A4 Opinion Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, January 11, 2017 Brown’s priorities take steps toward unity, bipartisanship G ov. Kate Brown outlined three priorities in her inaugural speech Monday, which — if she and the 2017 Legislature achieve them — could dramatically improve Oregon: • Create more and better jobs in rural Oregon. • Expand health insurance so all Oregon children are covered. • Improve Oregon’s dismal rate of high school graduation. Brown’s nearly two-year tenure as governor has been a decidedly mixed record, pleasing to liberal and urban Oregonians and frustrating to conservative and rural residents. Monday’s speech could be a welcome turning point for Democrat Brown, who now is an elected governor instead of an appointed one. Her speech was bipartisan, pragmatic and focused, avoiding her penchant for pursuing dozens of ideas. Much of urban Oregon has recovered well from the recession. As Brown put it, “For those living in urban Oregon, it seems like the economy is growing like a gangly teenage boy: overnight and out of control. “For the fi rst time in almost two decades, the statewide unemployment rate dropped below the national average. News outlets from Forbes to Fortune to Bloomberg are writing glowing profi les of Oregon’s job-producing economy.” Yet, she said, “there is a disturbing gap between the unemployment rate in urban Oregon and rural Oregon.” One antidote is the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center, which is being developed in Scappoose, thanks to the determination of Sen. Betsy Johnson. Twelve large manufacturers have made commitments to the center. Some are interested in opening their own facilities in Scappoose. But Brown also sees other opportunities for rural economic development, starting with preparing for the Big One. At least 100 coastal bridges would be destroyed or severely damaged in that inevitable major earthquake. Seismic retrofi tting of coastal bridges and roads would create good, family-wage jobs. So too would improving U.S. 97, which would become the state’s major north-south arterial when the big quake makes Interstate 5 impassable. Brown also spoke of the importance of water projects for agriculture, such as in the Umatilla Basin, and of increased timber harvests on U.S. Forest Service land. All these projects make sense — if the governor and Legislature will follow through. “By leveraging the human, material and natural resources that once made our rural communities the most prosperous in the state, we have a real chance to tackle the economic fault line that has split our state in two,” Brown said. There is a side benefi t as well, one that Brown did not dwell on. More jobs and better- paying ones mean more tax revenue for the state, not just economic improvement for families and communities. State government and schools face a projected $1.7 billion defi cit in 2017-19 — if all programs were to be maintained at their current level. The biggest challenge facing this year’s Legislature is to balance that state budget, including paying for health care and education. A healthy economy throughout rural Oregon would be a blessing for the entire state. L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR Each of us can make Grant County better To the Editor: My horse stepped on my little toe and broke it. To move my foot was an experience that lasted for at least two weeks. In all these years, I have taken my little toe for granted; it was just there. I’ve never made New Year’s resolutions, but think- ing about how I take my eyes, nose, ears, hands and my beating heart for granted, I decided to make a resolution for 2017. When I wake up in the morning, I will try to not take for granted that I am alive, that each day is important, is a gift, that everyone I meet, friend, someone I don’t agree with, or someone I don’t know, is important, that this county we live in, with its one stoplight, the forest, the river and every one of us who live here is important. In many small ways, each of us can make the quality of our lives and Grant Coun- ty better each day of the year. Jim Bahrenburg Kimberly State disbanded Public Forest Commission W HERE TO W RITE 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. • Long Creek — P.O. Box 489, Long Creek 97856. Phone: 541-421-3601. Fax: 541-421-3075. Email: info@cityofl ong- creek.com. • Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monument Blue Mountain EAGLE P UBLISHED EVERY W EDNESDAY BY 97864. Phone and fax: 541-934-2025. Email: cityofmonument@centurytel.net. • Mt. Vernon — 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: senecaoregon@gmail.com. SALEM • Gov. Kate Brown, D — 254 State Capitol, Salem 97310. Phone: 503-378- 3111. Fax: 503-378-6827. Website: www. governor.state.or.us/governor.html. • Oregon Legislature — State Capitol, Salem, 97310. Phone: (503) 986-1180. Web- site: www. leg.state.or.us (includes Oregon Constitution and Oregon Revised Statutes). To the Editor: John George’s (Jan. 4) letter contains numerous errors. I’d like to correct several of them here. I didn’t disband the Public For- est Commission. The state did, after it found the measure which estab- lished the Commission to be un- constitutional. I simply brought the matter to the state’s attention per the legally appropriate venue. Nor did I, as George claims, seek to disband the Commission because it could be used to “coordinate on projects in the county” and put me out of work. The Commission never enjoyed coordination status. Indeed, it’s surprising folks make such a claim: The Public Forest Commission was estab- lished to manage all public lands in Grant County, not represent county residents or coordinate with the Forest Service about how they manage public lands. I’ve provided the Eagle with copies of the information original- ly submitted to the County Clerk for ballot review, the ballot title as fi nally approved by the DA and accepted by Chief Petitioner Dave Traylor, and the 2002 ballot mea- sure county electors approved. I hope the Eagle posts this informa- tion and readers review it. Folks who do will fi nd that I am right about the Commission. Ironically, no Commission member ever did the job voters au- thorized and elected them to do. In- stead, some worked constructively with the Forest Service in a repre- sentative fashion, but most simply groused about the agency. That changed in 2015 when the complainers began to think and behave as if they could order the Forest Service (and County Court) around. That’s also when several Commission members worked with Sheriff Palmer in secret to create land use laws intended to control the agency, and later participated in efforts to expand the militia occupa- tion occurring in Harney County to Grant County. Such actions refl ect an unaccept- able disregard for state and federal laws, government overreach of the worst sort, and a willingness to compromise public safety in Grant County for personal gain. Good reasons, I thought, to bring the Public Forest Commission’s le- gal status to the state’s attention. On review, the state disbanded the Commission because it was uncon- stitutional. And now Grant County is better off. Mark Webb Mt. Vernon Editor’s note: The documents Webb submitted with his letter are available to view with the online version at myeaglenews.com. Refuge occupation ‘awakened thousands’ To the Editor: An open letter to Judge Brown: My original letter to you was meant as a private communication, pointing out some of the daunting liabilities the government would face in any second Malheur trial. I had hoped, as I said, that you would see discretion over valor, and write off the whole can of worms. It ap- pears now that those discredited conspiracy theorists Knight, Bar- row and Gabriel will resume their Quixotic tilting, this in the face of an across-the-board exoneration of we, the fi rst seven. The government boys have passed by any avenue toward face-saving and cost-saving retreat. Isn’t some mature intervention called for? Our rural electrifi cation project has awakened thousands, a mag- nifi cent camaraderie, lifting us in a cause greater than ourselves. Tell- ing to note the expanse of terrain we have “occupied” in the Beaver State psyche, and in minds, and hearts, across the nation. How is it that a strong contender for Oregon per- son of the year could also be held on federal charges? Every vote for Ammon would say that the federal culture is a sick, alternate reality, a through-the-looking-glass world, divorced from and inimical to we the people. We would also assert the era of coercive bureaucratic tyranny has reached fi n die Siecle, and must be ended. Those “swarms of agents sent out to harass us and eat out our substance” will have to fi nd honest work — elsewhere. Black comedy plays out in Hatfield Courthouse, with the government busily destroying its credibility as it desperately tries to save it. Regardless of the out- come of this second Malheur trial, a higher, more enduring, verdict will be rendered, one that weighs accused and accuser alike. It will be the verdict of history. And we will write it. Neil Wampler Los Osos, California Editor’s note: Wampler was one of seven defendants acquitted of federal conspiracy charges related to the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Harney County in 2016. 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 P UBLISHER ............................... M ARISSA W ILLIAMS , MARISSA @ BMEAGLE . COM E DITOR .................................... S EAN H ART , EDITOR @ BMEAGLE . COM A DMINISTRATIVE A SSISTANT ........ J ACKIE O SBORNE , JACKIE @ BMEAGLE . COM R EPORTER ............................... R YLAN B OGGS , RYLAN @ BMEAGLE . COM C OMMUNITY N EWS .................... A NGEL C ARPENTER , ANGEL @ BMEAGLE . COM S PORTS ................................... A NGEL C ARPENTER , ANGEL @ BMEAGLE . COM M ARKETING R EP ....................... K IM K ELL , ADS @ BMEAGLE . COM O FFICE M ANAGER ..................... L INDSAY B ULLOCK , OFFICE @ BMEAGLE . COM 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION RATES (including online access) Grant County .....................................$40 Everywhere else in U.S. .....................$51 Outside Continental U.S. ....................$60 Subscriptions must be paid prior to delivery MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION Email: www.MyEagleNews.com Phone: 541-575-0710 Periodicals Postage Paid at John Day and additional mailing offi ces. POSTMASTER send address changes to: Blue Mountain Eagle 195 N. Canyon Blvd. John Day, OR 97845-1187 USPS 226-340 Copyright © 2017 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. www.facebook.com/MyEagleNews @MyEagleNews