THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2021
Baker City, Oregon
A4
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EDITORIAL
A strange
way to
protest
A group has been distributing fl iers in Baker City
urging residents to oppose Gov. Kate Brown’s CO-
VID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers by
refusing to pay their property taxes for October and
November.
This fl ier, sponsored by a group called Baker
County United, includes the lines: “Operation Boston
Tea Party” and “Withhold Your Property Taxes.”
The fl ier rightly points out that the governor’s
mandate has the potential to result in workforce
shortages for critical services such as emergency
responders.
But defying the mandate is hardly a sensible solu-
tion, or a useful one.
The best outcome is for the affected employees to
be vaccinated, which not only gives them and those
they treat a high level of protection against the virus,
but also of course keeps them doing their vital work.
Employees who don’t want to be vaccinated can
also ask for either a medical exception, which re-
quires corroboration from a medical provider, or a reli-
gious exception, which just involves fi lling out a form.
Moreover, city or county offi cials, not state offi cials,
will review and verify both types of exceptions, ac-
cording to the Oregon Health Authority.
Put simply, the “mandate” that prompted the
fl ier with its specious references to the Boston
Tea Party isn’t really a mandate at all — affected
employees have options besides being vaccinated or
losing their jobs.
Having local elected offi cials pass a “public declara-
tion of county wide mandate defi ance and implemen-
tation of a self governance measure,” is not neces-
sary to give health care employees an alternative to
vaccination. Yet that’s what is requested in a letter
that supporters of the fl ier sent to Baker City, Baker
County and Sheriff Travis Ash.
Citing the Boston Tea Party is of course a common
tactic for people who are aggrieved by what they per-
ceive as government overreach. But the comparison
hardly fi ts the current situation.
The Boston Tea Party was a 1773 protest against
onerous taxation by an oppressive monarchy a couple
thousand miles across the Atlantic Ocean. Partici-
pants destroyed 342 chests of tea imported by the
British East India Company — a tangible expression
of their opposition to the taxation.
But this call to withhold local property taxes would
have no effect on the ostensible oppressor in this case,
which is the state, and specifi cally the governor.
It would, however, punish local governments
that provide important services that local residents
depend on — and pay for.
That’s where our property taxes go — to the city,
the county, schools, the library and other programs,
such as mosquito and noxious weed control.
Indeed, depriving Baker City of some of its proper-
ty taxes could potentially harm the very agency that
sponsors of the fl ier purport to support — the city fi re
department, which also operates ambulances.
Property taxes account for almost 38% of Baker
City’s $7.8 million general fund for the current
fi scal year. And the general fund includes the fi re
department.
Yet the fl ier calls on residents to not pay their
property taxes for the “October/November 2021
period” until “our elected offi cials do their duty and
make our community a priority!”
(The county actually sends one annual property
tax bill per year — they’ll arrive later this month.)
Defying the governor’s mandate could also
jeopardize the city’s and county’s liability insurance
coverage.
People who are angry about the governor’s vaccine
mandate would make a more direct statement by
refusing to pay their state income taxes.
— Jayson Jacoby, Baker City Herald editor
Skin color shouldn’t decide
who gets federal farm loans
By JAMES DUNLAP
My family’s cattle ranching heri-
tage dates back to California’s Gold
Rush. Today, my wife, Katie, and I are
still going strong, and one day we hope
to have a ranch of our own that our
daughter can inherit.
We also want our daughter to
inherit a country where government
treats people equally. COVID-19-relat-
ed federal farm loan forgiveness does
just the opposite, treating people as
members of their racial group.
Right now, we live and tend cattle
on my parents’ ranch in Baker City. At
the same time, we’re buying equipment
and building our herd, so we’re ready
to start our own farm when we can
afford to buy property.
We’ve taken out federal loans to pay
for equipment and cattle and which
we’re repaying with income from
other full-time jobs — Katie works in
sales, and I have a job as a railroad
engineer. Between our second jobs and
the ranch, we easily put in 100-hour
workweeks.
As demanding as that had been, it
was nothing compared to the pandem-
ic. Meat packing houses shut down last
year, affecting our supply chain. Now
we have rising fuel prices, no seasonal
workers willing to help with our cattle,
and the worst drought in Eastern
Oregon’s history.
On top of all that, we have a new
baby and more than $200,000 in out-
standing loans. It sounds ludicrous, but
the reality is the government considers
us good enough for federal farm loans,
not loan forgiveness, because we have
the wrong skin color.
the Constitution’s guarantee of equal
protection before the law.
To be sure, racial discrimination
for any reason is unacceptable. In this
case, the government insists it’s mak-
Katie and I heard about the Ameri- ing up for the USDA’s past discrimina-
tion against Black farmers and ranch-
can Rescue Plan Act of 2021, and we
ers. But the government has already
were excited because the COVID-19
paid billions of dollars to do just that.
relief funding included $4 billion in
loan forgiveness up to 120% of USDA
In any case, past discrimination cannot
loan amounts.
be remedied with more discrimination.
That would have been life-changing
I credit my wife for what happened
for us.
next. She and my daughter were shut-
Then one day, while I was on the
tling me around to do routine chores,
tractor — where I listen to news and
and I told her how farmers in other
podcasts — I heard that the loan
states are suing to end the USDA’s
forgiveness was only for “socially
discrimination. I wanted to do the
disadvantaged farmers,” which, in the
same in Oregon but suing the federal
government’s eyes, are racial minority government seemed too daunting,
farmers and ranchers.
time-consuming, and expensive.
My fi rst thought was, “Socially dis-
“I can’t,” I said.
advantaged farmers? Isn’t that anyone
“Yes, you can!” she shot back. “Be-
like us who has an FSA loan?”
cause right now, you still have a voice
Farm Service Agency, or FSA,
in this country and the opportunity
operating loans are designed for people and the right to speak your voice.”
who have already been turned down by
The next day, I contacted Pacifi c
other lending institutions and cannot
Legal Foundation, and soon afterward,
get traditional fi nancing anywhere
Katie and I fi led a federal lawsuit.
else. We are in our mid-30s, we didn’t
To be perfectly clear, our lawsuit is
have a lot of cash, and we were still
not about money, or loan forgiveness,
building up equity, so the FSA was our or the hard-working people who would
only choice.
have received it. It’s about equal treat-
If Congress decides to forgive these ment for all farmers and ranchers and
loans, I’ll cheer them on. But there’s
fi ghting back when the government
no logic behind the use of race to make does the opposite. For us, it’s also about
that decision.
setting an example for our daughter so
I may be a rancher, but I also have
that she might someday exercise her
a history degree and a passion for
right as an American to stand up and
the bedrock principles of our nation’s
speak out for her beliefs.
founding: fairness, justice, liberty. This
loan forgiveness is everything but.
James Dunlap is a farmer residing
It’s discriminatory and violates
near Baker City.
JAMES
DUNLAP
Your views
Why we’re opposed to the state’s
vaccine mandate
This is why we are against vaccine
mandates. This came to us from a very
special friend, with a medical back-
ground, who is in the military. This is
the letter that was sent to us. We will let
it speak for itself.
“I broke today. I watched people cry
as they were vaccinated against their
will. I watched mothers break down
as they begged for mercy to have more
time while they are still breastfeeding
their babies. I watched others cry out
that they have had miscarriages, still-
births, and infertility and they just want
more time in case this will harm them.
They were told line up and take your
shot. We are working to get them ex-
emptions but every angle we take, those
who are pro vax plot to change the rules
at every turn. Once people started being
forced I refused to participate. I’m ready
to be fi red for this. It’s kind of dramatic
but I have nothing to lose. I can’t watch
this anymore. Thank You for praying.”
We don’t recognize our country any
more. Are we living in Nazi Germany or
communist China? We love our country
and will continue to pray for those that
are in authority.
Terry and Julie Miller
Baker City
CONTACT YOUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS
President Joe Biden: The White House, 1600
Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C. 20500; 202-456-1111; to
send comments, go to www.whitehouse.gov.
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley: D.C. offi ce: 313 Hart Senate
Offi ce Building, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-
224-3753; fax 202-228-3997. Portland offi ce: One World Trade
Center, 121 S.W. Salmon St. Suite 1250, Portland, OR 97204;
503-326-3386; fax 503-326-2900. Baker City offi ce, 1705 Main
St., Suite 504, 541-278-1129; merkley.senate.gov.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden: D.C. offi ce: 221 Dirksen Senate
Offi ce Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-5244;
fax 202-228-2717. La Grande offi ce: 105 Fir St., No. 210, La
Grande, OR 97850; 541-962-7691; fax, 541-963-0885; wyden.
senate.gov.
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz (2nd District): D.C. offi ce: 2182
Rayburn Offi ce Building, Washington, D.C., 20515, 202-225-
6730; fax 202-225-5774. La Grande offi ce: 1211 Washington
Ave., La Grande, OR 97850; 541-624-2400, fax, 541-624-2402;
walden.house.gov.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown: 254 State Capitol, Salem, OR
97310; 503-378-3111; www.governor.oregon.gov.
Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read: oregon.
treasurer@ost.state.or.us; 350 Winter St. NE, Suite 100,
Salem OR 97301-3896; 503-378-4000.
Oregon Attorney General Ellen F. Rosenblum:
Justice Building, Salem, OR 97301-4096; 503-378-4400.
Oregon Legislature: Legislative documents and
information are available online at www.leg.state.or.us.
State Sen. Lynn Findley (R-Ontario): Salem offi ce: 900
Court St. N.E., S-403, Salem, OR 97301; 503-986-1730. Email:
Sen.LynnFindley@oregonlegislature.gov
State Rep. Mark Owens (R-Crane): Salem offi ce: 900
Court St. N.E., H-475, Salem, OR 97301; 503-986-1460. Email:
Rep.MarkOwens@oregonlegislature.gov