Polk County
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Polk County Itemizer-Observer • May 6, 2015 4A
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Levy not needed
for public safety
I do not believe Polk Coun-
ty needs more money from
taxes for the public safety tax
levy. Polk County received
unexpected additional tax
revenue due to tax increases
on taxpayers. Our Polk Coun-
ty commissioners need to
make cuts where necessary
instead of burdening us with
more taxes. Vote no on the
public safety tax levy.
Jeffrey L. Pickering
Dallas
No moral high
ground for no vote
Voting no on public safe-
ty, however you dress it up,
is a matter of self-interest,
of caring most of all about
your money.
It is not patriotic because
patriotism means taking re-
sponsibility for your com-
munity, and underfunding
public safety puts your
community at risk. It is not
Christian because Jesus tells
us to love our neighbors as
ourselves, and many neigh-
bors have already suffered
— or died — because of un-
derfunding. There is no
moral high ground for those
who oppose a levy that so
clearly helps us take respon-
sibility for our community
and care for our neighbors.
Some taxes are good.
Steve Richardson
Dallas
Cost of crime is
the cruelest ‘tax’
It falls most heavily on
those least able to afford it.
Nevertheless, it also falls on
all of us through things like
insurance premiums.
It’s about all of the public
safety system — not just
deputies and patrols alone.
It is a public concern and
obligation. It is for all of us to
deal with. Our taxes pay for
it. They should. Bite the bul-
let and act responsibly on
your own behalf, and of your
friends and neighbors in your
community. Support the
public safety levy. Vote yes.
Don Homuth
West Salem
Levy is sensible
solution to issue
Obviously no one wants
to pay more taxes, but
sooner or later we all must
face the reality that the mil-
lions of dollars in timber
subsidies for public safety in
Polk County are gone.
Since we can’t expect
funding fixes from Uncle
Sam, we must find a sensi-
ble solution to our problem.
The longer we keep saying
“no to any new taxes” only
guarantees that our prob-
lems will get worse.
Please support our public
safety levy, Measure 27-117,
Last Call
Writers who would like
to submit a letter endorsing
a candidate or ballot meas-
ure have one final opportu-
nity to do so before the May
19 vote-by-mail general
election.
The Wednesday, May 13,
issue will be the final one in
which the Itemizer-Observer
will publish endorsement
letters from Polk County
residents for the upcoming
election.
With the deadline to re-
turn ballots set at 8 p.m. on
Tuesday, May 19, the May
13 edition is the last pub-
lished prior to the election.
All letters must be sub-
mitted and verified by 10
a.m. on Monday, May 11, to
be considered for publica-
tion. We encourage writers
to submit their letters as
soon as possible and not
wait until the last minute.
And a reminder that the
limit for all election letters is
100 words.
—
Reach us at:
Email:
ionews@polkio.com.
to ensure the level of public
safety we would all like to
have. Please vote yes!
John Brown
West Salem
a friend were to need emer-
gency services and there was
no one to come. I would not
be able to accept such a
thing over an average of $7.50
a month. If they were hurt or
died, just because there was
no one to come. I think that
our county should think real
hard about a family, friends,
and neighbors when you go
to fill out your ballots.
Rod Buchanan
Dallas
Levy needed for
effective system
Whether we live in Polk
County’s cities or rural
areas, an effective law en-
forcement system is need-
ed. For less than $8 a month
per average household, the
propose safety levy would
re-store 24/7 rural policing
and city police backup (12
officers restored); our coun-
ty District Attorney’s office
— which handles many city
cases — re-staffed (5) to op-
erate in an effective and
timely manner, and the jail
be properly staffed (5). Also,
if federal timber funds are
received, Polk’s commis-
sioners have pledged to re-
duce the levy by that
amount. A yes vote is need-
ed for an effective, safe law
enforcement system.
Taxes should be
cut, not raised
Jim Fairchild
Dallas
Increased property taxes
do not just come from
property owners. Tenants
may have their rent in-
creased. Business owners
will pass on their increased
property tax to consumers.
Vote no on the public safety
levy. We need to cut taxes
not raise them.
Levy will provide
sense of security
Don Blair
Rickreall
Think of friends,
family when voting
I don’t like the idea of
more taxes either, but what
would really bother me more
is if someone in my family or
Some people don’t trust
Polk County government (or
government in general) and
some believe there is hidden
money in the county’s budg-
et that isn’t being given to
public safety, which isn’t true.
Some believe that we
shouldn't raise taxes, yet
don’t provide a solution to
the funding shortfall. The
personal issue is, do you,
your family or neighbors
feel safe? Will you feel safe
after you’ve been a victim of
a crime by knowing that the
person responsible will be
arrested, placed in jail and
prosecuted by the DA?
On your ballot is a solution.
Please vote for public safety.
Mark Garton
Dallas
Safety, security is
so important
Wherever you live in our
Polk County, security and
safety of our lives and prop-
erty is like our health — we
too often take it for granted,
but it is vital to how we live
our lives! Imagine your call
to 911 that goes unheeded
because no one is available
to respond! That’s just
where we are today from 10
p.m. to noon the next day
each and every day! And
the fact that you live in one
of our cities leaves you vul-
nerable too. We desperately
need prosecution for those
apprehended. Vote yes!
Ken Jacroux
Dallas
Levy the remedy to
the safety problem
What we have too many
of: ne’er-do-wells, malefac-
tors, miscreants and
scofflaws, many of whom
are drug addicted and/or
drug manufacturers.
What we don’t have
enough of: apprehension,
prosecution, incarceration
and post-incarceration su-
pervision. What we need:
proper staffing for 24-hour
sheriff’s patrol, District Attor-
ney’s Office, jail supervision,
juvenile and adult services.
I know — that’s a lot of
big words — but one small
word would go a long way to
remedy the situation — yes!
Russ Noll
West Salem
Show ‘Unearthed’
exploits Falls City
I have never sent one of
these emails. I have never
protested anything, until
now. I will not watch the ex-
ploit of my backyard on
Discovery’s new show “Un-
earthed,” and I will send as
many emails to urge others
to, as well. I’m going to fight
every avenue I can think of
to rally people to join in
telling Discovery Channel
that Oregon is not for sale!
This show will impact
many honest Oregonians in
many ways, and Discovery is
really the only one that ben-
efits from the show. The kind
of people that will come to
the area in droves are the
kind of people that do not
make an honest living: drug
addicts and felons and illegal
immigrants will make up a
large percent of the group.
We all know that truffle
harvesting has been going
on for a long time here, but
the demand and exposure
from this show will bring a
hoard of unsavory charac-
ters to the area looking to
strike it rich for free.
The large lumber industry
will struggle to keep tres-
passers at bay; the general
public will lose access to the
wilderness if that gets out of
hand; and the people who
own land in the forested
areas will have to be made
aware of people coming on
their land to harvest and
could be a danger as well. I
can think of many other
negative examples of how
this show will impact Ore-
gon. Please spread the word
the only way we can really
win is with our mighty dol-
lar. Let’s show them Oregon
is different. Cancel your
cable subscription in protest!
Amy Sledge
Dallas
Three reasons to
vote yes on levy
I have changed my mind
from voting no to voting yes
because of the following
facts: 1. Currently there are
only four deputies, which
are backed up by three ser-
geants. I had been told
there were 16. The levy will
provide 12 more deputies,
making 16 total. 2. Currently
one detective. The levy will
add one more. Five more
jailers. 3. The levy includes
five more in the DA’s de-
partment, added costs from
equipment, operating sup-
plies, overtime costs when
needed, fuel costs, etc. Join
us supporters in voting yes.
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
Les Oehler
Dallas
Levy unnecessary
as economy grows
I support public safety,
but as the economy contin-
ues to improve, I am reluc-
tant to vote for a property
tax increase to support oper-
ations. I’m upset that raises
for county officials are being
considered when basic serv-
ices are not funded.
Mary Runyon
Independence
PUBLIC AGENDA
Public Agenda is a listing of upcoming meetings
for governmental and nongovernmental agencies
in Polk County. To submit a meeting, send it at
least two weeks before the actual meeting date to
the Itemizer-Observer via fax (503-623-2395) or
email (ionews@polkio.com).
—
MONDAY, MAY 11
• Dallas School Board — 6:30 p.m., Dallas School
District office board room, 111 SW Ash St., Dallas. 503-
623-9664, ext. 2334.
TUESDAY, MAY 12
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173.
• Independence City Council — 7:30 p.m., Inde-
pendence Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence.
503-838-1212.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13
• Monmouth Library Advisory Board — 7 a.m.,
Monmouth Public Library meeting room, 168 S. Ecols
St., Monmouth. 503-838-0722.
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m.,
Polk County Courthouse, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-
8173.
• Monmouth Park and Recreation Board — 7
p.m., Volunteer Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth.
503-838-0722.
• Dallas School District Budget Committee — 6
p.m., District office, 111 SW Ash St., Dallas. 503-623-
9664, ext. 2334.
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
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. 18
(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
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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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