A4
Opinion
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Minimum wage
plan better than
the alternative
P
olitics is renowned
for being the art of the
possible. That is the most
appropriate way of looking at
the minimum wage law that
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown
signed last Thursday.
The law — which schedules
pay increases within three tiers
of counties across the state —
was designed to head off more
extreme plans, such as the $15
Now campaign. The new law
lowers the wage threshold for
businesses in counties outside
the state’s hottest economies. It
also gives those businesses time
to adjust.
Grant County and most
Eastern Oregon counties are
in the lowest tier. In July, the
minimum wage across the state
will move from $9.25 to $9.75.
Then, Grant County’s minimum
wage will climb in steps,
reaching $12.50 over six years.
Negotiations over these
tiers were done behind closed
doors. There was no hearing to
explain them. Paris Achen of
our statehouse bureau reports
that legislators looked “at
how much was needed in each
FRXQW\WREHVHOIVXI¿FLHQW
The research comes out of the
University of Washington.”
The Center for Women’s
Welfare at UW says that, “The
6HOI6XI¿FLHQF\6WDQGDUG
GH¿QHVKRZPXFKIDPLOLHV
need to meet basic needs
without the help of public or
private assistance.”
So the price of housing is
one of the major variants in
separating Oregon counties.
We still do not know precisely
how legislators inside the room
decided where to draw the line
between the tiers. Legislative
leaders should tell us about
that.
For many Grant County
small- and mid-sized business,
paying a rising minimum wage
will be a squeeze. It should be
VDLGKRZHYHUWKDWWKH¿QDQFLDO
demand of the new law will
be easier to bear than what
was planned for the November
ballot.
The chief petitioners of an
initiative to raise the minimum
wage to $15 across the entire
state in three years decided
to end their campaign after
the tiered plan was approved.
Although many business
owners may believe the
tiered plan goes too far, it
was certainly better than the
alternative.
If you are a pragmatist and
a realist, this was a decent
outcome within Oregon’s
political climate.
W HERE TO WRITE
GRANT COUNTY
Grant County Courthouse — 201
S. Humbolt St., Suite 280, Canyon City
97820. Phone: 541-575-0059. Fax: 541-
575-2248.
Canyon City — P.O. Box 276, Canyon
City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0509. Fax:
541-575-0515. Email: tocc1862@centu-
rylink.net.
Dayville — P.O. Box 321, Dayville
97825. Phone: 541-987-2188. Fax: 541-
987-2187. Email:dville@ortelco.net
John Day — 450 E. Main St, John Day,
97845. Phone: 541-575-0028. Fax: 541-
575-1721. Email: cityjd@centurytel.net.
/RQJ&UHHN — P.O. Box 489, Long
Creek 97856. Phone: 541-421-3601. Fax:
(PDLOLQIR#FLW\RÀRQJ-
creek.com.
Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monu-
ment 97864. Phone and fax: 541-934-
2025. Email: monument@oregontrail.net.
0W9HUQRQ — P.O. Box 647, Mt.
Vernon 97865. Phone: 541-932-4688. Fax:
541-932-4222. Email: cmtv@ortelco.net.
Prairie City — P.O. Box 370, Prairie
City 97869. Phone: 541-820-3605. Fax:
820-3566. Email: pchall@ortelco.net.
Seneca — P.O. Box 208, Seneca
97873. Phone and fax: 541-542-2161.
Email: cityseneca@centurytel.net.
SALEM
Oregon Legislature — State Capitol,
Salem, 97310. Phone: (503) 986-1180.
Website: www. leg.state.or.us (includes
Oregon Constitution and Oregon Revised
Statutes).
6WDWH5HS&OLII%HQW]5-Ontario (Dis-
trict: 60), Room H-475, State Capitol, 900
Court St. N.E., Salem OR 97301. Phone:
503-986-1460. Email: rep.cliffbentz@state.
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
P UBLISHED EVERY
W EDNESDAY BY
or.us. Website: www.leg.state.or.us/bentz/
home.htm.
6WDWH6HQ7HG)HUULROL5 — (District
30) Room S-223, State Capitol, Salem
97310. Phone: 503-986-1950. Email: sen.
tedferrioli@state.or.us. Email: TFER2@
aol.com. Phone: 541-490-6528. Website:
www.leg.state.or.us/ferrioli.
Oregon Legislative Information —
(For updates on bills, services, capitol
or messages for legislators) — 800-332-
2313.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
866HQ5RQ:\GHQ D — 516 Hart
6HQDWH2I¿FH%XLOGLQJ:DVKLQJWRQ'&
20510. Phone: 202-224-5244. Email:
wayne_kinney@wyden.senate.gov
Website: http://wyden.senate.gov Fax:
202-228-2717.
866HQ-HII0HUNOH\'— 313 Hart
6HQDWH2I¿FH%XLOGLQJ:DVKLQJWRQ'&
20510?. Phone: 202-224-3753. Email:
senator@merkley.senate.gov. Fax: 202-
2UHJRQRI¿FHVLQFOXGH2QH
World Trade Center, 121 S.W. Salmon St.,
Suite 1250, Portland, OR 97204; and 310
S.E. Second St., Suite 105, Pendleton, OR
97801. Phone: 503-326-3386; 541-278-
1129. Fax: 503-326-2990.
865HS*UHJ:DOGHQ5 — (Second
District) 1404 Longworth Building, Wash-
ington D.C. 20515. Phone: 202-225-6730.
No direct email because of spam. Website:
www.walden.house.gov Fax: 202-225-
0HGIRUGRI¿FH1RUWK&HQWUDO
Suite 112, Medford, OR 97501. Phone:
541-776-4646. Fax: 541-779-0204.
Pending Bills: For information on bills
in Congress, Phone: 202-225-1772.
L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR
Occupation
condemnation
in critical public safety positions
where their actions violate Oregon
statutes — a process labeled as
To the Editor:
“Electile Dysfunction.” Verbally
Now we can get tough; now orchestrated attacks on a popular
we are strong — now that it’s over and duly-elected constitution-
and all safe, let’s be heroes. Let’s al sheriff can be tracked through
come out now with a resolution of federal, state, county and one city
condemnation against the Malheur government as well as city/state
refuge occupation. It’s easy, no con- law enforcement, the constitution-
frontation, no argument from the ar- ally ignorant or apathetic and those
rested occupation protesters. Let’s feeding off our failing economy
make them accountable.
or reaching for social notoriety. A
Accountable: liable to be called local brainwashed county court-in-
to account; answerable; explicable spired crowd of alarmists were
— Syn. See responsible.
led to use biased media reporting
Now after the fact let’s investi- on a neighboring refuge occupa-
gate the whole matter and demand tion and baseless court resolution
responsibility, but what about our as an open door for the attack on
bravado, folks, in demanding an in- DODZHQIRUFHPHQWRI¿FHUWKDWWKH
vestigation into the Canyon Creek majority of Grant County residents
&RPSOH[ ¿UH" /HW¶V DVN IRU DF- duly elected. The politically driv-
countability now — after the fact. en Oregon Department of Justice
Stand up. Be heard.
and Department of Public Safe-
When there’s nothing to hide, all ty Standards and Training should
can be revealed quickly and easily. UHFRJQL]HWKHDI¿OLDWLRQVDQGJHR-
Maybe start with records of radio graphical locations of those people
communications between on the clamoring the loudest to replace
VLWH¿UH¿JKWHUVDQGFRPPDQGFHQ- our county law enforcement with a
ters. If you want to know what hap- more “agency friendly” candidate.
pened in a battle, ask the front-line “Agency friendly” is one who will
troops — not the generals — but ignore your constitutional rights in
maybe we don’t want to bite that favor of anti-constitutional federal
hand that feeds us!
laws supported by local govern-
P.S. If the county doesn’t want to ments that deny your rights of ac-
pay for investigation, let’s get up a cess to public lands and send minor
fund.
infraction violators to Pendleton to
Michael R. Christensen SD\ H[RUELWDQW ¿QHV WR WKH IHGHUDO
John Day government. All Grant County’s
elected city councilmen and -wom-
en should have been included be-
Peggy Gray will be
fore the dictatorial county court
made a decision that impacted all
hard to replace
county citizens. These elected city
To the Editor:
RI¿FLDOVKDYHEHHQLJQRUHGLQWKHLU
I was sorry to hear that our won- ULJKWDQGGXW\WRGHIHQGWKHLURI¿F-
derful city manager, Peggy Gray, is es and an equal voice in residential
retiring; she will be sorely missed government. To the cities within
DQG D FKDOOHQJH WR UHSODFH , ¿UVW Grant County: Silence is consent.
met Peggy about six years ago
Judy Kerr
when I moved here. I was alarmed
Canyon City
how dangerous the Trowbridge
Gully crossing was, especially at
night. I brought my concern to the No individual is
city council; Peggy was instrumen-
WDO LQ KDYLQJ UHÀHFWRUV LQVWDOOHG above the law
almost immediately. Every time I To the Editor:
cross the gully safely, I think fondly
Many are asking why on earth
of Peggy Gray.
would anybody dare to call Sheriff
Richie Colbeth 3DOPHUWRWDVNIRUKLVDFWLRQV"7KH
John Day answer is that no one individual or
group should consider themselves
above the law, especially an elected
‘Electile Dysfunction’ ODZ HQIRUFHPHQW RI¿FLDO ZKR KDV
been entrusted with all of his con-
To the Editor:
stituents’ safety, not just those who
6RPHSROLWLFDO¿JXUHVDQGVRFLDO happen to have the same opinions
bottom feeders should consider the and political viewpoints.
threat of social censure for their
There is an atmosphere of dis-
actions by the people who voted trust for government and public
WKHPLQWRRI¿FHRUDOORZHGWKHPWR RI¿FLDOV LQ WKLV FRXQWU\ 7KHUH DUH
manipulate federal and state agen- quotes such as “I have a pen and
cy interaction and environmental D SKRQH´ 6RXQG IDPLOLDU" ,W¶V QRW
collaboration. More often than much different on many local lev-
not, rumors from the biased media els, such as right here in Grant
and others striving for political or County. Our sheriff has repeatedly
¿QDQFLDO DGYDQFHPHQW DUH VWDUWHG refused to work with others, even
by people who have no chance of though they have their own realms
competing with those targeted on of authority and responsibilities.
OHYHO SOD\LQJ ¿HOGV 1RUPDO SHR- 7KLVKDVFRVWRXUFRXQW\GHDUO\¿-
ple don’t attempt to destroy oth- nancially and otherwise. Like it or
er people’s lives. Those that do not, we all need to work together.
should be shunned by society, not
Consorting with and encour-
HOHFWHG WR SXEOLF RI¿FH RU SODFHG aging the militia members while
:as ¿re investigation
too much to ask?
To the Editor:
The Blue Mountain Eagle,
March 2, 2016, cited cost, dura-
tion and objectivity as reasons for
the Grant County Court denying an
investigation into the initial Mason
6SULQJ DQG %HUU\ &UHHN ¿UHV WKDW
became the Canyon Creek Com-
SOH[¿UH
Cost: The court did not check
nor ask about what the investiga-
tion would cost. Would $5,000 as
an estimate be too much for the $50
million-plus the county has and in
YLHZ RI WKH PDQ\ PLOOLRQV WKH ¿UH
KDVFRVWFLWL]HQVLQORVVHV"
Duration: What has that got to
GR ZLWK DQ\WKLQJ" $ IHZ ZHHNV
perhaps months, maybe next week.
'XUDWLRQ"
Objectivity: Simple. Citizens
ZDQWWRNQRZZK\WZRVPDOO¿UHV
in two days time were not put out.
Is that too much to ask given the
devastation that occurred and the
danger Canyon City and John Day
ZLOO EH IDFLQJ LQ SRWHQWLDO ÀRRG-
LQJ"
Finally, the Circuit Court room
was packed and meeting held there
EHFDXVH WKH ¿UVW WZR DWWHPSWV IRU
WKH¿UHLQYHVWLJDWLRQKDGSHRSOHLQ
the hallways and not able to squeeze
in the County Court room. The Cir-
FXLW &RXUW URRP ZDV QRW ¿OOHG XS
because of the refuge resolution as
WKH(DJOHLQWLPDWHG,WZDVWKH¿UH
investigation that brought so many
people out.
Ken Moore
Mt. Vernon
See LETTERS, Page A5
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. We
must limit all contributors to one letter per person per month. 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.
Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper
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MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
Sheriff Palmer was on duty created
DQXQDFFHSWDEOHFRQÀLFWRILQWHUHVW
between his duties as our sheriff
and his role as a private citizen.
They broke the law, regardless of
how noble their cause may be per-
ceived to be by some. If I were to
rob a bank with the intention of giv-
ing the money to charity, that still
makes me a bank robber. The fact
remains that the moment they took
possession of the wildlife refuge,
they became criminals.
One of the very basic premises
I learned as a grade school kid in
Burns was that we are a nation of
laws. If those that are sworn to up-
hold those laws bend or break them
by consorting with known law-
breakers, they are no longer quali-
¿HG WR KROG VXFK D KLJK GHJUHH RI
responsibility.
The true heroes are the individ-
uals who showed enough strength
of character to do the right thing,
in the face of ugliness and threats.
These people are bound by their
oaths and consciences to uphold the
rule of law, and if they don’t report
unlawful behavior, regardless of
who, when or why, then they are
derelict in their duty to the public
they serve.
Dan E. Maynard Jr.
John Day
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