Polk County
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Polk County Itemizer-Observer • November 16, 2016 4A
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EDITORIALS
Tight times ahead
Oregon voters were clear: No new taxes for C-corpora-
tions on Oregon sales exceeding $25 million annually.
Measure 97 lost by large margins, 59 to 40 statewide, and
with an even firmer “no” in Polk County — 64 to 35.
Proponents for the measure said it would help pay for
pre-kindergarten through 12th grade education, improve
senior services, and access to health care.
We think it was a last-ditch effort to save the state from
its retiring employees.
Oregon’s Public Employee Retirement System is due to
take a large jump up as far as employer contributions go.
That means local governments — cities, counties, schools,
fire districts — will have to put more away for those who
are retired or plan to retire.
And that means less money to spend on services, teach-
ers, police, and programs.
With the failure of Measure 97, it will force everyone in
the state — from newly elected Gov. Kate Brown, to the
Legislature, to city councils, the county commissioners
and school boards — to buckle down and take a serious
look at what programs and agencies will get cut the most.
Sen. Brian Boquist said the state budget will take a $2
billion hit because of it.
That’s billion, with a B.
We’re not saying the voters should have passed Measure
97, but now that they haven’t, everyone needs to be pre-
pared for hard times to come.
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
actual meeting date to the Itemizer-Observer via email
(ionews@polkio.com).
—
WednesdAy, nov. 16
• Monmouth Planning Commission — 7 p.m., Volunteer
Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850 Main St.,
Dallas. 503-623-8173.
ThursdAy, nov. 17
• Monmouth Independence networks Board of direc-
tors — 7:30 a.m., Henry Hill Education Support Center, 750 S.
Fifth St., Independence.
• Monmouth Arts and Culture Commission — 7 p.m., Vol-
unteer Hall, 144 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Independence Parks and recreation Board — 6 p.m., In-
dependence Civic Center, third floor, 555 S. Main St., Independ-
ence. 503-838-1212.
• 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.
MondAy, nov. 21
• Independence Tourism and events Commission — 6:30
p.m., Independence Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence.
503-838-1212.
• dallas City Council — 7 p.m., Dallas City Hall, 187 SE Court
St., Dallas. 503-831-3502.
TuesdAy, nov. 22
• Independence City Council — 7:30 a.m., Independence
Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Independence. 503-838-1212.
• Monmouth senior Advisory Board — 1 p.m., Monmouth
Senior Center, 180 S. Warren St., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Polk County Board of Commission work session — 9
a.m., Polk County Courthouse, BOC office, 850 Main St., Dallas.
503-623-8173.
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850 Main St.,
Dallas. 503-623-8173.
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
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Voter vents over
election calls, ads
Please get a clue. To all
political parties and all spe-
cial interest groups, I have a
message. Send information
in the mail about what is
important to you, I will read
it.
Spend millions on TV ads,
I will watch it way too many
times. Call me once, OK.
Call me twice, you are get-
ting annoying. Call me three
times, you are done.
I will not vote for your
candidate, measure, party,
whatever. I keep a list, three
times you are out.
Robocalls are especially
bad, there is no one to yell
at.
Oh, Mike Nearman de-
serves a special mention for
being the worst violator of
annoying, stupid phone
calls.
Get a clue, folks, calling
me dozens of times isn’t
going to make me like you
more.
Mark Scott
Rickreall
First Glow Run
smashing success
I would like to thank the
City of Dallas for putting on
the outstanding Glow Run
5K event held on Saturday
evening, Oct. 29.
It was extremely well or-
ganized, and the weather
was perfect.
Hundreds of people wear-
ing orange shirts showed up
with their bright smiles and
very creative, glowing acces-
sories to run and walk for
Christmas Cheer.
Thanks also to the spon-
sors and the many volun-
teers who guided and
cheered us along the route
from start to finish.
We look forward to this
event again next year.
Bev Shein
Jamie and Drew Stevenson,
Kelley Clark and Carol
Dalton
Dallas
Brighten a family’s
Christmas season
The Dallas Adopt-A-Fam-
ily, in partnership with the
Salvation Army, serves Dal-
las and Perrydale families
with Christmas toys and a
meal for the holidays.
Businesses, churches,
clubs, families and individu-
als adopt a family in need.
The committee is actively
seeking groups that would
be willing to help make sure
that families in need have a
meal, and the children have
a gift to open on Christmas
morning.
Families in need of help
for Christmas can apply at
the Academy Building,
Suite 220 on Saturday from
2 to 4 p.m.
Maybe you belong to a
golf group, coffee group,
card group, bunco group
that would like to adopt a
family?
You can choose to adopt
a small, medium or large
family.
Donors get to shop for
specific children, wrap the
gifts, gather items for a
Christmas dinner and bring
them to us on Dec. 13.
Families pick up the
items on Dec. 14.
We have 85 families
adopted so far, but we an-
ticipate a minimum of 240
families needing to be
adopted.
Can you help?
Please call Melissa Baurer
for more information 503-
798-4876.
Please consider reaching
out to give a special Christ-
mas for a family in need.
Our group also accepts do-
nations of toys, teen gifts
and money.
We have always found
Dallas to be a very giving
and caring community.
Thanks for considering the
Adopt-A-Family project,
which has been helping
families for Christmas for
nearly 20 years.
Thank you.
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
Vickie and Richard Boer
Dallas Adopt-A-Family
Committee
Dallas
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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.
Visit our
website
www.polkio.com
Find us on
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
neWsrooM
Emily Mentzer ..............Editor/Monmouth/Independence Reporter ....ementzer@polkio.com
Vol. 141, No. 46
(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
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Polk County — One Year $35
Other Oregon Counties — One Year $40
Outside of Oregon — One Year $45
PosTMAsTer:
send address changes to: Polk County Itemizer-observer, P.o. Box 108, dallas, oregon 97338
Lukas Eggen..................Sports Editor......................................................................leggen@polkio.com
Jolene Guzman............Dallas/Falls City/Polk County Reporter ................jguzman@polkio.com
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which is in error if the Itemizer-Observer is at fault.