The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current, June 14, 2017, Image 4

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The Blue Mountain eagle., June 14, 2017, Page A4, Image 4

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Newspaper Page TextA4 Opinion Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, June 14, 2017 In search for compromise, Gov. Brown must lead G ov. Kate Brown faces a legacy-defining choice as the 2017 Legislature enters its final weeks: Will she put the good of Oregon ahead of her quest for re- election next year? The answer matters deeply for Oregonians. For this year’s legislative session to succeed, Brown must stand up to public-employee unions and their allies. The unions and some Democrats on the left seem so insistent on getting their own way that they would rather sink the ship of state than accommodate reasonable, meaningful compromise. The difficulty for Brown is that she counts on their money and grass-roots activism for her 2018 election campaign, to which she already is devoting considerable time. At stake in 2017 are statewide transportation improvements, taxes, and cost savings in the Public Employees Retirement System and other areas. As Scappoose Sen. Betsy Johnson, a moderate Democrat, and other veteran legislators have noted, this year’s big issues appear far more intertwined than in the past. That makes it easier for any interest group or partisan bloc to thwart progress everywhere if they don’t get their way in one area. The latest example is the Service Employees International Union’s threat to overturn the Legislature’s transportation-infrastructure package, which has been a priority for Democrats and Republicans alike, unless legislators pass a suitable tax package to help schools and human services. This is last fall’s ballot fight being replayed. In the aftermath of its decisive but divisive defeat of Ballot Measure 97, the business community has been unable to coalesce and work with unions on an alternative. As a result, SEIU, the Oregon Education Association and their allies are continuing their push to dramatically increase business taxes. The SEIU contends that Oregon should increase revenue for schools and human services before raising taxes and fees for transportation projects. That is a rational viewpoint. But it would be irrational to fight the transportation package at the ballot box — as the SEIU said it might do — if its preferred revenue plan fails in the Legislature. The Democratic majority in the Legislature needs Republican votes to pass any tax package. Republicans want meaningful cost savings, including PERS reforms beyond the meager proposal unveiled last week. Republicans, especially in the Senate, are steadfast against the unions’ preferred gross receipts tax — a commercial activity tax — to replace Oregon’s existing corporate income tax. That plan would create such winners and losers that some companies could see their tax bills triple. Centrist legislators are floating an alternative that deserves consideration: Temporarily raise corporate and personal income taxes to deal with the state’s budget hole. That is not a long-term solution to Oregon’s unstable, unpredictable tax system. But neither is it a wrong- way trip into the unintended tax consequences of a new business tax that, even if it is doable, needs far more work. Brown endorsed the transportation package this week. That is a welcome step but by itself an inadequate one. Oregonians need her to campaign not for re- election but for a worthwhile transportation package, meaningful PERS reforms and pragmatic tax decisions. Success will require passion, persuasiveness and willingness to defy her past allies. F ARMER ’ S F ATE My bonbon life By Brianna Walker To the Blue Mountain Eagle “Boy, what a life you have!” the woman remarked. I put the cap back on the sy- ringe, and stuck it into the pocket on my coveralls. “Yep,” I replied, “I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” The woman nodded her head, “I mean, really, you are lucky, because you have more time than most peo- ple do.” “More time?” I suddenly real- ized where she was going with this. “I thought we all had the same allot- ted 24 hours?” “Oh you know what I mean,” she said. I raised an eyebrow. “Well, you don’t have to go to work,” she said exasperatedly, “which gives you time that most people don’t have. Time that allows you to do crafts and projects or just whatever you want to do. Most peo- ple don’t have that, you know.” I smiled a fake smile, “Well, speaking of time, I need to get back to vaccinating these sheep.” “Yeah, I need to get some stuff taken care of too,” she smiled. “Af- ter all, some of us have to work for a living!” It was a beautiful day to work the animals. I kicked the mud off my Muck boots as I climbed back over the rickety fence. I really should ﬁ x that thing, I mumbled to myself. Good thing I have all the time in the world to do it. So in all my free time — in be- tween watching soaps and eating bonbons — I de- cided to write up a bonbon recipe for all the women in agriculture that Brianna “are really lucky” Walker because they have “more time than most people do.” My bonbon recipe • Start with coffee. This is an im- portant ﬁ rst step. • Mix in something for breakfast. You can substitute coffee for this step if you choose. • Brush your teeth. You can use coffee for this step as well. This is known as multi-tasking. • The fuel ﬁ lter on the tractor is back ordered, and the battery on the ATV is dead, so you pack hay to the animals by hand. • Read the “to do” list you made last night and start on the ﬁ rst one. • Before you complete the ﬁ rst item on your list, answer the phone to discover another tractor has bro- ken down and the closest part is three hours away. • Drink another cup of coffee. It’s going to be a long day. (Good thing farmers have more time than most people). • Load up the kids. Bring their schoolwork along — may as well get their reading done on the drive. • Six hours later, part in hand, it’s time to ﬁ nd some food for lunch. • Gourmet, home-cooked, all natural sounds great, but everyone’s stomachs are growling, and the “to do” list hasn’t even been started on. So gourmet soup out of a can works. And coffee. • Finally ready to climb in the tractor, where you will disc and play ﬂ ash cards with the kids — at least until it’s too dark in the cab to see what 9x3 is. • Upon arriving home, feed the animals, feed the kids, restart the washing machine (maybe if you’re lucky you’ll get it in the dryer this time). • Make another “to do” list for tomorrow. Basically, just add a few more things to your existing list — as you never even checked off the ﬁ rst item. If you can, set your coffee pot for the next morning. A rancher friend once told me the reason she drinks so much coffee is because she’s too poor to buy alcohol. • Sit down to pay bills and hear a loud commotion outside. There are sheep prancing on porch, which awakened the cats, which awakened the rooster, which awakened the hound — insert phone call — which has now awakened the neighbors. • Drink coffee, sleep when you can, repeat every day. Slight varia- tions may occur in different eleva- tions, seasons or the type of agricul- ture you ﬁ nd yourself in. The woman was right about one thing, though. I wouldn’t know what to do with a 40 hour work week. Forget 9-5. Farmers and ranch- ers prefer 5-life. L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR Access to public lands To the Editor: “Access,” as deﬁ ned by Webster, is: approach, admittance, admission or accessibility. The issue of access keeps raising its head. Access to our public lands by existing roads and trails. Public lands, not Forest Service lands or BLM lands. These agencies have no lands. They are public servants hired to care for public lands consistent with local county land use plans and policies. The Federal Land Management and Policy Act, section 202(c)(9), re- quires this. Let’s hear the conclusion of this matter. Grant County Ordinance 2013-01 states: all roads, trails, stock driveways and byways across public lands in Grant County...shall remain open...unless otherwise au- thorized for closure by the Grant County Court and the Grant Coun- ty sheriff. I ask the Grant County Court to see that these public em- ployees adhere to their own creed of “caring for the land and serving the people.” Michael R. Christensen John Day L Blue Mountain USPS 226-340 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. EAGLE W HERE TO W RITE Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper Email: www.MyEagleNews.com Phone: 541-575-0710 John Day, Oregon MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION P UBLISHER E DITOR A DMINISTRATIVE A SSISTANT R EPORTER C OMMUNITY N EWS S PORTS M ARKETING R EP O FFICE M ANAGER Marissa Williams, marissa@bmeagle.com Sean Hart, editor@bmeagle.com Caitlin Brooks, caitlin@bmeagle.com Rylan Boggs, rylan@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 Periodicals Postage Paid at John Day and additional mailing ofﬁ ces. 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 POSTMASTER — send address changes to Blue Mountain Eagle 195 N. Canyon Blvd. John Day, OR 97845-1187 Copyright © 2017 Blue Mountain Eagle All rights reserved. No part of this publication cov- ered 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 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 ongcreek. com. • Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monument 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.gover- nor.state.or.us/governor.html. • Oregon Legislature — State Capitol, Salem, 97310. Phone: (503) 986-1180. Website: www. leg.state.or.us (includes Oregon Constitution and Oregon Revised Statutes). • State Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario (District: 60), Room H-475, State Capitol, 900 Court St. N.E., Salem OR 97301. Phone: 503- 986-1460. Email: rep.cliffbentz@state.or.us. Website: www.leg. state.or.us/bentz/home.htm. • State Sen. Ted Ferrioli, R — (District 30) Room S-223, State Capitol, Salem 97310. Phone: 503-986-1950. Email: sen.tedferri- oli@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. • The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20500; Phone-comments: 202-456-1111; Switchboard: 202- 456-1414. • U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D — 516 Hart Senate Ofﬁ ce Building, Washington D.C. 20510. Phone: 202-224-5244. Email: wayne_ kinney@wyden.senate.gov Website: http://wyden.senate.gov Fax: 202-228-2717. • U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D — 313 Hart Senate Ofﬁ ce Building, Washington D.C. 20510?. Phone: 202-224-3753. Email: senator@ merkley.senate.gov. Fax: 202-228-3997. Oregon ofﬁ ces include One World Trade Center, 121 S.W. Salmon St., Suite 1250, Port- land, OR 97204; and 310 S.E. Second St., Suite 105, Pendleton, OR 97801. Phone: 503-326-3386; 541-278-1129. Fax: 503-326- 2990. • U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R — (Second District) 1404 Long- worth Building, Washington D.C. 20515. Phone: 202-225-6730. No direct email because of spam. Website: www.walden.house.gov Fax: 202-225-5774. Medford ofﬁ ce: 14 North Central, 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.