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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (June 6, 2018)
A4 Opinion Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, June 6, 2018 Oregon’s leaders need long-term strategies I n the words of State Economist Mark McMullen, Oregon’s economy “is still pretty hunky-dory.” The current period of economic growth is on its way to becoming the longest on record, with little chance of a recession within the next year. As a result, the state is collecting far more in taxes than previously projected. But if any legislators and other state officials are making plans for spending that extra dough, forget about it. Here are three reasons: First, the most obvious is Oregon’s unique kicker law. It could result in more than $550 million being returned to taxpayers as rebates on their 2019 personal income taxes. The kicker remains popular with taxpayers, although a strong argument can be made that voters eventually should funnel that money into government rainy-day reserves instead. Historically, some Oregon recessions came on the heels of big kicker payouts. Second, we know good economic times cannot last forever, which is why economist McMullen referred to Oregon being in a “pre- crisis” mode. It appears the state will enter the 2019-21 budget period with $1.2 billion to $1.8 billion in reserves, which might be unprecedented. “However,” says the Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast issued this week, “such reserves would barely be sufficient to withstand a typical recession’s impact on state revenues, let alone account for the increase in public services and programs during downturns.” Third, our state government still has no overall strategy of economic, educational, environmental, social and related goals; or, how financial decisions — taxing and spending — can most effectively achieve those priorities. Instead, the state budgets incrementally — department by department, program by program, crisis by crisis. What is urgent overwhelms what is most important. Meanwhile, the global pace of change intensifies each day. Oregon lags in affordable housing; an adequate, timely transportation network; worker retraining in the face of inevitable automation; and other areas. Each of those will have an economic impact, pro or con. It’s long past time for the Legislature, state leadership and the public to set long-term strategies to ensure prosperity for the state and its residents. F ARMER ’ S F ATE Raining on the Wicked Witch By Brianna Walker To the Blue Mountain Eagle “Eighty-two degrees with a 12 percent chance of rain and 4 mph wind” read the weather forecast. “Better count on a cold, rainy, windy weekend,” I told my husband. He double checked the statistics. “It looks like it’ll be nice.” “Well I say it’s going to rain — might even have a thunderstorm.” “Look.” He held out his phone so I could see the forecast myself. He was right. It looked like love- ly weather. But we had cut hay this week, and we had a camping trip coming up. A camping trip that would include tents. “ — and we all know that rain clouds will go hundreds of miles out of their way to drizzle on tent can- vas.” My husband rolled his eyes. After all, he was looking right at a lovely weekend weather forecast. “I know what it says, but we could make a sign that reads, ‘Hay cut — check. Hay raked — check. Hay dried — check. Baler ready — check. It’s raining.’” I know that the weather is based upon satellites, weather patterns, barometric pressure and lots of computer models and statistics, but sometimes I think the rheumatism in Granny’s bones was almost as accu- rate. If I was to create a weather pre- diction technology, it would take the information gleaned from the computer, add in some arthritis and maybe a little rheu- matism along with the following daily Brianna questionnaire: Walker 1. Will you or your neighbor be washing your car or patio today? 2. Will you or your neighbor be cutting hay any time in the next week? 3. Is there a Scout group going camping in the next week? For each yes answer, calculate an additional 33 percent chance of rain. For each maybe answer, add 15 per- cent. If you answer yes to all three, then you best test your lightning rods and make sure your hail cannons are working. We checked the weather periodi- cally as the days got closer. Each time the numbers were a bit lower, but it still wasn’t forecasting rain. I was hopeful — but not optimistic. Less than a week before the camping trip, with many acres of hay on the ground, Granny’s rheumatism seemed to be acting up. The animals were agitated, and the morning air felt heavy. The smell of rain drifted off and on throughout the day. By evening, the sky looked a bit dark, and I wasn’t surprised to see big rain drops mak- ing patterns on the dirty windshield. Then came the thunder and lightning and loss of electricity. The dog paced back and forth, the hot tub lid went crashing across the yard, the neighbor’s sheep shel- ter went visiting the adjoining pas- ture, some of the pretty rows of hay also went visiting and what didn’t got a good bath. It wasn’t a twister by any form of the imagination, but as branches scraped the windows, I couldn’t help but think of Kansas’ own Dorothy and our upcoming camping trip. For the first time ever, I felt a touch of sympathy for the Wicked Witch of the West. She probably never experi- enced the joy of camping: campfires, guitars, hikes, roasted hot dogs and s’mores. Which meant she also nev- er experienced hiking blisters, ticks, aching bones from sleeping on un- level, rocky ground — and, of course, the rain. Rain which causes wet tents, wet sleeping bags, wet dogs and wet socks. One last glance at the weather forecast showed the highs plunging lower and the precipitation percent- ages increasing. I looked down at my fingers holding the phone. Did I see just the slightest tint of green? I think I’m coming down with witchitis. It’s probably just a matter of time before it covers my whole body! Perhaps I’ll skip the rainy camp- ing trip. I’m feeling the need for a pair of powerful red shoes — something worth melting for! Brianna Walker occasionally writes about the Farmer’s Fate for the Blue Mountain Eagle. L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR 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@cityoflong- creek.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. governor.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). • Oregon Legislative Information — Blue Mountain EAGLE P UBLISHED EVERY W EDNESDAY BY (For updates on bills, services, capitol or messages for legislators) — 800-332-2313. • Sen. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario – 900 Court St. NE, S-301, Salem 97301. Phone: 503-986-1730. Website: www.oregonlegis- lature.gov/Bentz. Email: Sen.CliffBentz@ oregonlegislature.gov. • Rep. Lynn Findley, R-Vale – 900 Court St. NE, H-475, Salem 97301. Phone: 503- 986-1460. Website: www.oregonlegislature. gov/findley. Email: Rep.LynnFindley@ oregonlegislature.gov. WASHINGTON, D.C. • The White House, 1600 Pennsylva- nia Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20500; Phone-comments: 202-456-1111; Switch- board: 202-456-1414. • U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D — 516 Hart Senate Office 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 Office Building, Washington D.C. 20510. Phone: 202-224-3753. Email: senator@merkley.senate.gov. Fax: 202- 228-3997. Oregon offices include One 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. • U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R — (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: 202-225-5774. Medford office: 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. Proud of Grant County Democrats and McLeod-Skinner To the Editor: In April I had the pleasure of meeting with Grant County Dem- ocrats, a dedicated and growing group of Oregonians working to- wards positive change in Novem- ber’s elections by building grass- roots programs and raising both money and awareness throughout rural Oregon. Despite being outnumbered, Grant County Democrats are en- gaged because they believe in Ore- gon values, where we work together to care for our families and commu- nities. They want government to support economic and educational opportunities for everyone. Some- times they take issue with urban Democrats, but we share the com- mon belief that people, not corpora- tions, are our most important asset. These rural Democrats have worked to get access to, and an- swers from, Congressman Greg Walden, but he for too long has ignored the needs of his constitu- ents. He now sides with corporate interests and the Trump White House — supporting irresponsible tax cuts that now threaten funding for programs like Social Security, pushing trade policies that risk the economic future of our agricultural communities and leading the effort to “repeal and replace” the very law that has helped to build our rural care system. His policies are hurting us all. Eastern Oregon Democrats have now found a superb candidate to Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper P UBLISHER ............ ..................... C HRIS R USH , CRUSH @ EOMEDIAGROUP . COM E DITOR & G ENERAL M ANAGER ... S EAN H ART , EDITOR @ BMEAGLE . COM R EPORTER ............................... R ICHARD H ANNERS , RICK @ 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 O FFICE A SSISTANT .................... A LIXANDRA P ERKINS , OFFICE @ BMEAGLE . COM take him on in Jamie McLeod-Skin- ner. For the past year, Jamie has traveled tirelessly throughout the district, building a volunteer and supporter network that shows what can be done without expensive me- dia buys. She wears her family’s Eastern Oregon roots proudly and speaks to those values on the cam- paign trail. It’s a measure of the re- spect she has earned that the other primary candidates are now rallied behind her campaign. Your local Democrats are teaching the wider Democratic Party in Oregon lessons in how to stand up for Oregon val- ues and be true to the values of rural communities. I am proud of county parties like in Grant and candidates like Jamie. Expect to see more of us in this pivotal election year. Jeanne Atkins Chair, Democratic Party of Oregon Arming teachers To the Editor: The topic of arming of our teach- ers have varying opinions. Howev- er, one is seen as the first line of defense for our children. Is arming teachers the only solu- tion? No, but it is one part of a more thorough solution. Many feel that, if a student shows signs of abnormal behavior, he can be treated psychologically. However, that is another part of a more thorough solution. Another part of the solution would be to set up an avenue of communication for students to advise designated staff of any dis- plays of violent speech or behavior 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 as well as any comments regarding harming themselves or others. Access control and physical se- curity are the most important things in keeping an outside attacker from gaining access onto school grounds. During school hours and events, there should only be one way in, one way out and restricted. Inside school grounds, a re- source officer is only as good as his or her training and their location during an incident, and they would be the only line of defense. If we arm teachers, there would have to be extensive initial training as well as regular training. One con- cern is funding. Hopefully schools could get grants to cover some or all the costs. Weapons training is the most im- portant part. They would have to be proficient in the handling, care and firing of the weapon they carry. The weapon does not have to be visi- ble or locked in a safe; it could be strapped to their ankle. The second most important part of arming teachers is tactics and crowd control. How they approach a shooter alone or with multiple other teachers, i.e. cover and cross- fire, could be a great success or fa- tal. Also, when to fire if there are students around. These are just a few things that must be taught and should receive continual training. Adrenaline will be a factor. However, on-duty po- lice officers experience adrenaline in these situations as well. Keep something in mind; we cannot put a price on the lives of our children. Charles Bennett Jr. La Quinta, California Periodicals Postage Paid at John Day and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER send address changes to: Blue Mountain Eagle 195 N. Canyon Blvd. John Day, OR 97845-1187 USPS 226-340 Copyright © 2018 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
