Polk County
Voices
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • May 3, 2017 4A
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Let’s not go back
to dark ages
in one another. Or we don’t
have to.
Perhaps for as long as we
have beating hearts of our
own, we can choose to let
others live with a little less
suffering. Eh?
In response to Harold
Pippin’s letter about Mon-
mouth being an inclusive
city. Here’s another one
wishing for the good old
days. So, he wants an ad-
ministration that will run
things as the founders in-
tended. So, let’s bring back
slavery. No voting or rights
for women. Decisions made
by white merchants and
property owners only. What
about all men (people) cre-
ated equal. Life, liberty pur-
suit of happiness. Some-
times I am amazed humans
have made it this far. Why
can’t we share our free-
doms?
J. F. McDonald
Monmouth
Elect Milligan for
school board
Louis Stuckey
Monmouth
Help fill the bus
Immigrants are
with food for needy vital to community
For several years the Cen-
tral School District Trans-
portation Department has
conducted a food drive to
provide assistance for the
community. This event is
called “Fill the Bus,” and its
purpose is to provide daily
living necessities for local
families in time of need.
Not only will boxes be
placed in all of Central
schools, but they will be at
the Central School District
office and the Transporta-
tion Department office, 520
Hoffman Road, Independ-
ence. We want to allow stu-
dents and employees the
opportunity of participating
in this amazing drive. We
would also like to encour-
age all residents of Mon-
mouth and Independence
to help us with this just
cause.
The “Fill the Bus” drive
will be taking place at two
different locations. The first
day will be May 6 in the Bi-
Mart parking lot in Mon-
mouth and the second on
May 20 in the Roth’s parking
lot in Independence from
9a.m. to 3 p.m.
Our goal is to completely
fill the bus with personal
and non-perishable food
items. Working with chil-
dren and parents on a daily
basis, the Transportation
Department understands
the need to assist our com-
munity when times get
tough. All proceeds will go
to Ella Curan Food Bank,
and we would love for you
to join us in supporting this
worthy organization.
Teri Barry
Independence
In response to Mr. Pip-
pin’s letter which appeared
in the April 26 Itemizer-Ob-
server: Myself and many
other Monmouth residents
worked with our Hispanic
friends and neighbors to
encourage our Monmouth
City Council to pass the In-
clusivity Resolution, which
supports the Oregon State
Statute 181.850. Under this
law, state and local police
are not allowed to enforce
federal immigration law if a
person is not involved in
criminal activity. It does not
provide a safe haven for
anyone who is suspected of
or who has committed a
crime.
This allows local law en-
forcement's time and
money to be spent on activ-
ities which our tax dollars
were meant for (protecting
our communities from ac-
tual threats and keeping the
peace, not interrupting the
families and work of peace-
ful, hardworking individuals
because of their skin color).
Mr. Pippin refers to un-
documented people as
“criminals.” I know many of
these so-called criminals.
People who left Mexico
many years ago to protect
their families from the
threat of gangs and violence
in their communities. Peo-
ple who came here to fill
the demand for difficult
manual labor jobs that U.S.
citizens don’t want to do.
People who risked their
lives to find a better life for
their children. Children who
were brought here at a very
young age and know no
other life. Mr. Pippin, what
would you risk for your
family?
These so-called criminals
are paying rent, supporting
local businesses, and paying
taxes to support your Social
Security, and will never reap
the benefits. I support fair
immigration reform and a
path to citizenship. I reject
the oversimplification of
viewing undocumented
human beings, real people I
know, as criminals.
Patricia Dixon
Monmouth
Teachers endorse
Mann for board
The CEA interviewed
candidates running for the
Central 13J School Board.
Both of the candidates in
contested Zone 2 are excel-
lent.
In contested Zone 5, the
CEA officially endorses
Kristina Mann. Mann is the
mother of two Central stu-
dents, and has worked as a
bus driver for the district, in
the criminal justice system,
and as a small business
owner. The CEA feels that
her experience, her willing-
ness to serve the students,
and her commitment to
making the board respon-
sive to the public makes her
the stronger candidate.
Please vote for Kristina
Mann for 13J School Board,
Zone 5.
Laura Waight
Monmouth
President, Central Education
Association
Salt Creek says
yes to fire bond
Our Salt Creek Neighbor-
hood Association executive
committee and “neighbor-
hood watch” road captains
voted unanimously to sup-
port the Southwest Polk Fire
District bond measure 27-
125.
This would provide funds
to rebuild the Rickreall sta-
tion and construct a new
sub-station at Salt Creek. It
provides modern communi-
cation equipment and re-
places outdated SCBA, not
approved for rescue entry
into a burning house after
2018.
It provides OSHA ap-
proved protective gear for
our volunteer firefighters
who risk their lives to fight
our fires.
This bond will help pro-
tect lives of your family and
community in fire and med-
ical emergencies.
We urge a “yes” vote.
Bruce Sigloh
Salt Creek Neighborhood
Association, president
Laws, meanings
change over time
Letter to editor in re-
sponse to Mr. Harold E. Pip-
pin’s letter of April 26.
Mr. Pippin:
Our laws are not com-
mandments. They are forev-
er and always interpreted
one way, then another, then
amended, altered, or re-
pealed. Some are more un-
changeable than others. We
use language to describe
our reality. As the meaning
and nuance of words
change, then so does our
description of reality.
Most people leave their
own land because of cruelty.
They are suffering too
much; there’s no relief; and
they have to get out. If they
wait in line, they die.
As humans, we have the
capacity to cause suffering
The Itemizer-Observer does
not guarantee the accuracy of
facts presented by letter writers;
dissenters are welcome to re-
spond. 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 mate-
rial submitted to the newspa-
per, are edited for length,
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The deadline for letters to the
editor is 10 a.m. Monday. Let-
ters submitted may not be re-
tractable after this deadline.
—
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.
Steve Milligan
Monmouth
Dave Hunt for
Dallas schools
If you are looking for
someone who knows how
important our schools are,
Dave Hunt is the person
you should vote for to serve
on our Dallas School Board.
All five of Hunt’s children
have enjoyed the great edu-
cation programs our
schools provide. Dave has
helped support them in al-
most every activity they
have been involved in, from
dance team, soccer, senior
party, you name it. Dave is a
caring person with a solid
work ethic who will work
with our educators, school
administrators and commu-
nity to make sure we are
leading by example.
Eriks Gabliks
Dallas
Property tax
increases spiral
To my mind this explains
part of why this nation is in
such financial trouble.
Property taxes keep on rais-
ing to pay off increasing
bonds that keep getting
voted in.
According to an article I
read, about 52 percent of
families rent now instead of
owning their own home.
When over half of the voters
think that they are no
Gary Richards
Monmouth
Vote yes on county
facilities bond
Please support the Polk
County Facilities Bond. The
$10 million bond would
take affect after the current
road bond expires, and the
costs are estimated to be
less than the road bond.
The needed funds would
go to many projects, includ-
ing the Polk County Fair-
grounds.
As the current fair board
chair, I can speak firsthand
to the needs at the fair-
grounds. The bond will
allow for repair on the main
building and the arts and
crafts building; roof replace-
ment, restroom upgrades
along with many other proj-
ects will improve safety and
access.
I urge you; vote yes for
our county facilities.
Anna Scharf
Perrydale
Polk County Fair Board
Chair
PUBLIC AGENDA
WANT TO WRITE A LETTER?
Letters to the editor are lim-
ited to 300 words. Longer letters
will be edited.
Election-related letters of
all types are limited to 100
words. Writers are limited to
one election-related letter per
election season. Election let-
ters from writers outside of
Polk County are not accepted.
Each writer is restricted to
one letter per 30-day period.
Letters that are libelous, ob-
scene or in bad taste will not be
printed. Attacks by name on
businesses or individuals will
not be printed.
Letters to the editor that are
obvious promotions for a busi-
ness, products or services will
not be printed.
I have had the opportuni-
ty to watch the positive
changes over the last several
years, as a budget commit-
tee member and now as
school board member of
Central 13J. These changes
have led to improved gradu-
ation rates and improved
literacy.
I have tremendous re-
spect for the teachers, staff,
and administration of Cen-
tral 13J. We are becoming a
model district for other dis-
tricts in the state and na-
tion.
As your school board
member, I want to keep this
momentum going.
Vote Steve Milligan for
Central 13J Zone 5.
longer paying property
taxes, they will vote for any-
thing that they think some-
one else will have to pay for.
And then they cry about
their landlords raising rent,
“Freeze rents,” they say.
What they are not under-
standing is that every time
they vote for another “feel
good” bond measure, they
themselves are raising their
own rent. When the land-
lords’ costs of owning that
property increase, they
must raise the rent to cover
those expenses.
Eventually I see many of
the private landlords trying
to sell their properties to get
out of the hassle. Then ei-
ther the properties get torn
down for construction of
apartments, or taken over
by corporations that man-
age properties. Another
possibility would be govern-
ment housing.
I’m not sure about this,
but I would assume that
government housing would
not pay property taxes. If
that is so, then you have
even less local tax income,
so up go the tax rates again.
It sounds like a vicious spi-
ral to me.
I could see an Orwellian
future where everyone
would have to live in gov-
ernment controlled apart-
ments and have their in-
come taxes spiraling out of
sight to support those
apartments because there
was no more private prop-
erty to tax. There really is no
such thing as a free lunch.
Public Agenda is a listing of upcoming
meetings for governmental and nongovern-
mental agencies in Polk County. To submit a
meeting, send it at least two weeks before
the actual meeting date to the Itemizer-Ob-
server via email (ionews@polkio.com).
—
WEdnEsdAy, MAy 3
• Monmouth Historic Commission — 6
p.m., Volunteer Hall, 144 Warren St. S., Mon-
mouth. 503-838-0725.
• Monmouth Planning Commission — 7
p.m., Volunteer Hall, 144 Warren St. S., Mon-
mouth. 503-838-0725.
• Polk County Board of Commissioners —
9 a.m., Polk County Courthouse, first floor con-
ference room, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-
8173.
MondAy, MAy 8
• Hops and Heritage Festival Commis-
sion — 6 p.m., Independence Elks Lodge, 289
S. Main St., Independence. 503-838-1212.
• dallas school Board — 6:30 p.m., Dallas
School District office, 111 SW Ash St., Dallas.
503-623-5594.
TuEsdAy, MAy 9
• Independence City Council — 7 p.m., In-
dependence Civic Center, 555 S. Main St., Inde-
pendence. 503-838-1212.
• Polk County Board of Commission work
session — 9 a.m., Polk County Courthouse,
BOC office, 850 Main St., Dallas. 503-623-8173.
• Monmouth Budget Committee — 6 p.m.,
Volunteer Hall, 144 Warren St. S., Monmouth.
503-838-0725.
• WIMPEG Board of directors — Noon, Vol-
unteer Hall, 144 Warren St. S., Monmouth.
WEdnEsdAy, MAy 10
• Independence Heritage Museum Com-
mission — 4 p.m., Independence Heritage Mu-
seum, 112 S. Third St., Independence. 503-838-
1212.
HOW TO REACH US
nEWsRooM
Emily Mentzer ..............Editor/Monmouth/Independence Reporter ....ementzer@polkio.com
Vol. 142, No. 18
(USPS) - 437-380)
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which is in error if the Itemizer-Observer is at fault.