October 2 5,1982 Page 7
Page 6 October 25,1982
Difficult issues discussed by gubanatorial candidates
Governor Vic Atiyeh
Warm Springs has always been very
cooperative with Oregon
Oregon’s economy, the major issue of the
’82 campaign
Atiyeh commended the Warm Springs tribes for their
far-sightedness last year they closed the Deschutes
during the Spring fishing season. “ Last year we had a real
problem, it was Warm Springs that said they were going to
stop fishing. Usually it starts at the other end. Effectively,
Warm Springs said to the state, we are leading the way in
this because we know we have to do something about it.
Actually, Warm Springs has been very cooperative.
They’re trying to enhance the resource...we have a totally
cooperative effort with Warm Springs, realizing they are
entitled to fish, and at the same time, knowing we have to
enhance the resource...in working together, we’ll be able
to solve it.”
“ The major issue, of course, is clearly economic
development...getting jobs, getting things going,” says
Atiyeh. The Governor listed several things that will
attribute to getting the economy on the upswing again.
Trying to get the timber industry going, says Atiyeh, will
not only help the entire state, but Warm Springs as well, “ If
the rest of the timber industry isn’t selling lumber, you
(Warm Springs) aren’t either.”
“I’m excited about the future of
Oregon’s timber industry”
Atiyeh suggests a timber comm odity commission
because of the state’s great reliance on the tim ber
industry, sim ilar to the wheat com m odity commission. I’m
more excited about the future of the tim ber industry than
some people in the timber industry. The agriculture
industry has such a commission.” The commission
collects wheat, then sells it, either within the state (s) or
internationally. “ We established a market in Japan and
now we sell wheat to Japan. I suggest we do the same
thing with lumber.” So much for a board food or thousand
board feet, would be put into a pot and then the
commodity commission would sell the lumber...on the
quality because of the “ very high quality” wood such as
Douglas Fir and Pine. “ We’d sell this way, rather than just
sell it in competion with anybody else’s tw o-by-four.” We
could also enlarge the market, said Atiyeh, to include,
“ Europe, the A ra l countries. We’ve got markets over there
even today, and of course the Far East. I see a really bright
future for it, I really do.”
Atiyeh continued speaking of improving the economy
and what he hopes to do and what has already been done.
“ Trying to get the interest levels down at the national level,
so that things can get stirred up,” says Atiyeh, is very
important. “ Now,” says Atiyeh, “ we’re doing what we can
in Oregon. We just sold more veteran bonds and that does
offer an opportunity for selling lumber. “ But we can’t do
business with just ourselves and survive, we have to get
business outside of Oregon. Again, if the economy is
good, people are going to go to Kah-Nee-Ta more often,
they’re going to buy more lumber and both of these things
will be a help to the Tribes.”
Atiyeh says this economic recovery won’t be limited to
reservation Indians. “ For the Warm Sprinas Indians who
are not on the reservation, “ it’s an opportunity to get jobs.”
Atiyeh sees more businesses coming
into Oregon
Atiyeh sees more outside businesses coming into
Oregon. “ We positioned Oregon. Now, Oregon’s ardence
has been changed dramatically, where they (businesses
inside Oregon as well as outside) know very clearly that
we’re very interested in business. But then, that doesn’t
happen overnight. We’ve been working at it.”
Speaking on human resources and education, Atiyeh
stated, “ Of interest to Indians of course are both
education and human resource positions, particularity
since the human resources and federal funds are being
cut back. We made a very specific point of trying to make
sure that those who had other sources of income and were
on welfare, got o ff of it. That allowed us to take care o f
those who really needed help. Because we couldn't have
done it with the downturn of the economy...we would have
really watered the soup.
“ Because when you water the soup the one who doesn’t
need it (welfare) they’ve got food somewhere else they
can eat.” According to the voter’s pamphlet, “ since he
took office the welfare rolls have been cut by 14,000
people. The total savings is $133 m illion over a two-year
period.”
On drug and alcoholism programs, Atiyeh stated, “ It’s a
program that has reallysuffered throughout these budget
cuts. I’m aware of it. We’ve made some cuts, but in the next
budget, we’re going to try to beef that up again.”
Atiyeh opposes ballot measure #3. “ I’m against it... it
would severely harm education. If that comes along, it’s
going to hurt all education, including the Indians.”
Indian Rights and Issues
Fishing problems fo r Indians and non-Indians, as well,
are of concern to Atiyeh. “ For several years as a legislator,
I kept running into a variety of petitions and it was sports,
commercial and steelhead fishermen. They kept asking
when the seasons m ight be. I finally became convinced in
the 1978 primary. Somebody stood up at one of the
meetings and said they were going to have a petition that
limited the commercial fishermen and asked where I
stood on the issue. Just at that point, I said, ‘look, I'm
getting sick and tired of this whole thing. As a Governor,
I’m going to work on the enhancement of the resource
because all we’re doing is fighting over what is left and
what is left is less every year...and who’s going to get the
last fish.’”
Enhancement of the resource, says Atiyeh, is the most
Im portant thing, because it will be beneficial to all
fishermen, whether it be Indian, commercial or sports. He
supports the Indian fishing rights, “ and they’re entitled to
those rights.”
export trade. “ It is my belief that the future economic
security of this state is in an export trade, not only
nationally but internationally in the Pacific Rim nations.”
He feelsthat in order to have effective exporting, Oregon’s
port systems must be improved and improve Oregon’s
transportation system, its highways and railroad systems.
“ It’s not a short-range solution."
W ood p ro d u c ts in d u s try w ill
continue to be a big part of the
economy
Oregon Commission on Indian Services
During this time Atiyeh realized, he said, that there were
services that Indians needed but because of a lack of trust,
“ the Indians were not w illing to work with non-Indians."
Atiyeh recognized the need of a “ bridge” of sorts to make
sure “ that they could deal in confidence with our state
agencies.” The bill which Atiyeh introduced to the state
was a culmination of long hours of work by both the
Governor as well as many Indians. “ We sat in my office
and worked out the bill together. Then, it became a reality
and there was representation of all the reservation
Indians...and one House member and and one Senate
member. I was the Senate member from day-one to the
time I resigned when I became Governor.
" It’s (the Commission) kind of identifying where the
problems are and tries to build that bridge and deal w itii
those problems.” The commission, says Atiyeh, has dealt
with human resources, alcohol and drug problems and
education. Atiyeh has not served on the Commission for
four years. “ I’ve always been very supportive. It started off
with really no budget and we actually operated out of my
office and my secretary was the secretary for the
Commission until we got it off the ground...now they have
their own budget.”
Atiyeh identified the real problems he felt were
inhibiting solving fishing problems. “ Where our problems
are comir.g from is that we’re constantly in court, (and
we’re dealing with) contentious, angry people and we
separate the parties instead of putting them together.”
There was a coordinating body, said Atiyeh, the
Columbia River Compact, and the Indian fishermen were
involved But the Indians were trying to break it off. “ I
advised them to stick in with it. They've hung in there so
far. That’s the k nd of effort we ought to promote. There
was a lot of distrust. The Indians felt they were out
voted...! made it clear that I had no intentions of them
being out-voted and I had no intentions other than an
equal opportunity to their voice in there and that I wanted
to keep that team of people together.” Atiyeh is confident
that the problems can be worked out. “ I know we can solve
it...we can all sit down, in good faith, and work it out. There
are still the suspicions that go on, but that’s one of the
things I have a degree of pride in knowing, thatthey know
they can trust me...I’m not out to get them as Governor. If
they have a problem, they can call me and let me know
that.”
Commercial Fishing
Dealing with commercial fishing “ comes down the
same way,” says Atiyeh. “ I have a different problem
because basically the commercials aren’t even now
talking about the Indian fisheries except, of course, on the
Columbia and where the gillnets go in and who gets the
gillnet rights.” Atiyeh says credibility is lacking in the
fishing world in Oregon. “ The commercials don’t trust
the private hatcheries and one of my major problems is
credibility. We’re trying to restore it. I talked to the Pacific
Fisheries Management and I talked about the enhance
ment of the resource and the fact that we manage it
together and we should improve it and what I’d do in
Oregon to improve it.”
Republican incumbent Governor Vic Atiyeh was
elected to the post in 1978 and is seeking reelection.
He is president of Atiyeh Brothers, Inc., ah import
carpet business. He attended Portland public
schools and attended the University of Oregon (pre
law) for two years. His prior governmental
experience listed in the Oregon voter’s pamphlet is;
Member of the Oregon legislature for 20 years,
Oregon House of Representatives from 1959 to
1965, Oregon Senate form 1965 to 1978. He also
served as Republican floor leader for the House and
Senate and was Senate Republican leader.
very proud of that relationship. |t’s a relationship I
personally prize very much...I sure have no intentions of
changing it.”
During his years in the Oregon legislature, Atiyeh has
always supported Indians and tried to help alleviate
problems. Atiyeh introduced the bill in 1975 that
established the Oregon Commission on Indian Services.
“ Indians were first of all suspicious,” said Atiyeh,
“ particularity the reservation Indians, in the sense that too
few non-Indian people understand the relationship of the
tribes, the state and federal government.”
Capital Punishment
Atiyeh’s view on capital punishment is, “ I support it. I
support the measure that passed in 1978 which was
declared unconstitutional... to restore because of a
technicality.” Atiyeh says he plans to submit that measure
to restore capital punishment during the next session of
the legislature, correcting the constitutional problem.
Atiyeh supports capital punishment,
but wants to abolish the plea of
insanity as a defense.
“ I’ll add another dimension. I’m going to recommend
that we abolish the plea of insanity as a defense. There are
some other parts of the crime package, like beefing up the
investigation of the state police, which would relate to
drugs as well as our laboratories, helping local
government, D.A.’s and things like that.”
All fishermen need set times, not just
Oregon’s Economic Future
quotas
Atiyeh feels that the commercial and sports fishermen
need set times for fishing, not just quotas. “ I suggest there
be a minimum time period for sports fishermen because
the motels and hotels could gear up for it and the charter
boat people could gear up for it. If you say number of fish
you know what happened this year, they ran out of fish
and they ran out of time...they don’t really need fish, they
need time,” remembering also resource enhancement
and streamside management.
State/Tribal Relationship
Currently, Warm Springs and the state of Oregon enjoy
a very good working relationship and Governor Atiyeh
sees no reason to change that relationship unless to
better it. “ I’m not going to change it unless we could do
something to do it better, but I’m not sure quite how
because what we have is a direct line...we have a direct
line with non-reservation Indians as well,”
Atiyeh has always been supportive of
Oregon Indians.
Aityeh is proud of the relationships he developed with
Indians over the past years. If Indians have a problem, he
says, “ they just call on the telephone to the Governor.
They don’t have to cut through anything to get to me. I am
Atiyeh is very optim istic about Oregon’s economic
future. The “ economy is turning around...Oregon is in a
pretty good position fo r the future. It’s taken a long time to
change, so now we have an opportuniy to get customers
we never had before.”
“Oregon’s government is in good,
lean, efficient condition.”
Atiyeh commented on the present state government
and the cutbacks that have made it lean and efficient. “ The
state government is in good shape in terms of working
with, and encouraging, not discouraging, economic
development... it’s in good, firm, lean, efficient condition.
Our future looks very good. I think it looks better than
most states because we have weathered this fiscally, and I
think it’s pretty clear that we’re lean...
“ It’s a good atmosphere in which to break business or
expand business. I think Oregon is coming out of this as
we compare ourselves to Idaho, Washington and
California alone. Oregon is a good, well-run state and
government, and I think that’s going to be an attractive
tool for us in the future.”
Interviews with the gubanatorial candidates
conducted for Spilyay Tymoo by Donna Behrend
Democrat Ted Kulongoski is vying for Oregon’s
governorship. He is currently a state senator and an
attorney with offices in Eugene and Portland. He
has worked as a bricklayer, steelworker and long-
haul truck driver. He received a B.A. in 1967 and a
J.D. in 1970 from the University of Missouri. His
prior governmental experience is listed in the
Oregon voter’s pamphlet as: U.S. Senator nominee
in 1980, elected Oregon state senate in 1978, elected
Oregon State House of Representatives in 1974 and
1976, chairman of the Agricultural and Natural
Resources committee, chairman of Sen ate
Insurance and various other committees.
Senator Ted Kulongoski
Oregon’s economy, the major issue of the
’82 campaign
Not unlike Governor Atiyeh, Kulongoski, too, feels that
the present economy is the major issue. “ In surveys
we’ve taken, the major issue is that 75% of the people are
all concerned about the same thing. It has to do with the
economy. They may phrase it in different terms—jobs,
unemployment, inflation, recession. The economy is the
issue.”
¡Kulongoski feels the problems are not only in Oregon,
but in the Northwest region of the United States, as well.
“The problems with this state are not a phenomena just to
Oregon, it’s a phenomena to the whole Northwest,
particularly when you look at it and realize since after
WWII the federal government, to make the Northwest part
of the United States econmically competitive with other
areas of the country like the Northeast and the South
realizing we are miles and miles away from major
population market areas, engaged on a series of subsidies
to the Northwest.”
Kulongoski says that federal subsidies are not going to
continue as they have in the past. “ I think what basically is
happening is that the federal government says they aren’t
going to continue to do that and that the states in the
Northwest are going to have to develop their own
economic bases that basically do not rely on a federal
subsidy...I don’t think it will ever be the magnitude it was
before 1975. It think what Oregon is going to do is
basically engage in a program of economic development
which I distinguish from economic recovery...The issue of
economic recovery is largely tied to a federal economic
policy of high interest rates.”
■ He continued, “ I think we all understand that as long as
you have mortagage interest rates out at 14, 15 or 16
percent, you’re not going to have a movement that fosters
housing construction across this country. This means
that not only does the wood product industry go back to
work but the construction trades go back to work...this is
g oing to d e te rm in a tiv e o f w hen th e fe d e ra l
government decides you can't fight inflation with high
unemployment.”
Kulongoski feels the future of Oregon will depend on
where the state is at the turn of the century. “ What type of
industrial base do we want here in Oregon? What type of
an environment do we want? What about our fish
resources, what about our system of higher education,
community college, kindergarten through grade 12?”
Oregon must put itself on the crest of
the economic wave
Kulongoski feels that Oregon must prepare itself fo r the
anticipated economic boom. “ I think what the state does
in its economic development effort is put itself on the crest
of the wave that, when recovery does come, the state will
be in the position to break with the wave and we will be
able to utilize and do a number of things that we haven’t
done in the past.”
Kulongoski stressed the importance of international
T rib a l s o v e re ig n ty
autonomy
p re s e rv e d
“ I think that tribal sovereignty, and the way that these
reservations were set up, I think they were given some
autonomy,” said Kulongoski. He continued, “ I think there
was a reason tor that, legally to protect the integrity of the
Tri be...I think though,that you have to look at it on an issue
by-issue basis.”
Kulongoski questioned the authority of states over
reservations. “ What’s the legal authority of the state to do
it—taxes, fish and game laws—things like that?” In
preserving fish and game animals, Kulongoski says that
reservations, as well as the state, must look at
conservation. For instance, he said, “ the fish and game
laws, particularly those m igratory-type game animals that
move from the reservation out into the general population
of the state, the tribe has an interest in maintaining an
adequate harvest as the people of the state do. They
understand...that if the resource is eliminated, that not
only do they lose, but all of us lose. That’s why I said it was
a cooperative effort in managing those programs. But still
within the framework of the soveriegnty of the people who
live on the reservation.”
Kulongoski is highly supportive of the wood products
industry. “ I still believe the wood products industry will
continue to be a major element of this state’s economy—
not in the way it was before 1980 when the recession hit.”
In the Oregon voter’s pamphlet, part of Kulongoski’s
stand in his opposition of “ the export of unprocessed
Oregon logs, which ships jobs overseas.” And he says that
Oregon, in the future, “ will be engaging in an export
market... industry is not only going to have to rely upon a
domestic housing market but it’s not to rely on a foreign
export market as well. Not of raw logs but of finished wood
products.”
Kulongski is critical of Atiyeh’s proposed “ high-tech
future. “ One, I don’t think high-tech is necessarily a Oregon Commission on Indian Services
substitute industrial base for the wood products industry.
Secondly, there is not a transfer of skills from woods
Kulongski says he has been highly supportive of the
products industry over to high-tech...we ought to see Commission and other minorities as well. “ I’ve been
what other types of industrial bases could complement highly supportive of that in the past in the legislative
the high-tech. High-tech is probably oureconom ic future. process. In fact, I have probably been one of the principle
Not necessarily electronic high-tech, but bio, genetic, spokespersons in the legislature fo r the issues fo r the
medical, things like that. But I can tell you this, high-tech minorities in the state—whether they’re native American,
isn’t going to put food on the table in John Day and in Hispanic, the Blacks, Indochinese.” He feelsthat m inority
Burns and in Coos Bay. I’ve got to look at something else support can come through “ representation on boards and
to get those communities going...that’s the direction we’re commissions...on policies that relate to health care, legal
going.”
services. Things like that are major areas of concern that
I’ve always had to see to that the citizens in this state are
Indian Rights and Issues
all given opportunity and treated fairly.”
Kulongoski stated his beliefs in tribal sovereignty.
“ Tribal sovereignty is one that I think...is a legal
relationship as to whether the state and federal
government basically is going to exercise some sort of Capital Punishment
jurisdictional control over those matters that relate to
affairs on tribal lands...the federal government basically is Capital punishment is punishment
given that authority and it’s the right of self-determination
for those without capital
within the reservation.
Kulongoski stressed the importance of the trust
Kulongoski is against capital punishment. “ I can give
responsibility and whether the fishery problems stem you a lot of reasons, morally and personally, why I oppose
from the Indians rights or from the federal government’s ■ the death penaliy...capital punishment is punishment for
lack of direction. “ I think that the problem is a general people without capital and it’s been highly discrim inatory
management problem that deals with a lot of different across the country, with basically the low-income and the
issues and I don't think you can sit and point fingers at any m inority being the ones who suffer.”
one particular faction involved. If you really want to get to
Kulongoski says the crimes, “ that people are engaging,
pointing fingers, I think that the bottom line is that when a lot of them are a direct reflection of the economy. If the
they built the dams, in 1930, they really didn’t understand governor wants tofight crime, he’s going to have to come
the long-run implications of what that would do to rivers in up with an economic program to try to put people to work.
the Columbia Basin as far as fishery resources.”
It’s statistically known that a one-percent rise in
is a four-and-a-half rise in crime rate.”
Enhancement of fish runs is essential unemployment
He went on to say also, that the Governor’s proposal of a
for survival.
constitutional amendment on the death penalty will be
voted upon by the people of the state. “ It isn’t anything
He stressed the importance of enhancing the fishery
that I stop or prevent or anything else...as Governor of this
resource. “ Under the Northwest Regional Power Bill, the
state, I take an oath of office to uphold the constitution
fisheries issue is, and the mandate is, to provide a fish run
and the laws of the state and I intend to do that...I think it’s
that would be at the pre-1953 levels and I think that’s
more campaign rhetoric more than anything.”
extremely important. I’m very committed to attempting to
provide input from this state into those decisions that will
Oregon’s Economic Future
replenish the runs in the Columbia Basin.”
Kulongoski supports natural enhancement of the fish
Kulongoski is optim istic about Oregon’s economic
runs and says that those programs are extremely
important. However, he does not support the independent future but he says things have to happen on the national
level before Oregon will begin to recover. “ What I think
aquaculture program. “ I do believe we should continue
the moritorium on aquaculture...The Oregon production will happen to the economy, relying on the federal
index, which is the quote figure they use to determine the economic policy, is that the current euphoria on the stock
catch, basically is not acurately determined so that...there market and on interest rates is going to be very short
lived. As long as congress develops budgets and the
is a clear reflection of how many fish are out in the water to
president proposes large deficit budgets, you're never
base the run on.This country obligated itself to certain
going to get the interests rates down.”
agreements and they’re bound to to live with them.”
Kulongoski, like Atiyeh, says that increasing the size of
The federal government will have to
the fish runs is more important than who’s getting what
fish” ...you have to regulate the season so, in fact, the
continue its commitment
agreement this government entered into with those Indian
tribes years ago, an adequate catch, supply, an adequate
Kulongoski continued, saying that the problems the
harvest is provided...The tragedy right now is that we’re state has to deal with in “ that intervening period of
dealing with a very limited resource and there is time...is that the government will have to continue to make
competition between commercial fishermen on the a major commitment in the area of unemployment
mouth and those people who have rights further up the insurance, other than in banks.” He compared 1982 to
river...you’re trying to regulate a dim inishing resource...” 1932, saying that in 1932 banks failed, in 1982 savings and
He suggests that“ capitol improvements” be made on the loans failed.”
dams so that fish could more easily make their way up
He said the state has to be aware of the problems and
river. “ In the long run, it’s in the best interest, not only of “ has to be looking at ways to try to alleviate some of the
the Indian tribes, but it’s also in the best interest of all the hardship of our current economy. It’s very d ifficu lt
people in this region to do that.”
because the state’s in a tough financial situation itself
with the budget deficits and things like that.”
In his opinion, says Kulongoski, the interest rates on
Tribal and State Relationships
loans must stabilize. “ That would start a housing boom. I
Kulongoski believes strongly in tribal sovereignty and think it’s possible in two or three years that that’s going to
stresses the importance of the state and tribes working be happening.”
cooperatively. “ It’s a legal entity w ithin the State of
oregon which has certain rights under the federal law. I
think it should always be a cooperative attitude with those
people who live there.” Kulongoski went on to praise the
Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, saying that the
Tribes were, “ a showcase of what you can do
economidhlly and socially within the state...I don’t see the
issue únder the law. That’s why it’s a legal issue as to who
regulates their authority. Every year there are cases that
come out of the Supreme Court of the United States
dealing with a state’s attempt to regulate some particular
activity on tribal lands.”
VOTE
NOVEMBER 2
8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Community Center
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