A4
Opinion
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Special session
about politics,
not policy
G
ov. Kate Brown is trying to have it both
ways. She’s taking a tax break from Oregon
businesses and she’s calling a special
legislative session to give businesses a tax break.
If that sounds like election-year posturing by a
governor who is seeking re-election, well, it is.
Brown riled Republicans and business leaders this
month by announcing she would sign Senate Bill 1528,
passed a few weeks ago by the Oregon Legislature.
The bill is a reaction to congressional passage late last
year of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
The federal law gave a tax cut to “pass-through”
entities — businesses whose profits or losses are
passed directly to the owners and counted as personal
income for taxation purposes. Such businesses
generally are organized as sole proprietorships, LLCs,
partnerships or S-corporations.
The state legislation, SB 1528, stops that tax break
from also applying to Oregon income taxes. As Brown
explained, such businesses still will get their federal
tax cut but not the same cut in their state income taxes.
Thus, the state will collect more tax revenue.
Brown said that’s not a tax increase, just a lack of
tax cut.
Opponents disagree. One of them, state Sen. Brian
Boquist, R-Dallas, confirmed this week that he will sue
the state over SB 1528.
Boquist contends the bill raises taxes and thus
needed a supermajority for passage in the Legislature.
Instead, Democrats in the Senate and House passed
it by simple majorities. Four Democrats joined all
Republicans in voting no.
Meanwhile, Brown now wants the Legislature to
hold a special session to give sole proprietorships a tax
break.
If this sounds confusing and purely political, well,
again it is.
During a special legislative session in 2013,
Democrats gained Republican support for the so-
called “Grand Bargain” by including a break for LLCs,
partnerships and S-corporations.
Sole proprietorships were left out of that deal, and
Brown now says that was unfair to them.
The 2019 Legislature could make that change, even
retroactively for this year. But Brown claims small
businesses need more certainty than that, and said
she would order lawmakers to hold a special session
before June 30 and ask them to broaden the 2013
small-business tax break to include sole proprietors.
Meanwhile, many of her fellow Democrats,
particularly in the state House, have been trying to
undo the overall 2013 tax break. And last week, Brown
would not commit to whether the 2013 tax break was
good long-term public policy. Neither was she ready
to discuss tax reform, which she previously said would
be a critical issue for the 2019 Legislature.
Boquist is right. Holding a special legislative
session is about politics, not good government policy.
L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR
Hamsher for
county judge
To the Editor:
I remember when I first came here,
in 1989, there was hardly a residence
for sale. The local economy was strong.
Sawmills were running multiple shifts.
There were no empty storefronts, and
there were twice as many gas stations as
we have now.
Over the next 20 years I watched our
population decline and our economy
erode. The thought crossed my mind,
many times, that I could move away to
a more populated area, and make at least
twice the money I make here. But it’s
such a trade-off! I love Grant County.
This is my home. I love the people here.
I love the land. I love the richness of life
our corner of the world has to offer.
Eventually I became interested in lo-
cal government, and have been a mem-
ber of the city council here in Prairie
City for about seven years. I have served
on the city council under three different
mayors, the most recent being our cur-
rent mayor, Jim Hamsher, which brings
us to the point of this letter.
Prior to Jim Hamsher’s mayorship,
Prairie City’s city council was pretty
much in a state of dysfunctionality. Lots
of bickering and dissent. Not much co-
hesiveness. Things were looking bleak.
Well, to make a long story short, it takes
good, strong leadership to create positive
results, and that’s what Jim has provided
— good strong leadership. Our council
meetings, under his direction, are prop-
erly run. Efficient and functional.
I attribute his leadership skills, di-
rectly, to the renewed effectiveness and
functionality of our city council.
I believe that if we elect Jim Hamsh-
er as our new county judge we will see
these same results in our county court.
I believe that effectiveness will be re-
stored to our county court, as well as a
positive change in the general demeanor
of the cour t toward the wishes and will
of our citizenry.
As stated earlier, it takes good, strong
leadership to get positive results. I be-
lieve that Jim Hamsher is the best choice
for county judge.
I invite you all to join me in voting for
Jim Hamsher as County Judge.
Les Church
Prairie City
Madden venue can’t
stay open without local
participation
USPS 226-340
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To the Editor:
Living in this community, we all see
what is happening to our local economy.
Businesses are closing down, people
are moving away and our community
is slowly fading away. I would like to
ask anyone who enjoys having live mu-
sic here in our county to show up to the
Madden Brothers Performing Arts Cen-
ter Friday, April 20, for the concert. The
last concert had very little turnout, and
the venue will not be able to stay open
without local participation. The Mad-
den family has invested so much time
and money into this venue in an effort
to better our community and give peo-
ple something fun to do around here.
The least we can do is show up and en-
joy ourselves! Please come support local
business.
Joe Rigney
Mt. Vernon
Second Amendment
rights in jeopardy
To the Editor:
Our Second Amendment rights are
in serious jeopardy! Two 2018 Oregon
state initiatives, 43 and 44, would drasti-
cally diminish our gun ownership rights.
Initiative 43 will require the registra-
tion, surrender or destruction of firearms
meeting a broad range of criteria. Failure to
comply with the regulations created by this
initiative will be prosecutable as a Class B
felony. Many of you own firearms meeting
the criteria outlined by this initiative.
Initiative 44 will require that all fire-
arms be equipped with trigger-locks or
stored in tamper-proof safes. This initia-
tive will render your firearms practically
useless in the case of self-defense, where
response time is critical. Imagine having
to take the time to remove a trigger-lock,
or rush to your gun safe when an intruder
is in your home!
The laws created by these initiatives
will only affect law-abiding citizens.
And given the high concentration of
liberals on Oregon’s west side, there’s a
high likelihood that both initiatives will
pass.
The good news is that we have re-
course, at the county level. Four Oregon
counties have already enacted ordinanc-
es protecting the Second Amendment
rights of their citizens (Coos, Curry,
Wallowa and Wheeler).
The Second Amendment Preservation
Ordinance makes it illegal for county re-
sources to be used in the enforcement of
laws infringing upon Second Amend-
ment rights. Ultimately, the enforcement
of these laws will be in the jurisdiction of
county law enforcement. This ordinance
will prevent county law enforcement
from carrying them out.
Such an ordinance could and should
be enacted in Grant County as well. It
will make it that much easier for Glenn
Palmer, a sheriff well known for his re-
spect of the Second Amendment, to pro-
tect our rights.
The best way of enacting such an
ordinance in Grant County will be
through the Grant County Court. If you
value your Second Amendment rights,
please encourage our local elected of-
ficials (Scott Myers, Boyd Britton and
Jim Hamsher) to enact this ordinance in
Grant County.
Gregg Boethin
Canyon City
Vote for someone in favor
of a resource adviser
To the Editor:
This letter is in a story format. I hope
to make some of you laugh, and some of
you might learn something.
Two cowgirls were sitting on their
horses looking out over the great di-
vide. It used to be long standing grass,
beautiful timber, creeks running wild-
ly throughout the meadow to get to the
river, fish jumping in the pond and cattle
grazing peacefully without a concern.
What a shame: Nowadays, it is burnt
land, 200 million board feet of timber
laid to rot, homes burned to the ground,
streams full of debris, dead trees and wil-
lows and leaves, old poles and wire from
fences that were never repaired.
What a sad story.
In my county, they are supposed to hire
a resource adviser; it was budgeted for
last September, but nothing has become
of it. Sounds like it is poor management,
yes really bad. I went to county court the
other day. Only one is for the resource ad-
viser, and the other two are more interest-
ed in broadband. I think they need help;
resources will produce 100 times more
money and jobs where broadband won’t
help the job situation. Well, I had better
ride out of here and get to work. Nice vis-
iting with you, and hope come election
time they vote in the right person, in favor
of a resource adviser.
Austene Trowbridge Hendrix
John Day
Concerns about walkers
on road to airport
To the Editor:
I would like to address the issue of the
people who walk up and down the “air-
port road” (Southwest Fourth Avenue
in John Day). I drive this road twice a
day and often find people walking on the
wrong side of the road. Walkers are to
walk toward the traffic, so the driver and
the walker can see each other. Twice now
I have come up on walkers that are walk-
ing with the traffic, rather than against
the traffic. This is very dangerous, as the
walkers cannot see the cars approaching.
What is even more concerning is the fact
that these walkers have had earphones
on and were unable to hear me coming
up from behind. They were not on the
side of the road; they were a step or two
onto the pavement. This concerns me as
the road is not very wide and, of course,
has many sharp curves. If you do walk
the road, please, please walk against the
traffic and leave your ear buds at home.
I’m concerned for everyone’s safety.
Nancy Falk
John Day
Gordon Larson for
county commissioner
To the Editor:
Regarding the upcoming county com-
missioner race, there are very important
distinctions that put one of the candi-
date’s qualifications and abilities far and
above that of his opposition.
Gordon Larson has a wealth of public
service experience, which will go far to
advance Grant County’s fiscal and social
well being.
One of the main things that differ-
entiates Gordon from the other folks
running for the commissioner’s office
is that he truly knows how to find the
middle ground, and is willing to put
personal opinion aside for the good of
the county.
It’s time to get over the past grievanc-
es and petty issues that have a strangle-
hold on any real positive development of
our economy. He wants to move Grant
County forward with the important busi-
ness of attracting and keeping talent-
ed young people and legitimate viable
business interests here in our beautiful
county. He has the best interest of all the
citizens, not just one political group or
belief system. After listening to him at
a recent forum these are the very issues
that I believe Gordon Larson has closest
to his heart.
Vote for someone who knows how to
get it done and wants to take the path that
moves us forward for Grant County. Vote
for Gordon Larson if you want someone
who will stand up for Grant County, here
at home, in Salem and Washington, D.C.
Dan Maynard
John Day
Support your
local venue
To the Editor:
I’ll keep this short and simple. Grant
County has had lots of businesses com-
ing and leaving in recent years. Some
short lived; others are still here. Right
now you have an opportunity to support
a local business that has brought in enter-
tainment to our area.
The bottom line in this is: If our com-
munity does not support them, and we do
not buy tickets and pull up a chair, we
will lose this great opportunity for Grant
County. Who knows if someone else will
pick up the pieces? The Madden Broth-
ers Performing Arts Center has put a lot
of work into the building and into the
community and hopes that they can help
keep Grant County entertained.
I strongly urge you to check out their
website and look for flyers and posters
of upcoming events around town. As al-
ways, you can contact the Madden broth-
ers at maddenbrothers.us.
If the community truly values enter-
tainment opportunities locally, we need
you to support the business. Fill those
chairs, or we could lose an opportunity
for people to come here. We have al-
ready lost the bowling alley and other
forms of entertainment too. We need you
to come and support this business too.
Please support your local business and
keep businesses local. I hope to see you
at the next performance.
Courtney Montague
Mt. Vernon