallowas 2012 Pignic farmers markets report eating more fruits and vegetables, including more varieties, raised the initial funds for the project. and 83% report buying fewer high-fat, Soroptimist of Wallowa County and Wal- ORZQXWULWLRQVQDFNVZLWKWKHLUEHQH¿WV´ lowa Memorial Hospital will contribute. Portland Farmers Market found that 88% The farmers markets plan to fund the pro- of returning SNAP users at the market re- gram by holding lemonade stands at large ported eating more fruits and vegetables community events throughout the sum- mer. Every cup of fresh-squeezed lemon- because of the incentive program. Fruits and vegetables from the farm- ade sold will provide $3 to matching funds ers market are much more nutritionally so that SNAP participants can double their dense than their counterparts in grocery purchases of fresh food at this summer’s stores because they’re so much fresher; markets. So buy a cup of lemonade this produce begins to lose its nutritional value summer when you see a stand — you as soon as it’s picked. Studies have shown know you want to. /DXUHQ -RKQVRQ LV &RPPXQLW\ )RRG that produce shipped long distances, han- dled roughly, and stored has lost part of its 6\VWHPV&RRUGLQDWRULQ:DOORZD&RXQW\ nutrition. Farmers market produce is ex- DQ $PHULFRUSV 5$5( 5HVRXUFH $VVLV- tremely fresh, and hence extremely nutri- WDQFH IRU 5XUDO (QYLURQPHQWV YROXQWHHU ent-dense. If a family can only buy limited SRVLWLRQ GUEST COLUMN LTC Ombudsman serves 400 locally 7KH 2I¿FH RI WKH /RQJ7HUP &DUH Ombudsman was established in Oregon in 1981 and is tasked with enhancing quali- ty of life, improving quality of care, and protecting the individual resident’s rights. The Older Americans Act created the Om- budsman program and there is one in every state. In Oregon, it is an independent state advocacy agency that responds to com- plaints and concerns of residents, family, or facility staff by responding to calls and maintaining a presence in a facility by mak- LQJUHJXODUYLVLWV7KLVLVDIUHHDQGFRQ¿- dential service for all Oregon residents, including about 400 residents in Union and Wallowa counties. If those 400 people who currently live in Umatilla and Wallowa county’s 18 licensed long-term care facilities — places that pro- vide care to seniors who cannot live inde- pendently because of their age or physical or mental condition — formed their own city, it would nearly be the size of North Powder. Representing these people’s interests is WKHMRERI7RGG6WHHOH'HSXW\6WDWH/RQJ Term Care Ombudsman who works with FHUWL¿HGORFDOYROXQWHHUVWRKHOSSURWHFWWKH rights and dignity of residents. “We serve DV WKHLU LQGHSHQGHQW FRQ¿GHQWLDO DGYR- cates,” Steele said, “It’s Oregonians out in Oregon helping Oregonians.” Residents of long-term care facilities often need someone to act on their behalf because many have a physical ailment or mental issue, such as Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia that makes ly retired and are looking for a meaningful volunteer opportunity. They can arrange GUEST COLUMN visiting schedules to the facilities to their Gretchen Jordan needs and to see a full picture of a facility’s operations. Steele estimates about 65 per- them vulnerable and dependent on some- cent of the residents visited have no need one else for care. Ombudsmen also have to for intervention. Another 25 percent have deal with situations that could complicate problems they can address and resolve. Of anyone’s life — such as depression, lone- the remaining 10 percent, perhaps half re- liness, family struggles and complicated sult in a report to a protective service agen- health care situations, and the related cov- cy and the other half will requite deeper in- erage with Medicare, Medicaid or private vestigation and possible legal action. Many times, though, the presence of an Ombuds- health insurance. If an Ombudsman so much as suspects man helps improve the quality of care for neglect or abuse in a complaint, Steele said, all and prevents further issues needing any they immediately report it to the state’s intervention. “It’s all about being a voice Adult Protective Services Division, which for many who cannot speak for themselves. KDV LQYHVWLJDWRUV VSHFL¿FDOO\ WUDLQHG WR To see someone’s life improve — that’s the biggest thing,” Steele said. handle abuse cases. More volunteers in all areas of Union But, he said, the volunteer Ombudsmen do handle just about everything else, in- and Wallowa County are needed; over cluding complaints about the food served at half of the long-term care facilities do not nursing homes, maintenance issues, billing have a volunteer assigned to them. Certi- questions, and concerns any resident may ¿HG2PEXGVPDQYROXQWHHUVDUHRYHUDJH 21, can pass a background check and en- have about their home or care. “Our volunteers are the greatest,” Steele MR\DÀH[LEOHVFKHGXOH7UDLQLQJIRUQHZ said. “They observe and visit with the resi- volunteers is scheduled in The Dalles for dents and when appropriate, help facilitate mid-August. Gretchen Jordan is Coordinator of Vol- a resolution.” Ombudsman volunteers who work XQWHHUV ZLWK WKH 2I¿FH RI WKH /RQJ7HUP with Todd Steele have a variety of back- &DUH 2PEXGVPDQ )RU PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ grounds that bring skills to be effective DERXWYROXQWHHULQJFRQWDFWKHUDWJUHWFK- advocates. They seek to ensure that care HQMRUGDQ#OWFRVWDWHRUXV RU center residents have their rights respected RU YLVLW ZZZRUHJRQJRY/7&2 7R UHSRUW D FRQFHUQ DERXW D ORQJWHUP FDUH and receive good care. 7KHUHZDUGVRIEHLQJDFHUWL¿HG2P- IDFLOLW\FDOORUYLVLWZZZ budsman appeal to many who have recent- RUHJRQJRY/7&2IRUKHOSIXOLQIRUPDWLRQ Important to air sheriff’s views To the Editor: The Chieftain deserves major plaudits for last week’s front page story entitled ‘Under the Gun, New law spawns confu- sion, resistance.’ That the Wallowa County Sheriff is thumbing his nose at a new state law is a topic that needs to be reported. To me, whether one is a “band-wagon- er” who’s applauding the sheriff’s action or aghast that he’s challenging a higher au- thority on his interpretation of federal prin- ciples is irrelevant. The story itself is critical and the Chief- tain did an excellent job sharing the Sher- iff’s reasons and beliefs, especially by emphasizing that the controversial law in catering to tourists in the name of survival that few are stepping forth to do the little things that promote accountability. Sure, Wallowa County has a great track record in voter participation, but didn’t we question was enacted without voter ap- just conclude a countywide election where only one position had more than one name proval. Maybe police can, or even have the duty on the ballot and a handful had no names to challenge state law, I’m not sure, but I at all? I hope the Wallowa County Sheriff ¿UPO\ EHOLHYH VXFK SRZHUV FDQ JR DVWUD\ unless police departments are held account- doesn’t want to go it alone and actually de- sires accountability. It’s our responsibility able for their actions. And that cannot happen unless the gen- as U.S. citizens to provide it. To all of the above, I plead guilty. Yet eral populace adopts a monitoring role. At this point in time, it appears that Wal- I’ll try to stay informed. Rocky Wilson lowa County is not doing its part. We’re so :DOORZD busy raising cattle, irrigating crops, and LETTERS TO THE EDITOR