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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 2019)
A4 OPINION Blue Mountain Eagle Pain in the 21st century to fi x problems from 20th T he good news is Gov. Kate Brown fi nally has a plan for putting PERS on solid fi nancial footing. The bad news is that it includes pushing SAIF off that solid ground, as well as taking most of Oregonians’ tax “kicker” refund next year. Brown says her proposal has something for anyone to like and to dislike. She is correct. The Oregon Edu- cation Association immedi- ately screamed that she was trying to cut teachers’ sal- aries. That is false. Brown wants public employees to accept a slight reduction in their future pensions so as to help pay the unfunded actu- arial liability of the Oregon Public Employees Retire- ment System. The governor calls her proposal “shared responsi- bility.” Shared pain is more like it. PERS’ inadequate fund- ing is not the fault of every- day Oregonians or of cur- rent public employees. No, the blame lies with the 20th century legislators and union leaders who disregarded president — and other legis- lators were assured in 1982 that their bipartisan raid on SAIF was legal. As now, state offi cials at the time said SAIF had far more reserves than neces- sary for future claims and thus could easily weather the Legislature’s intrusion. Maybe. But SAIF’s sales plummeted, sending it into a years-long tailspin. It turns out that companies don’t like to do business with an insurer whose money can be taken on a whim by the Leg- islature. Meanwhile, SAIF’s top offi cials were so angry — for good reason — that they quit and formed a com- peting, private workers’ compensation carrier that took a signifi cant share of SAIF’s business. As justifi cation for a new raid on SAIF, the gover- nor and her cohorts point out that Oregon has some of the lowest workers’ com- pensation rates in the nation and the highest rate of div- idends being paid back to employers. Isn’t that what we want — accident prevention being more effective, employ- THE GOVERNOR CALLS HER PROPOSAL “SHARED RESPONSIBILITY.” SHARED PAIN IS MORE LIKE IT. how bloated PERS retire- ment obligations possessed the potential to undermine state, school and local gov- ernment budgets. Brown’s suggestion to take all but $100 of each Oregonian’s kicker refund will draw howls from tax- payers. It certainly is one way to spread the PERS solution — and pain — among all Oregonians. But it smacks of class warfare, just like many other ideas in the Democrat-dominated Ore- gon Capitol. Any person, any business and any orga- nization that makes much money seems to be under attack. The governor’s suggested raid on the State Accident Insurance Fund is a perfect and unfortunate example. Legislators in 1982 illegally raided the semi-public work- ers’ compensation carrier, taking $81 million to prop up the state budget. After being forced to repay that money with inter- est, the Legislature learned from its mistake by subse- quently making it legal in the future to raid SAIF sur- plus reserves. Brown and legislators considering her plan apparently didn’t learn much else. They are seduced by lawyers’ advice that the new raid would be legal, just as then-Rep. Peter Courtney, D-Salem — now the Senate ers paying less for coverage and SAIF customers getting rebates on some of their pre- miums, plus interest earned? That sounds like a well-run program, unlike PERS. A legitimate argument can be made for SAIF to work with school districts on low- ering their workers’ compen- sation premiums. However, school districts are not the only public agencies facing soaring PERS rates. Rural public employers, especially fi re districts, are especially hard hit. Meanwhile, Brown is dead-set against offering current and future public employees a defi ned contri- bution plan, like a 401(k), as a complete alternative to PERS’ defi ned benefi t. She is wrong. So, too, are the legislators whose solution is to merely extend PERS’ debt over more years, hold- ing down the yearly cost to employers but increasing the overall cost. There is more to Brown’s plan, including her idea of diverting estate and capital gains taxes to pay for PERS. Such taxes are absurdly high in Oregon, but at least this way they would go for a good purpose. Still, the best that can be said about Brown’s proposal is that it is a proposal — not necessarily a wise or innova- tive proposal. Blue Mountain EAGLE Published every Wednesday by FARMER’S FATE Life is short, the world is wide Shirts. Check. I held hands as ing in the snow, taking pictures Jeans. Check. we breathed in of monkeys that were relaxing Underwear. Check. the first scents of in natural rock pools of warm water, sandwiched between two Snacks. Check. vacation. I know snowy mountain peaks — who Books for the plane. Check. there are many were the real monkeys? A yo-yo, piano music, bub- people who don’t Traveling isn’t always pretty ble bath and the family cat? believe in God, Brianna (sometimes it’s dirty train sta- Whoever says you can’t take but at the first Walker tion floors), it isn’t always it all has obviously never seen patch of rough comfortable (just check out the a 3-year-old pack for a vaca- turbulence, it blisters on your feet), some- tion. Looking pleased with him- seems everyone’s hoping there self, my toddler tries to zip up is a higher power, and whenever times it even hurts (arm strain the luggage. I quickly take over, we land safely, we always seem from carrying a sleeping 3-year- old for miles), but that’s OK. thanking him for such a great to offer him a little something. The journey changes you. You effort. He smiles — job com- We did the temples. We did can shake the dust from your pleted — then runs off to see the shrines. Mt. Fuji, the sui- shoes of each place you’ve been if he can help his older brother cide forest, ice caves and food. — but those dust fragments will pack. I waited until his little We ate a lot of food. And like never leave your blonde head memory. Travel- was no lon- ing also allows ger in sight you to learn new before push- TRAVELING ISN’T ALWAYS PRETTY things. While ing the cat out (SOMETIMES IT’S DIRTY TRAIN STATION reading a book of the bag and one morning, I emptying the FLOORS), IT ISN’T ALWAYS COMFORT- came across a majority of its ABLE (JUST CHECK OUT THE BLISTERS word I wasn’t contents. familiar with. The sev- ON YOUR FEET), SOMETIMES IT EVEN “Most women enth rule of in Amsterdam the Dalai HURTS (ARM STRAIN FROM CARRYING in 1680 were Lama’s Rules A SLEEPING 3-YEAR-OLD FOR MILES), proibido.” of Life says Lacking a dic- “Once a year, BUT THAT’S OK. THE JOURNEY CHANGES tionary, I asked go some- where you’ve YOU. YOU CAN SHAKE THE DUST FROM my husband to look it up on his never been YOUR SHOES OF EACH PLACE YOU’VE phone. “Proi- before.” I’m — a Por- not Buddhist, BEEN — BUT THOSE DUST FRAGMENTS bido” tuguese word for but I love prohibited. this piece of WILL NEVER LEAVE YOUR MEMORY. “I can’t believe advice. So you didn’t know this year we that!” my husband bought tick- ets for Japan. I’ve always said all great travelers, we saw more ribbed. “Ha,” I laughed, “I sup- we need to take vacations. We than we remember, and we pose you are up on your can always make more money. remember more than we saw! Portuguese?” But we cannot always make Our kids enjoyed driving on “Not as much as I should be, memories. the “wrong” side of the road, considering I am Portuguese.” With our bags finally packed, from the “wrong” side of the I was stunned. Traveling defi - the sheep lambed out, good- car and driving with “wrong” nitely lets you learn new things. byes said to all our pets and speeds (kilometers). As we Like how your husband of 14 my father-in-law’s American filled up the gas tank one after- years is half Portuguese and his Express card tucked next to noon, my husband was mutter- grandfather was Basque! our passports (I’ve heard one ing about how dumb kilome- But of all the books I’ve ever should never leave home with- ters were. I tried to convince read, the best stories are always out it), we finally stepped into him that since kilometers were found between the pages of a the airport where we voluntarily shorter than miles, we were submit to being scanned, patted, actually saving gas, and that we passport: where your feet are dirty, your hair is messy and searched and glared at for try- should always take our trips in your eyes are sparkling with ing to smuggle mascara through kilometers. It didn’t work. life. I don’t know all the ques- our luggage without putting it We saw the snow mon- tions, but travel is definitely the into a clear plastic bag. keys sitting in hot tubs. They answer! Finally settled into our seats, laughed and hissed at us — Brianna Walker occasionally the kids snuggled up in the air- with good reason. As I looked writes about the Farmer’s Fate line blankets, eye masks and around, I saw all manner of for the Blue Mountain Eagle. slippers, and my husband and cold, frozen humans, stand- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR John Day should spend money fi xing potholes To the Editor: My compliments to Pete Het- tinga and Rusty Clark for express- ing the thoughts of many of us in Grant County (in previous letters). The massive projects pro- posed by the city manager are unnecessary, too expensive and frivolous. More important to all who drive the streets of John Day are the potholes. Yes, the pot- holes in the streets getting deeper and dangerous. The money needs to be spent fixing potholes! Harriet Crum John Day 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. 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION RATES (including online access) Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper Publisher............ ......................................Chris Rush, crush@eomediagroup.com Editor & General Manager ...............Sean Hart, editor@bmeagle.com Reporter ...................................................Richard Hanners, rick@bmeagle.com Community News .................................Angel Carpenter, angel@bmeagle.com Sports ........................................................Angel Carpenter, angel@bmeagle.com Marketing Rep .......................................Kim Kell, ads@bmeagle.com Administrative Assistant ..................Makenna Adair, offi ce@bmeagle.com Offi ce Assistant .....................................Alixandra Hand, offi ce@bmeagle.com MEMBER OREGON NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION Wednesday, April 24, 2019 Grant County .........................................$45 Everywhere else in U.S. .......................$57 Outside Continental U.S. ....................$60 Online: BlueMountainEagle.com Subscriptions must be paid prior to delivery 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 Phone: 541-575-0710 Copyright © 2019 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. facebook.com/MyEagleNews @MyEagleNews
