Polk County
Voices
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • April 15, 2015 4A
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Money never
enough for county
I do not support the pub-
lic safety levy in Polk County
and feel it should be defeat-
ed.
I support law enforce-
ment, but taxing the taxpay-
er is not the answer. Gov-
ernment needs to live with-
in its means. I live within
my means, and so should
the county.
I am tired of tax increases
and being asked to fund
basic services because there
is never enough money.
When you ask how much is
enough, and the answer is
always “just a little bit
more.”
Individuals on fixed in-
comes don’t have any more
to give. Please think about
the elderly and vote “no.”
Wendy Snodgrass
Dallas
Creative look at
funding
There must be some way
to resolve the problem we
have with underfunded law
and safety services in Polk
County.
Could the folks who are
opposing the upcoming
Public Safety Levy pledge to
never call 911 or Polk Coun-
ty Sheriff with requests for
assistance?
Or could we have a vari-
able tax rate that allowed
residents who were willing
to fund those services re-
ceive those services and res-
idents who chose to not
fund them not receive
them?
Dan Van Otten
Amity
Nite Court, YMCA
thank IBEW 280
The Monmouth-Indepen-
dence Nite Court program
would like to extend a gra-
cious thank you to IBEW
Local 280 for their generous
contribution to our pro-
gram.
The International Broth-
erhood of Electrical Workers
Local 280 has a long history
of support of the Nite Court
program.
Their recent $3,000 con-
tribution will go a long way
in supporting activities for
our youth each Saturday
night.
Community support is es-
sential to the continuation
of Nite Court, and volun-
teers are always needed. For
more information on Nite
Court, please contact the M-
I YMCA at 503-838-4042.
Kathy Martin-Willis
Independence
Whole county
needs safety levy
I was a chief in the fire
service for over 20 years. I
PUBLIC AGENDA
Public Agenda is a listing of upcoming meetings for gov-
ernmental and nongovernmental agencies in Polk County. To
submit a meeting, send it at least two weeks before the actu-
al meeting date to the Itemizer-Observer via fax (503-623-
2395) or email (ionews@polkio.com).
—
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173.
• Monmouth Planning Commission — 7 p.m., Volunteer
Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0722.
THURSDAY, APRIL 16
• Polk County Fair Board — 8 a.m., Polk County Fairgrounds
and Event Center, Main Building, Meeting Room No. 2, 520 S. Pa-
cific Highway (99W), Rickreall. 503-623-3048.
• Dallas Economic Development Committee — Noon, City
Hall, 187 SE Court St., Dallas. 503-831-3502.
• Independence Parks and Recreation Board — 6 p.m., In-
dependence Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence. 503-
838-1212.
• Monmouth Arts and Culture Commission — 7 p.m., Vol-
unteer Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0722.
MONDAY, APRIL 20
• Dallas City Budget Committee — 6 p.m., City Hall, 187 SE
Court St., Dallas. 503-831-3502.
• Dallas City Council — 7 p.m., City Hall, 187 SE Court St., Dal-
las. 503-831-3502.
• Perrydale School Board — 7 p.m., Perrydale School, 7445
Perrydale Road, Amity. 503-623-2040.
TUESDAY, APRIL 21
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173.
• Independence Historic Preservation Commission — 4
p.m., Independence Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence.
503-838-1212.
• Falls City School Board — 5:30 p.m., Falls City High School
resource room, 111 N. Main St., Falls City. 503-787-3521.
• Monmouth City Council — 7 p.m., Volunteer Hall, 144 S.
Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0722.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173.
know government budgets.
In my opinion, safety
services in Polk County are
inadequate.
They can’t get better with-
out more funding. Federal
timber funding needs to be
replaced.
Some city residents feel
they don’t need county legal
services.
Nearly all legal issues, city
or not, are handled by the
county public safety system.
Fourteen hours a day with
no police protection cannot
continue.
Please join me in voting
yes on the Polk County Pub-
lic Safety Levy.
Rick Hopkins
Independence
More laws don’t
equal less crime
Regarding a recent article
in the Itemizer regarding SB
941, “more background
checks for private gun
sales,” I applaud Sheriff Bob
Wolfe for standing up for
common sense.
History shows that laws
of this nature only take free-
doms away from law abid-
ing citizens and have no
positive effect on lowering
crime.
Criminals have no regard
or respect for the law and as
such are operating outside
the law, e.g., the black mar-
ket. Any ideology that sug-
gests the next law, social
program, new educational
approach, gun law, etc. will
be the magic formula that
ends all violence is misguid-
ed.
If I go to my doctor and
she misdiagnosis my ail-
ment, then the prescription
not only does not solve the
problem but may be dan-
gerous.
Gov. Kulongoski’s law to
prohibit over-the-counter
sales of Sudafed has done
little to nothing to curb our
meth problem. Men’s hearts
is where the problem lies.
If the gunphobes want to
do something productive,
they can tackle this fascina-
tion and love affair this
present culture has with vio-
lence.
Maybe a good place to
start is Hollywood.
But please don’t pass an-
other law that both aggra-
vates and exercises law
abiding citizens, and that
will be completely ignored
by people that already have
no respect for the law.
Leif Anderson
Monmouth
If that service needs to be
expanded or a debris drop-
off site added in conjunc-
tion with a ban on backyard
burning, then let’s explore
those options.
Most other communities
in the Mid-Valley banned
backyard burning long ago.
The time has come to finally
ban backyard burning in
Dallas.
One of the things I cher-
ish most about Oregon is
clean air. It’s time to clear
the air and breathe a little
easier in Dallas.
Please get involved and
contact your city council
members if you love clean
air!
Thank you.
Joe Koubek
Dallas
Show you care
with yes on levy
Ban backyard
burning in Dallas
I support a ban on back-
yard burning in the city of
Dallas.
Backyard burning can be
very unsafe and has the po-
tential to cause significant
property damage. Backyard
burning creates smoke
which is full of toxins and
pollutants — especially
when inappropriate materi-
als are burned.
Dallas has many residents
with respiratory issues. Fill-
ing your neighborhood with
noxious smoke is not very
polite. Responding to burn-
ing complaints ties up al-
ready limited city resources.
Dallas currently has yard
debris collection as part of
its franchise agreement with
Republic Services.
I spoke with a gentleman
who was opposed to the
Public Safety Levy. His rea-
soning — “I don’t care.” I
have a different prospective.
I believe in safety, justice,
the protection of innocence,
fighting against intimidation
and protecting the livability
of a community.
You will find that the men
and women involved in the
public safety system in Polk
County share a similar belief
system, which is why they
have chosen to serve the
community the way they
are.
They need the support of
the community now. If you
care, please vote yes for
public safety in Polk County.
Michael Holsapple
Dallas
GOVERNOR
Gov. Kate Brown (Dem.)
160 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-378-4582
Email: via website,
http://governor.oregon.gov/
—
STATE LEGISLATORS
Sen. Arnie Roblan
(District 5, Democrat)
S-417 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
sen.arnieroblan@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/roblan
Sen. Jackie Winters
(District 10, Republican)
S-301 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1710
sen.jackiewinters@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/winters
Sen. Brian Boquist
(District 12, Republican)
S-305 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1712
sen.brianboquist@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/boquist
Rep. David Gomberg
(District 10, Democrat)
H-471 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1410
rep.davidgomberg@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/gomberg
Rep. Paul Evans
(District 20, Democrat)
H-281 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1420
rep.paulevans@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/evans
Rep. Mike Nearman
(District 23, Republican)
H-378 State Capitol
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1423
rep.mikenearman@state.or.us
www.oregonlegislature.gov/nearman
—
U.S. CONGRESS
Sen. Ron Wyden (Dem.)
221 Dirksen SOB
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-5244
Fax: 202-228-2717
Salem office: 707 13th St. SE,
Suite 285, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-589-4555
Email: via website,
www.wyden.senate.gov
Sen. Jeff Merkley (Dem.)
313 Hart SOB
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-3753
Fax: 202-228-3997
Salem office: 495 State St. SE,
Suite 330, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-362-8102
Email: via website,
www.merkley.senate.gov
WANT TO WRITE A LETTER?
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Writers are limited to one elec-
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The deadline for letters to the
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—
Reach us at:
Mail: Editor, Polk County
Itemizer-Observer, P.O. Box 108,
Dallas, OR 97338.
Fax: 503-623-2395.
Email: ionews@polkio.com.
Office: 147 SE Court St., Dallas.
Rep. Kurt Schrader (Dem.)
108 Cannon HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-5711
Fax: 202-225-5699
Salem office: 544 Ferry St. SE,
Suite 2, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-588-9100
Fax: 503-588-5517
Email: via website,
www.schrader.house.gov
—
POLK COUNTY
Board of Commissioners
850 Main St.
Dallas, OR 97338
Phone: 503-623-8173
www.co.polk.or.us
—
CITIES
Dallas
187 SE Court St.
Dallas, OR 97338
503-623-2338
www.ci.dallas.or.us
Falls City
299 Mill St.
Falls City, OR 97344
503-787-3631
www.fallscityoregon.gov
Independence
555 S. Main St.
Independence, OR 97351
503-838-1212
www.ci.independence.or.us
Monmouth
151 W. Main St.
Monmouth, OR 97361
503-838-0722
www.ci.monmouth.or.us
HOW TO REACH US
Vol. 140, No. 15
(USPS) - 437-380)
The official newspaper of Polk County • Serving Polk County families since 1875
Winner of 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 General Excellence Awards
from the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
Periodicals postage paid at
Dallas, OR, Independence, OR and Monmouth, OR.
Published weekly at 147 SE Court Street
Dallas, Oregon 97338
Phone: 503-623-2373 Fax: 503-623-2395
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
Polk County — One Year $27
Other Oregon Counties — One Year $33
Outside of Oregon — One Year $38
POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to: Polk County Itemizer-Observer, P.O. Box 108, Dallas, Oregon 97338
The Polk County Itemizer-Observer assumes no financial responsibility for errors in adver-
tisements. It will, however, reprint without charge for the portion of an advertisement
which is in error if the Itemizer-Observer is at fault.
NEWSROOM
Nancy Adams ...............Publisher/Editor .............................................................nadams@polkio.com
Lukas Eggen..................Sports Editor......................................................................leggen@polkio.com
Jolene Guzman............Dallas/Falls City/Polk County Reporter ................jguzman@polkio.com
Emily Mentzer ..............Monmouth/Independence Reporter ..................ementzer@polkio.com
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