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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 14, 2015)
A4 Opinion Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, January 14, 2015 A caution sign for big hikes in minimum wage O UHJRQ¶VPLQLPXPZDJH increased 15 cents on -DQ7KHQHZUDWH± SHUKRXU±UHPDLQVWKH second-highest in the nation, EHKLQGRQO\RXUQHLJKERUWRWKH QRUWK:DVKLQJWRQ<HWVHYHUDO Oregon politicians already are ginning up support for a $15 PLQLPXPZDJH We’re pleased to read that Peter Courtney, president of WKHVWDWH6HQDWHLVOXNHZDUPWR WKHLGHD+HFDXWLRQHGIHOORZ 'HPRFUDWVQRWWRRYHUUHDFK on the issue, saying it could MHRSDUGL]HWKHLUSDUW\¶VQHZ PDMRULW\LQ6DOHP &RXUWQH\¶VDGYLFHLVZLVHIRU more than reasons of political SRZHU$VKDUSLQFUHDVHLQWKH PLQLPXPZDJHLQDVWDWHWKDW LVVWLOOUHFRYHULQJIURPDEUXWDO UHFHVVLRQLVULVN\7KHUHLV VFDQWHYLGHQFHWKDWVXFKDERRVW ZRXOGEHQH¿WWKHVWDWHRUORFDO HFRQRPLHV The economic impact of KLNLQJPLQLPXPZDJHVLV XQFOHDU7KHUHDUHGR]HQV of research papers on the VXEMHFW7KHLUFRQFOXVLRQVDUH FRQÀLFWLQJ Some argue that minimum ZDJHLQFUHDVHVERRVWFRQVXPHU VSHQGLQJ2WKHUVVD\WKHLPSDFW LVVKRUWWHUPHQFRXUDJLQJORZ ZDJHZRUNHUVWRWDNHRQPRUH GHEWIRUELJWLFNHWLWHPVVXFK DVFDUV 0XFKGHSHQGVRQKRZ HPSOR\HUVZRXOGUHDFWWRD large increase in the minimum ZDJH7KH\FRXOGKLUHIHZHU ZRUNHUV2UUDLVHSULFHV2U OD\RIIKLJKHUSDLGHPSOR\HHV Again, economists disagree on WKHSRWHQWLDOUHVSRQVH ,Q*UDQW&RXQW\ZKHUH PLQLPXPZDJHMREVDUHD ODUJHUSURSRUWLRQRIWRWDOMREV PDQ\ZRUNHUVZRXOGEHQH¿W IURPDVXEVWDQWLDOKLNH±EXW QRWLIWKHLUMREVDUHHOLPLQDWHG DVDUHVXOWRIDVWDWHZLGH PDQGDWH 2UHJRQ¶VPLQLPXPZDJH is adjusted each year for LQÀDWLRQ7KLVKDVNHSWLWDW KDOIWKHPHGLDQKRXUO\ZDJH IRUDOO2UHJRQZRUNHUV7KDW LVDVRXQGOHYHOIRUDZDJHIRU XQVNLOOHGZRUNHUVFRPSDUHG ZLWKHPSOR\HHVZLWK\HDUVRI H[SHULHQFHRUVSHFLDOL]HGVNLOOV 7KHPLQLPXPZDJH DSSHDUVWREHWKHQHZJROG VWDQGDUGIRUDFWLYLVWVXQLRQV DQGRWKHUVGRLQJEDWWOHLQWKH QDPHRIHFRQRPLFHTXDOLW\7KH FLW\RI6HDWWOHZDVWKH¿UVWWR make the leap, though its city council tempered the impact E\SKDVLQJWKHLQFUHDVHRYHU VHYHUDO\HDUV6DQ)UDQFLVFR VRRQIROORZHGVXLW Oregon legislators should DWOHDVWZDLWWRVHHKRZWKRVH jurisdictions fare under the $15 PLQLPXPEHIRUHIROORZLQJ WKHLUOHDG$V0DUN7ZDLQ VDLG³*HW\RXUIDFWV¿UVWWKHQ you can distort them as you SOHDVH´ By the numbers Minimum Wage Jobs Percent of Total Jobs Oregon: 102,485 5.7% Grant County: 170 8.1% Source: Oregon Employment Department. Estimates are for Q1 of 2014. Manage predators, optimize herds – revenue will follow %\7\6WXEEOH¿HOG To the Blue Mountain Eagle The management of Oregon’s ¿VKDQGZLOGOLIHKDVQHYHUEHHQLQD more compromising position than it LVWRGD\ 2'):IDFHVDPLOOLRQEXG- JHWVKRUWIDOO3ODJXHGZLWKGHSUHVVHG GHHUDQGHONQXPEHUVDQGLQFUHDVLQJ SUHGDWRUSRSXODWLRQVFRXSOHGZLWKD GHFOLQHLQKXQWHUQXPEHUVLWVHHPV WKHSOLJKWFRXOGQ¶WJHWPXFKZRUVH That’s unless you consider the VHYHUH GHFOLQH LQ PDQDJHG KDEL- tat on much of the state’s federally PDQDJHG ODQGV RYHU ZKLFK 2'): KDV QR FRQWURO 1RZ WKH DJHQF\ LV ORRNLQJIRUDQHZOHDGHUWRULJKWWKLV OLVWLQJVKLS Then add pressure from non-hunt- LQJ JURXSV ZKR UHFHQWO\ ZURWH D letter to the Oregon Fish and Wild- OLIH &RPPLVVLRQ DQG WKH JRYHUQRU DVNLQJ WKDW WKH QHZ GLUHFWRU UHIRUP WKH DJHQF\ WR EH OHVV GHSHQGHQW RQ OLFHQVHDQGWDJGROODUVDQGEHPRUH ³FRQVHUYDWLRQPLQGHG´ Excuse us? +XQWLQJDQG¿VKLQJKDVEHHQWKH IXQGLQJVRXUFHRIFRQVHUYDWLRQVLQFH WKHV In fact, of ODFW’s 2013-15 SURMHFWHG UHYHQXHV PLOOLRQ FRPHV IURP 3LWWPDQ5REHUWVRQ IXQGV D IHGHUDO H[FLVH WD[ RQ ¿UH- arms, ammunition, archery equip- PHQW DQG ¿UHDUPUHODWHG DFFHVVR- ULHV$QRWKHUPLOOLRQRIWKH DJHQF\¶VEXGJHWFRPHVIURPOLFHQVH DQG WDJ IHHV 7KDW¶V PLOOLRQ RI2'):¶VEXGJHW±WKHYDVWPDMRU- LW\±GHULYHGIURPKXQWHUDQGDQJOHU GROODUV Hunters and anglers are on the IRUHIURQW RI ZLOGOLIH FRQVHUYDWLRQ 6XFFHVV VWRULHV DERXQG LQFOXGLQJ the return of elk herds in the early 1930s, reintroduction of mountain JRDWV DQG &DOLIRUQLD ELJKRUQ VKHHS in the 1950s, and reintroduction of 5RFN\ 0RXQWDLQ ELJKRUQV LQ WKH V7KHVHHIIRUWVZHUHDOOIXQGHG E\VSRUWVPHQ 7KHUHDOTXHVWLRQLVZKDWVKRXOG ZHH[SHFWRIWKHQHZGLUHFWRU")LUVW DQG IRUHPRVW WKH QHZ GLUHFWRU VKRXOG EH D WUXH KXQWHU DQG ¿VKHU- PDQ+LVRUKHUIRFXVVKRXOGEH¿VK DQGZLOGOLIHQRWSROLWLFVDQGSHRSOH Too often politics steer the manage- ment of the department rather than VRXQGVFLHQFH The director should also man- DJHWKHDJHQF\ZLWKLQLWVEXGJHWDU\ PHDQV EXW WKDW GRHVQ¶W KDYH WR EH the Herculean task it’s often made to VHHP Taking seriously ODFW’s man- GDWHWRRSWLPL]HZLOGOLIHSRSXODWLRQV ZLOO DOVR DGGUHVV WKH QHHG WR RSWL- PL]H WKH DJHQF\¶V UHYHQXH %XLOG EHWWHUGHHUDQGHONKHUGVDQGKXQW- HUV ZLOO EHDW D SDWK WR WKH SRLQW RI VDOH PDFKLQHV &RQYHUVHO\ LI KXQW- ers are unsuccessful year after year, HYHQWXDOO\WKH\ZLOO¿QGVRPHZKHUH HOVH WR GHYRWH WKHLU WLPH DQG PRQ- H\7KH GRZQZDUG WUHQG LQ KXQWLQJ license and tag sales that parallels WKHGHFOLQHLQGHHUDQGHONQXPEHUV OHDYHVOLWWOHGRXEW A serious look at predator pop- ulation control is a key part of the simple equation: more unmanaged SUHGDWRUV SURZOLQJ WKH ODQGVFDSH HTXDOV IHZHU GHHU DQG HON DYDLODEOH WRKXQWHUVHTXDOVIHZHUOLFHQVHDQG WDJGROODUV ODFW has a choice to make: re- VWRUHRXUELJJDPHUHVRXUFHVDQGUH- HVWDEOLVKWKHGHSDUWPHQW¶VWUDGLWLRQDO IXQGLQJEDVHRUEHFRPHDQRQJDPH ZLOGOLIHDJHQF\ZLWKDVNHOHWRQVWDII GHSHQGHQWRQHOXVLYHDQGXQSUHGLFW- DEOH JHQHUDO IXQGV :KLFK FKRLFH ZLOO WKH DJHQF\ PDNH" ,WV QHZ GL- UHFWRU ZLOO H[HUW FRQVLGHUDEOH LQÀX- HQFHRQWKDWGHFLVLRQDQGWKDW¶VZK\ 2+$ZLOOZRUNGLOLJHQWO\WRHQVXUH WKHQHZGLUHFWRUHPEUDFHVDKXQWHU¶V YLVLRQRIFRQVHUYDWLRQ 7\ 6WXEEOH¿HOG LV ¿HOG DGPLQLV- WUDWRUIRUWKH2UHJRQ+XQWHUV$VVR- FLDWLRQ L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR A forest resolution Blue Mountain EAGLE 195 N. Canyon Blvd. • John Day, OR 97845 541-575-0710 • Fax 541-575-1244 Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper USPS 226-340 John Day, Oregon MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION P UBLISHER E DITOR A DMINISTRATIVE A SSISTANT E DITORIAL A SSISTANT C OMMUNITY N EWS S PORTS M ARKETING R EP C USTOMER S ERVICE R EP Marissa Williams, marissa@bmeagle.com Scotta Callister, editor@bmeagle.com Alyssa Cone, alyssa@bmeagle.com Cheryl Hoefler, cheryl@bmeagle.com Angel Carpenter, angel@bmeagle.com Angel Carpenter, angel@bmeagle.com Kim Kell, ads@bmeagle.com Lindsay Bullock office@bmeagle.com PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY BY: EO Media Group 3HULRGLFDOV3RVWDJH3DLGDW-RKQ'D\DQGDGGLWLRQDOPDLOLQJRI¿FHV SUBSCRIPTION RATES (including online access) Grant County Elsewhere in Oregon Continental U.S., Outside Oregon Outside Continental U.S. 1 year $40.00 $48.00 $55.00 $60.00 Subscriptions must be paid prior to delivery See the Blue Mountain Eagle on the Internet www.MyEagleNews.com POSTMASTER — send address changes to Blue Mountain Eagle 195 N. Canyon Blvd. John Day, OR 97845-1187 Copyright © 2015 Blue Mountain Eagle All rights reserved. No part of this publication covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means — graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, taping or information storage and retrieval systems — without written permission of the publisher. To the Editor: )RUHVW6HUYLFHSOHDVHQRWH The current 10-year forest initia- WLYH WR UHGXFH RYHUVWRFNLQJ LQ RXU IRUHVWV LV JRLQJ ZD\ WRR IDU LQ UH- PRYLQJ WKH IXWXUH RI RXU IRUHVWV , GRQ¶WNQRZZKRLVGLUHFWO\UHVSRQVL- EOHIRUGHWHUPLQLQJZKDWWRUHPRYH EXWWKH\DUHJRLQJZD\WRRIDU,QWKH KHDGRYHUKHHOVHIIRUWWRUHGXFHH[- SRVXUHWRZLOG¿UHDFWLYLW\ELJJDPH KDELWDWLVEHLQJEXWFKHUHG 6HYHUDO\HDUVDJR,ZDVDSDUWRI DJURXSWKDWZRUNLQJZLWKWKH)RUHVW 6HUYLFHGHWHUPLQHGWKHEHVWZD\WR DGGUHVVWKHQHHGIRU¿UHVXSSUHVVLRQ DQG KDELWDW QHHGV ZDV WR FUHDWH ¿UH EUHDNVDQGUHPRYHRYHUVWRFNLQJLQD PRVDLF SDWWHUQ7KH JURXS LQFOXGHG )RUHVW 6HUYLFH 2'): VSRUWVPHQ JURXSV DQG JHQHUDO FLWL]HQV 7KLV ZRXOG DOORZ UHDVRQDEOH DSSURDFK WR¿UHVXSSUHVVLRQDQGSURYLGHDGH- TXDWHKDELWDWIRUWKHZLOGOLIH$OOWKLV KDVEHHQWKURZQLQWKHWUDVK7DNHD ORRNDWZKDWLVEHLQJGRQHQRZ9DVW DUHDVZKHUH\RXFDQORRNIRUDKDOI PLOHWKURXJKZKDWWUHHVWKDWDUHOHIW ,W LV D GHVHUW ZLWK D IHZ WUHHV OHIW 1RWRQO\WKDWEXWWKHWUHHVWKDWZHUH thinned years ago, spaced, appropri- DWHO\ DQG JURZLQJ QLFHO\ DUH EHLQJ PDUNHGIRUFXWWLQJ7KHVHDEVROXWH- O\GRQRWQHHGWREHFXWDWWKLVWLPH DQG,GRPHDQDEVROXWHO\:KHUHGLG common sense go? <RXNQRZZKDWLVTXLWHLQWHUHVW- LQJ DQG XQEHOLHYDEOH" 2QH KXQGUHG and forty million feet of prime tim- EHU FDQ EXP LQ D PDMRU ¿UH DQG LW ZLOOEHOHIWWRGHWHULRUDWHURWDQGIDOO RYHU FUHDWLQJ D TXDJPLUH RI MXQJOH WKDW QHLWKHU PDQ QRU EHDVW FDQ JHW WKURXJK7KLVZDVWHVDKXJHDPRXQW RIYDOXDEOHUHVRXUFHDUHVRXUFHWKDW FRXOGIHHGRXUPLOOVDQGEROVWHURXU HFRQRP\$QG\HWWKH\VHHPXQDEOH WRUHFRYHUDUHVRXUFHWKDWKDVDOUHDG\ EHHQ GHVWUR\HG DQG VKRXOG EH VDO- YDJHG%XWWKH\VHHPWREHDEOHWR FKDUJH DKHDG ZLWK EXWFKHULQJ RXU JDPHKDELWDWZLWKWKHRYHUVWRU\UH- PRYDOWKDWLVJRLQJRQQRZ :HQHHGVRPHKDELWDWOHIWLQRXU IRUHVW 7KLV LVQ¶W PDQDJHPHQW LW LV GHVWUXFWLRQ &RPH RQ )RUHVW 6HU- YLFH\RXFDQGREHWWHU0DNHD1HZ <HDU¶V UHVROXWLRQ ± :H ZLOO OHDYH VRPHJDPHKDELWDW Dean Elliott &DQ\RQ&LW\ (OHFWHGRI¿FLDOVKDYH personal agenda To the Editor , ¿QDOO\ FRQFOXGHG UHFHQWO\ WRR ODWHLWVHHPVWKDWDODUJHQXPEHURI *UDQW&RXQW\HOHFWHGRI¿FLDOVFRPH RQ ERDUG ZLWK WKHLU RZQ SHUVRQDO DJHQGD 7KLV DJHQGD LV ¿UVW VHUYHG ± ODZ RI SHUVRQDO VXUYLYDO ,I WKH DJHQGDZRXOGUHÀHFWXQIDYRUDEO\RQ WKHLUHOHFWHGRI¿FHWKH\WKHQVXUSDVV LQWKHDUWRIIHQFHULGLQJ±WDNLQJQR side in any discussion, especially one WKHSXWVWKHP¿UPO\LQWKHFRUQHURI *UDQW &RXQW\ UHVLGHQWV ZKR YRWHG WKHPLQWRRI¿FH+RZPDQ\SHRSOH WKDW\RXWUXVWLQJO\YRWHGLQWRRI¿FH WR UHSUHVHQW \RX EHOLHYH WKH\ RZH WKHIHGHUDOJRYHUQPHQWIRUWKHLUOLYH- OLKRRG" ,I \RX DUHQ¶W ZDGLQJ LQ WKH VZDPS\RXZRQ¶WVHHWKHVQDNHV Here is a concept to consider: 6FKRROV DQG PDQ\ ORFDO EXVLQHVV- HV GHSHQG RQ WLPEHU GROODUV WKDW DUH IDGLQJ IDVW 7LPEHU GROODUV OHQW greatly to the economy of Grant &RXQW\$SHUFHQWDJHRIWLPEHUURDG construction and reconstruction dol- ODUV DOVR FDPH EDFN LQWR WKH ORFDO HFRQRP\ ,Q WKH ODVW \HDUV WKH )RUHVW 6HUYLFH KDV GRQH DZD\ ZLWK DOO EXW D PLQXVFXOH DPRXQW RI URDG construction and reconstruction and RQO\GRURDGPDLQWHQDQFH±QRGRO- ODUVWR*UDQW&RXQW\±UHJDUGOHVVRI WKHFRQGLWLRQRIWKHURDGVXVHG7KH\ DUHKRDUGLQJWKHLUPRQH\QRZWRSXW XSURDGFORVXUHVLJQVJDWHVEHUPV tank traps, or restrictions on your SXEOLF DFFHVV URDGV WUDLOV VWRFN GULYHZD\V DQG E\ZD\V WKDW KDYH EHHQ KLVWRULFDOO\ DQG FXVWRPDULO\ XWLOL]HG E\ *UDQW &RXQW\ UHVLGHQWV 6R\RXFDQ¶WZDONWRKXQWRUUHFUH- ate? A former Malheur Forest super- YLVRUVXJJHVWHGWKDW\RXWKLQNDERXW JLYLQJ XS KXQWLQJ /RRNV OLNH KH LV ZHOORQKLVZD\WRDWWDLQLQJKLVJRDO ,NQRZDFRQWLQJHQWRI(DVWHUQ 2UHJRQYHWVZKRVHDJHVUDQJHIURP WKH ::,,HUD IRUZDUG WKDW ZRXOG ORYHWRKHDUWKDWVHQWLPHQW 6R GLG \RX YRWH LQ VRPHRQH ZKRKHOG WKH OLG RII WKH HFRQRP\ SLSHOLQH VR WKH IHGHUDO JRYHUQ- ment could trash that economy? :DLWLQJ WR VHH KRZ WKH VFKRRO district crams 12 grades into one EXLOGLQJ" 6SRUWV SURJUDPV PLJKW EHWKHQH[WWRJR6KRXOGZHFKHHU WKDW *UDQW &RXQW\ UDQNV ³QXPEHU RQH´RQWKHXQHPSOR\PHQWVFDOH" 3HUKDSV ZH FDQ DOO VWDQG E\ DQG ZDWFK RXU HOHFWHG RIILFLDOV ZKR GUHDP RI IXUWKHULQJ WKHLU RZQ DJHQGDWUHDGZDWHUZKHQWKHLUUDIW RISROLWLFDOWLHVDEDQGRQVWKHPWR VLQNZLWKWKHUHVWRIXV Bob Kerr &DQ\RQ&LW\ L etters policy: Letters to the Editor is a forum for Blue Mountain Eagle readers to express themselves on local, state, national or world issues. Brevity is good, but longer letters will be asked to be contained to 350 words. No personal attacks; challenge the opinion, not the person. No thank-you letters. Submissions to this page become property of the Eagle. The Eagle reserves the right to edit letters for length and for content. Letters must be original and signed by the writer. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers should include a telephone number so they can be reached for questions. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Send letters to editor@bmeagle.com, or Blue Mountain Eagle, 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845; or fax to 541-575-1244. W HERE TO WRITE Salem *RY-RKQ.LW]KDEHU'²6WDWH &DSLWRO6DOHP3KRQH )D[ 2UHJRQ/HJLVODWXUH²6WDWH&DSLWRO 6DOHP3KRQH 6WDWH 5HS &OLII %HQW] 52Q- WDULR 'LVWULFW 5RRP + 6WDWH&DSLWRO&RXUW6W1( 6DOHP 25 3KRQH (PDLOUHSFOLIIEHQW]# VWDWHRUXV 6WDWH6HQ7HG)HUULROL5²'LV- trict 30) Room S-223, State Capitol, 6DOHP 3KRQH (PDLO VHQWHGIHUULROL#VWDWHRUXV (PDLO7)(5#DROFRP3KRQH