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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 10, 2016)
A10 State Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, August 10, 2016 Brown endorses gross receipts tax By Paris Achen Capital Bureau Gov. Kate Brown announced Thursday that she is endorsing a controversial corporate sales tax measure on November’s ballot. Initiative Petition 28, on track to be called Measure 97 on the ballot, levies a 2.5-percent tax on certain corporations’ Oregon gross receipts exceeding $25 million. “I have spent my career ighting to make Oregon a place where ev- eryone can thrive,” Brown said in a statement. “I support Measure 97 be- cause there is a basic unfairness in our tax system that makes working families pay an increasing share for state and local ser- vices, including pub- lic schools, senior ser- vices, and health care. Gov. Kate By some measures, Brown Oregon is among the lowest in corporate taxes, and Oregonians expect every- one to pay their fair share.” The tax would pour an estimated $3 billion a year into state coffers but slow job growth and bump up con- sumer prices, according to the non- partisan Legislative Revenue Ofice. AG seeks reforms in public records law ment these suggested reforms without the active support and involvement of our governor and the Legislature,” Rosen- blum said in a statement. The Attorney General’s Ofice will accept comments about the proposal from jour- nalists and the public at an Aug. 18 hearing in Bend. The task force that recom- mended the changes to the public records law includes journalists, state and local governments, other interest groups and individuals. Rosenblum formed the task force in September to re- view and simplify more than 500 exemptions to the public records law and to ind ways to make records more accessi- ble to the public. The task force also plans to examine the fees that pub- lic bodies charge for records and consider whether the state should create a posi- tion to help the public access records from state govern- ment, said Michael Kron, special counsel to the attor- ney general. who has head- ed up the public records law review. By Paris Achen Capital Bureau Legislation headed for the 2017 session would set clearer deadlines for public agencies to respond to public records request, give priority to the public’s right to access records and provide a manual for understanding exemptions to disclosure. Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum proposed the re- forms to the public records law based on recommen- dations by a task force she formed about nine months ago. The proposal gives public agencies a ive-day deadline to acknowledge receipt of public records requests and 10 days to either furnish records or pro- vide a reason for the delay. The Attorney General’s Ofice also would be required to maintain a catalog of disclosure exemp- tions and make that available free of charge to the public. The language in the legislation also gives priority to the pub- lic’s right to know. “It is important to empha- size that we cannot imple- “Our state cannot move forward and meet Oregon’s growing needs over the next decade without a stable revenue base,” Brown said Thursday. “Measure 97 is an important step forward, and I will make sure the funds the measure yields go towards schools, health care, and seniors, as the voters expect. “State leaders before me have repeatedly tried and failed to solve the problem of adequate and stable funding for schools and other state services. Every solution has had strengths and weaknesses in terms of fairness and economic impact. None has succeeded in bringing the busi- ness community, individual and fam- ily taxpayers, service providers, and advocates together.” Bud Pierce, Brown’s Republican challenger in November’s governor’s race, said he was disappointed that Brown is supporting what would be the largest sales tax increase in Ore- gon’s history. “If passed, this tax increase would greatly raise the cost of living in Ore- gon,” Pierce said in a statement. “Ev- eryone, including low-income fami- lies would be paying on average more than $1,800 (sic) per family more for goods and services. A tax increase like this will not help anyone. It will hurt low-income families in Oregon the most.” The Legislative Revenue Ofice estimated that the tax would cause price increases that would cost a family earning median income more than $600 more per year in the form of increased prices on daily needs, such as food, fuel and electricity. Brown said that state leaders have repeatedly failed to come up with an- other solution to Oregon’s unstable funding system for schools and other state services. “Every solution has had strengths and weaknesses in terms of fairness and economic impact,” she said. Portland students to learn about ag, rangeland at Unity school By Eric Mortenson EO Media Group Burnt River School’s in- vitation to Portland students paid off, and the rural East- ern Oregon school will host up to eight urban kids when classes begin next fall, and eight more in the spring, “It’s happening,” Super- intendent Lorrie Andrews said. The district is arranging places for the students to stay while in school. The school, which had a total of 34 students in 2015-16, offers the Burnt River Inte- grated Agriculture/Science Research Ranch program, or BRIARR, a dip into the ag and natural resource issues common to the area. The K-12 public charter school is in Unity, about 50 miles east of John Day. Students will learn about animal production science, sustainable rangeland sci- ence and forest restoration studies, and do water quality monitoring with the Powder Contributed photo/Burnt River School District The entire student body and staff of Burnt River School poses on picture day in September 2015. The small, Eastern Oregon school will host up to eight Portland high school students this fall to teach them about agriculture. Basin Watershed Council. The invitation to Portland students was intended to help bridge the urban-rural divide, but it could help the dis- trict inancially, as well. The state provides districts about $7,100 per student, and that funding follows the student during their time in the rural district. Portland Public Schools sent an email to its high school families last spring, telling them of the opportunity, and Andrews received about two dozen email queries within a couple days. After clearing interviews and securing placement with host families, eight girls will attend the school fall semes- ter, and eight boys will attend in spring. Legislators, friends mourn death of state Sen. Alan Bates By Paris Achen Capital Bureau Oregon state Sen. Alan Bates, a physician who rep- resented Southern Oregon for 15 years, died Friday. Bates, 71, of Ashland, died suddenly while on a ishing trip with his son. Senate President Peter Courtney conirmed his death early Saturday. Courtney said he learned of Bates’ death late Friday from Gov. Kate Brown. His family issued a state- ment Saturday indicating that Bates’ death was unexpected. Bates served in the Senate since 2004 and served for four years before that in the House. “We are comforted in the fact that he passed after a day of doing something he loved: Fly ishing with his son,” Bates’ family said. “We will always think of him when we hear the sound of the river, feel the summer sunlight and see a ly line cast upon the water.” Bates practiced for more than 30 years as a primary care physician in Medford, his family said. He is credited with saving lives both in his practice and at the Capitol. Sen. Alan Olsen, a Republican from Canby, said Bates saved his life when he had a heart attack in 2015 at the Capitol, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported early Saturday. “What are we going to do without Doc?” Courtney asked. “He was always there to take care of us and all Or- egon. “Along with his family, we are stunned and sad.” Your Rural Fa mily Health Clinic Grant County HEALTH Department 528 E. Main, St. E, John Day Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm Every other Monday in John Day at Blue Mountain Hospital Karen Triplett, FNP Services Provided: 170 Ford Rd. • 541-575-1311 • Primary Care • Acute Care • Women’s Health Exams • Men and Children Exams • Immunizations • Family Planning • Contraception • Pregnancy Testing & Referrals • HIV Testing & Referrals • Cacoon • WIC • High Risk Infants • Maternity Case Management Grant County Health Department does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, or age in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services and activitie s, or in employment. Appointments available Call and schedule your appointment today! TOLL FREE 888-443-9104 or 541-575-0429 Employment Opportunity Job opening for Program Manager for John Day Canyon City Parks and Recreation. Hourly rate of $15-$20 year round full time. General Purpose administers, plans, directs and manages the activities and operations of youth and adult recreational programs. Full job description can be picked up at Gleason Pool. Please submit a cover letter and resume to email address at mailto:canyoncitypark@centurytel.net or drop off at Gleason Pool to Kimberly Ward. For more information call 541-575-9930. Job open July 21- August 15, 2016. Before joining the Legis- lature, Bates, a Vietnam War veteran, served 10 years on the Eagle Point School Board and two years on the gover- nor’s task force on quality ed- ucation. As a member of the state’s Health Services Com- mission for several years, he was instrumental in the for- mation of the Oregon Health Plan. The Senate Democrats Of- ice praised Bates for his pol- icy and leadership on health care, education, the environ- ment and the state’s budget and bringing opposing sides together. In a statement released Sat- urday morning, Brown indi- cated she plans to order lags lowered in honer of the long- time statesman. “Alan was a close friend, a statesman, and a doctor who was deeply com- mitted to ensuring that every Oregonian had access to health care,” Brown said. “He left an indelible impression on Ore- gon, and I will miss him for- ever.” U.S. Sen. Jeff Merk- ley, who served with Bates during his ive terms in the Oregon House, praised Bates as “a good man, a wonderful friend, and a powerful voice in the Legislature.” “It was a pleasure to serve with him,” Merkley said. “His leadership and expertise will be deeply missed. Mary and I are holding his family in our hearts.” Oregon House Republican Leader Mike McLane and Medford Representative Sal Esquivel also remembered Bates as “a truly selless public servant” and “a statesman.” “Our hearts are in mourn- ing today as we grieve the loss of our friend,” McLane said. “Sen. Bates was a man of enormous integrity and a truly selless public servant. He touched the lives of thou- sands of Oregonians through his work as both a senator and family physician. “On behalf of House Re- publicans, I extend the deepest condolences to Senator Bates’ family and to his colleagues and friends in the Senate. He will be dearly missed by many.” “The sudden passing of Dr. Bates is a great loss for our community and the state of Oregon,” Esquivel said. “He was always a statesman and it was an honor serving with a fellow Vietnam veteran and a gentleman.” Debbie Ausmus 245 South Canyon Blvd. John Day, OR 97845 OPEN WED. & THUR. 9 am - 5 pm 541-575-1113 24 hrs/7 days wk debbie.ausmus@ countryfinancial.com
