4 A ❘ WEDNESDAY EDITION ❘ NOVEMBER 29, 2017 Siuslaw News P.O. Box 10 Florence, OR 97439 NED HICKSON , EDITOR Opinion ❘ 541-902-3520 ❘ NHICKSON @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM The First Amendment C ongress shall make no law respecting an estab- lishment of religion or prohibiting the free exer- cise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. USPS# 497-660 Copyright 2017 © Siuslaw News Published every Wednesday and Saturday at 148 Maple St. in Florence, Lane County, Oregon. A member of the National Newspaper Association and Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. Periodicals postage paid at Florence, Ore. Postmaster, send address changes to: Siuslaw News, P.O. Box 10, Florence, OR 97439; phone 541-997-3441; fax 541-997-7979. All press releases may be sent to PressReleases@TheSiuslawNews.com. Oregon Group Publisher 541-265 8571 Publisher, ext. 318 Editor, ext. 313 Consulting Editor 831-761-7353 Email: echalhoub@register-pajaronian.com Marketing Director, ext. 326 Office Supervisor, ext. 312 Production Supervisor Press Manager James Rand Jenna Bartlett Ned Hickson Erik Chalhoub Susan Gutierrez Cathy Dietz Ron Annis Jeremy Gentry DEADLINES: Wednesday Issue—General news, Monday noon; Budgets, four days prior to publication; Regular classified ads, Monday 1 p.m.; Display ads, Monday noon; Boxed and display classified ads, Friday 5 p.m. Saturday Issue—General news, Thursday noon; Budgets, two days prior to publication; Regular classifiedad,sThursday 1 p.m.; Display ads, Thursday noon; Boxed and display classified ads, Wednesday 5 p.m. Soundings, Tuesday 5 p.m. NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTION RATES: In Lane County — 1-year subscription, $76; 6-month in-county, $52; 10-weeks subscription, $23; Out of Lane County — 1-year subscription,$99; 6-month out-of-county, $65; 10-weeks subscription, $29; Out of State — 1- year subscription, $125; E-Edition Online Only (Anywhere) — 1-year subscription, $71. Mail subscription includes E-Edition. Website and E-Edition: TheSiuslawNews.com L ETTERS LETTERS A NOTHER SIDE TO THE ROSY PICTURE I’m struck by Jacquie Beveridge’s recent Letter to the Editor (“News Story Paints False, Dire Picture”) published Nov. 25. It’s natural to want to paint a rosy pic- ture of our community. And of course, we want people to be drawn to our com- munity based on its attractions — our library, our hospital system, our beauti- ful forests and beaches, and more. There is, however, another side to the rosy picture. Programs like Helping Hands, Food Share, Siuslaw Outreach Services and Food Backpacks for Kids provide need- ed intervention to many community members who are food-insecure and lacking resources. It’s distressing to confront what appears to be open con- tempt by some for those who are less fortunate. It’s already a given that the homeless don’t consciously welcome their situa- tion. Loss of jobs, health crises, divorce, mental health issues, emotional disor- ders — all of these can contribute to being destitute and out on the street. At SOS, many clients are a step away from homelessness. By all means applaud volunteerism in our community; that’s a subject for a subsequent article. But please don’t con- demn those who truly need our help. In order to be financially viable, social services agencies like those I mention above need to publicize needs that exist in the community. The Siuslaw News does a great service by calling attention to the dire needs of some in the Florence area. If its recent series (“Is Coastal Living in Jeopardy?”) results in more donations and more support, all the better. The pressing needs our community faces aren’t going away. Especially at this season, a little com- passion goes a long way. Perhaps if those who denigrate the homeless would open their hearts a bit, we could be a step closer to finding solutions for their suffering. —Judy Schwartz President, SOS Board of Directors Florence T HANKS FOR KIND WORDS ABOUT OCHS As a volunteer at the OCHS Christmas Store, I would like to both thank and respond to Allie LeCaux’s very nice letter, “Feliz Navidog” (Nov. 25) by adding just one more thing. The “welcoming and beautifully organized, wonderfully successful” Christmas Store’s success is largely due to the hard work of Danielle Dickson, Director of Development and manager of the Christmas Store. With hard work, very long hours, leadership, dedication and creativity, the Christmas Store is the success that it is. Again my thanks to Ms. LeCaux for her kind words. —Lynda Bare Volunteer S ERIES COULD LEAD TO REAL SOLUTIONS I am pleased to see the thoughtful and in-depth series (“Is Coastal Living in Jeopardy”) reviewing the current hous- ing and wage situation in Florence. As folks who are financially sound and approved for a low-rate, zero-down VA mortgage, my husband and I spent nearly two years trying to buy or build a reasonably priced home in this commu- nity without success. I hope this series leads us to working toward real solutions. Thank you Siuslaw News for taking a hard look rather than painting a rosy pic- ture. —Dolly Brock Florence L ESS IS MORE One ponders if in his letter to the edi- tor, “Debt More Complicated Than Tax Reform,” (Nov. 25), Ian Eales is count- er-balancing sarcasm with sufficient irony in claiming Reagan tax cuts “raised government revenue.” First, one assumes he is ignoring the Reagan tax increases of 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1987. And he admirably avoids becoming lost in the weeds of recalling that Reagan tax revenue fell as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product — one normal way to compare such things. Finally, one salutes his courage in refusing to take refuge in the 1988 Reagan document, otherwise known as the 1990 proposed budget, listing the extent of revenue losses specifically due to the “Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981.” See Page 4, Chapter 4, which recites those revenue losses. They total more than $870 billion just for the three years mentioned: 1988-1990. —Rand Dawson Siltcoos Lake W ATER WRONGS The Dunes City Council’s decision to explore the question before diverting Woahink Lake water to the Siltcoos watershed is well founded (Siuslaw News, Nov. 25). The administrator has placed more than a “thumb on the scale” in favor of this move. The statements that the Governor’s Resolution Team and the Watermaster have endorsed the diversion are untrue. The claim that the grant funds received by South Coast Water from the state are for a Woahink diversion are also untrue. The funds are to be used in resolving the problem, whether it be re-building the current system or committing to a diversion — but no specific course is recommended, nor endorsed by the state. The study being used in the adminis- trator’s support of the diversion was pre- pared 50 years ago. And while the total draw on Woahink would be within the current allocation, what is not known is the present state of the aquifer and whether the allocation was over-stated — something historically prevalent in much of the West, where shortages have revealed these errors. Platitudes vocalized by councilors are not what is needed. A commitment by the Dunes City Council to formally study the question is vital. Right now, due to the lowered water levels of the Siltcoos River dam, proper- ties on Siltcoos Lake are experiencing massive dollar losses due to the subsi- dence occurring there. Is this to be Woahink’s future, too? Dunes City and the State of Oregon should be aggressively moving to assist these Siltcoos residents. Siltcoos Lake has long-suffered from human blunders; possibly destroying a second aquifer is not the answer. Two wrongs never make a right. —Mary Jo Leach Dunes City D ON ’ T AGREE WITH NRA’ S EXTREMISM I recently received a complimentary 2018 membership card from the National Rifle Association (NRA). I turned it down because, although I’ve never been a member, I no longer believe it represents the interests of the Second Amendment. Instead, the organization appears to have been taken over by an extremist group advocating the freedom to own any kind of weapon, regardless of fire- power. This was never the intention of the Founding Fathers, and most of the members know that. But the extremist leadership has cam- paigned successfully, using fear of total loss of gun ownership as a mask for “freedom.” The result has been shame for the larger organization. In my view, that percentage of the leadership and the limited number of members who follow it are guilty of the innocent deaths of all who have died from gun violence beyond single-shot pistols or rifles — including all victims of mass shootings involving those weapons, among them tiny children. Under these circumstances, I must ask if this attitude really represents the view of the majority of members. And if so, are they proud of themselves and the current stand of the NRA? Generally, the members I know in Florence are responsible gun owners whom I do not believe condone such behavior. —Charles Walker Florence TO THE P OLICY E DITOR The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to the editor as part of a community discussion of issues on the local, state and national level. Emailed letters are preferred. Handwritten or typed letters must be signed. All letters need to include full name, address and phone number; only name and city will be printed. Letters should be limited to about 300 words. Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and clarity. Publication of any letter is not guaranteed and depends on space available and the volume of letters received. Libelous, argumentative and anonymous letters or poetry, or letters from outside our readership area will only be published at the discretion of the editor. P OLITICAL /E LECTION L ETTERS : Election-related letters must address pertinent or timely issues of interest to our readers at-large. Letters must 1) Not be a part of letter-writing campaigns on behalf of (or by) candidates; 2) Ensure any information about a candidate is accu- rate, fair and not from second-hand knowledge or hearsay; and 3) explain the reasons to support candidates based on personal experience and per- spective rather than partisanship and campaign- style rhetoric. Candidates themselves may not use the letters to the editor column to outline their views and plat- forms or to ask for votes; this constitutes paid polit- ical advertising. As with all letters and advertising content, the newspaper, at the sole discretion of the publisher, general manager and editor, reserves the right to reject any letter that doesn’t follow the above crite- ria. Send letters to: nhickson@thesiuslawnews.com WHERE TO WRITE Pres. Donald Trump The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414 FAX: 202-456-2461 TTY/TDD Comments: 202-456-6213 www.whitehouse.gov Gov. Kate Brown 160 State Capitol 900 Court St. Salem, Ore. 97301-4047 Governor’s Citizens’ Rep. Message Line: 503-378-4582 www.oregon.gov/gov U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden 221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg Washington, DC 20510 202-224-5244 541-431-0229 www.wyden.senate.gov U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley 313 Hart Senate Office Bldg Washington, DC 20510 202-224-3753/FAX: 202- 228-3997 541-465-6750 www.merkley.senate.gov U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio ( 4 th Dist.) 2134 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 202-225-6416 541-269-2609 541-465-6732 www.defazio.house.gov State Sen. Arnie Roblan ( Dist. 5 ) 900 Court St. NE - S-417 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1705 FAX: 503-986-1080 Email: Sen.ArnieRoblan@ state.or.us State Rep. Caddy McKeown ( Dist. 9 ) 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1409 Email: rep.caddymckeown @state.or.us West Lane County Commissioner Jay Bozievich 125 E. Eighth St. Eugene, OR 97401 541-682-4203 FAX: 541-682-4616 Email: Jay.Bozievich@ co.lane.or.us