Polk County
Voices
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • April 26, 2017 4A
EDITORIALS
Let your voice be
heard and vote
While the May 16 ballot is not as packed as the Novem-
ber 2016 one was, your vote is important as ever.
Even if you aren’t interested in some of the smaller dis-
tricts whose boards have open positions next month, you
have candidates seeking election to school boards and two
bonds to vote on, depending on where you live in the
county.
The May election has not stirred up as much interest in
our Letters to the Editor section, but we’d like to remind
those of you who have written or plan to write about the
election that all election letters are limited to 100 words or
less.
Letter writers may submit just one election-related letter
per election season.
We have until May 10 to print your letters, so there’s still
time to express an opinion about something on the ballot,
which are mailed out Thursday.
All ballots are due by 8 p.m. on May 16.
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, APRIL 26
• Polk County Board of Commissioners — 9 a.m., Polk
County Courthouse, first floor conference room, 850 Main St.,
Dallas. 503-623-8173.
THURSDAY, APRIL 27
• Monmouth-Independence Networks Board of Direc-
tors — 7:30 a.m., Henry Hill Education Support Center, 750 S.
Fifth St., Independence. 503-837-0700.
• Dallas Budget Committee — 5:30 p.m., Dallas City Hall, 187
SE Court St., Dallas. 503-831-3502.
MONDAY, MAY 1
• Central School District Board of Directors — 6:30 p.m.,
Henry Hill Education Support Center, 750 S. Fifth St., Independ-
ence.
• Independence Planning Commission — 7 p.m., Independ-
ence 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, MAY 2
• Monmouth City Council — 7 p.m., Volunteer Hall, 144 War-
ren St. S., 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.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 3
• Monmouth Historic Commission — 6 p.m., Volunteer Hall,
144 Warren St. S., Monmouth. 503-838-0725.
• Monmouth Planning Commission — 7 p.m., Volunteer
Hall, 144 Warren St. S., 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.
Check out a book
at your local library.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Resolution will not
stop law enforcement
I had not heard the word
“inclusivity” used before. I
looked in my well-worn
Merriam-Webster and
could not find it there. I
am evidently out of touch
with new reality. Question-
ing my local coffee gather-
ing and friends in the city
was no real help.
This is in reference to
the April 4 meeting of the
Monmouth City Council.
I was not in attendance,
but I read in the paper. It
seems that our city council
finds it necessary to be-
come politically correct
and state for publication
that Monmouth will be-
come a city open to all that
wish to enter regardless of
race, religion, political af-
filiation, gender identifica-
tion, etc.
I thought that we were
always a welcoming com-
munity. However, the buzz
words “Sanctuary City” did
get my attention.
We have a new president
and cabinet that intends to
run the United States as
the founders intended.
A country with laws. A
country open to all that
enter through the front
door, as do many. Those
that enter illegally are in
violation of the law. Exactly
the same as those who
break any of the other laws
of the land. You commit a
crime; you are a criminal.
Now, does the city of
Monmouth mean that
those that broke the law
are to be regarded as equal
to the law-abiding citizen-
ry of our city?
There are many illegal
immigrants in the Mon-
mouth/Independence
area. Our police force has
known this as well.
They have been prevent-
ed by previous administra-
tions from doing their job.
Now, the laws (that have
been in place for years)
will have to be enforced.
Action by the city coun-
cil cannot prevent this. I
can only hope that Mon-
mouth will not become
one of the so called “Sanc-
tuary Cities” that refuse to
enforce the law.
Harold E. Pippin
Monmouth
Roundabout is
greener, best choice
Based on the arguments
made thus far in letters to
the editor opposing the in-
stallation of a roundabout
at the Clow Corner inter-
section, I remain uncon-
vinced.
From what’s been writ-
ten thus far, I am led to as-
sume that none of those in
opposition have had any
extended experience with
roundabouts or under-
stand how they work, other
than, perhaps, with the
bastardized versions found
here in the U.S.
Roundabouts are far su-
perior to stop lights in
many ways. One way they
are safer is that no one
runs the chance of an acci-
dent caused by someone
running a light, because
there’s no light to run.
All traffic is forced to
slow to enter the circle.
Clow Corner is a problem
WANT TO WRITE A LETTER?
Letters to the editor are
limited to 300 words. Longer
letters will be edited.
Election-related letters
of all types are limited to
100 words. Writers are lim-
ited to one election-related
letter per election season.
Election letters from writers
outside of Polk County are
not accepted.
Each writer is restricted to
one letter per 30-day period.
Letters that are libelous,
obscene or in bad taste will
not be printed. Attacks by
name on businesses or indi-
viduals will not be printed.
Letters to the editor that
are obvious promotions for a
business, products or services
will not be printed.
The Itemizer-Observer does
not guarantee the accuracy
in the first place because
the traffic racing up and
down 99W has the right-of-
way over traffic trying to
cross, exit off of, or enter
99W.
As it is, one is often
forced to dart between on-
coming traffic. If stoplights
were installed to alleviate
this, then everyone would
have to take their turn
stopping and waiting. With
a properly configured (Eu-
ropean style) traffic circle,
however, everyone slows
and yields to traffic already
in the circle, but the transi-
tions are smooth and less
time overall is wasted as it
is idling at a light.
Anyone caring to do the
research will find that
roundabouts are safer than
intersections with traffic
signals. And when the in-
evitable accidents do
occur, they occur at far
lower and less lethal
speeds. Finally, I would
of facts presented by letter
writers; dissenters are wel-
come to respond.
Letter writers who dis-
agree with other published
letter writers should maintain
a civil discourse and address
the subject, not the author.
Letters, like all editorial
material submitted to the
newspaper, are edited for
length, grammar and con-
tent.
Letters must include the
author’s name, address and
telephone number. This in-
cludes letters submitted via
the I-O’s website.
Names and cities of resi-
dence are published; street
addresses and telephone
numbers are used for verifica-
tion purposes only.
Letters must be submitted
add that roundabouts are
more expensive to install
than lighting systems, but
they don’t take any power
at all to keep them in serv-
ice.
So for a greener Oregon,
roundabouts make a lot
more sense.
Michael Welsch
Dallas
Oregon needs a
new money source
Next May, I’ll support
tax increases for worthy
causes like Polk County,
but how long can Oregon
depend upon property
taxes? Single family home
ownership rates vary from
42 to 61 percent.
The burden on a single
family is not comparable
to a landlord or
business/corporation who
pass along increases. They
don’t “donate” this extra
from individuals, not organi-
zations, and must be original
submissions to the I-O, not
copies of letters sent to other
media.
Letters of thanks to busi-
nesses, individuals and or-
ganizations are limited to 10
names.
The deadline for letters to
the editor is 10 a.m. Monday.
Letters submitted may not be
retractable after this dead-
line.
—
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.
expense.
Property taxes are a dis-
proportionate burden on
single family homeowners.
Twenty percent of our
house payment is for
property taxes alone and,
like most homeowners,
we’re not rich. How does
it make sense that those
who don’t own property
can vote to tax those who
do?
Nannette Willis
Monmouth
SW Polk posts
bond measure
We’re told the bond is to
build a new station in the
Salt Creek area.
Is there clarity as to lat-
eral costs involved?
Who will do building and
equipment maintenance?
What are projected cost
of utilities and other ongo-
ing costs?
If volunteers tend the
building/equipment,
where may they come
from?
From Dallas Fire Chief:
Acquiring and retaining
volunteers is a challenge at
best.
Will career personnel
care
for
the
building/equipment? Who
pays this cost?
Let’s evaluate all costs
concerning this bond.
Remember; we’re still
paying the Sheriff’s Office
levy. Certainly, homes will
be challenged by additional
annual property tax in-
crease.
Tim Kirkman
Dallas
HOW TO REACH US
NEWSROOM
Emily Mentzer ..............Editor/Monmouth/Independence Reporter ....ementzer@polkio.com
Vol. 142, No. 17
(USPS) - 437-380)
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