The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current, July 22, 2020, Image 3

Historic Oregon Newspapers

The Blue Mountain eagle., July 22, 2020, Page 3, Image 3

Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR

About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (July 22, 2020)

Prev Page of 16 Next Prev Issue Next Text PDF JP2 (1.4 MB) Clip/Print Image

Return to Top

Prev Page of 16 Next Prev Issue Next

Newspaper Page TextNEWS MyEagleNews.com Wednesday, July 22, 2020 A3 Another round of grants available for small businesses and sole proprietors She said the amount of money avail- able from the county grant would depend on how many companies qualify for the Business Oregon grant. LeQuieu said small businesses with fewer than 25 employees that have not received CARES Act funding that have been impacted by the pandemic could apply for grant money. A third grant is available from the Greater Eastern Oregon Development Corporation in Pendleton. The GEODC’s press release said it allotted $25,000 for Grant County small businesses. She said Business Oregon funded a portion of GEODC’s grant program that is for businesses with less than 25 people and sole proprietors that did not receive CARES Act money. According to Business Oregon’s appli- cation, eligible small businesses must meet the following conditions: A busi- ness would need to demonstrate a decline in revenue more significant than 50% in March 2020 or April 2020 compared to sales in January or February of the same year. Or, the business must show that it could not operate due to the COVID-19 shutdown orders. Documents that may be needed include a 2018 tax return, year-over- year profit and loss documents and an employee identification number. By Steven Mitchell Blue Mountain Eagle Roughly $35,000 in grant funding will go to nearly 20 small businesses in Grant County impacted by the COVID- 19 pandemic. Stephanie LeQuieu, Grant County rural venture catalyst with Oregon RAIN, said the Business Oregon grants are for businesses that did not receive emergency assistance under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. She said the federal assistance pro- grams include the Small Business Admin- istration’s Payroll Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loans or other federal programs for emergency pan- demic funding. LeQuieu said Community Lending Works, a community development finan- cial institution, entered eligible businesses into a random lottery and worked with those selected to complete the process. She said another round of Business Oregon grants for small businesses are still available, and she expects the appli- cation window to open up by Friday. LeQuieu said the requirements for the grants would be the same as the first round. The funds are for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that didn’t receive federal funds. Eagle file photo Stephanie LeQuieu, Grant County rural venture catalyst with Oregon RAIN, up- dates Grant County Court members re- garding grants for businesses who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that didn’t qualify for federal funds. Le- Quieu said almost 20 local small business- es qualified for the first round of grants from Business Oregon. LeQuieu said there is approximately $35,000 of Business Oregon funds remaining, and there is a 45-day window to disperse the money. She said she is funneling businesses that do not meet Business Oregon’s qual- ifications into a pool for a separate grant program through the county. Special assessments reduce property tax burden for agricultural land By Rudy Diaz Blue Mountain Eagle When it comes to property taxes, owning more land does not necessarily mean paying more in taxes. In Oregon, farm and timber land is assessed differently than residential and commercial land, significantly reducing the tax burden for agricultural land. Grant County Assessor David Thunell said property taxes are based on assessed value — not real market value, which is what a property is actually worth or the amount for which it would be expected to sell. In 1997-1998, assessed values for most properties, including homes, busi- nesses and nonagricultural land, were set at 90% of the 1995-1996 real mar- ket value, and limited to a 3% increase each year. Unless there is a change to the property, such as new construction, zon- ing changes or subdivision, the assessed value for these properties typically increase 3% each year, as long as the real market value exceeds the assessed value. “The assessed value is the lesser of the maximum assessed value and the real market value, and that maximum assessed value can only go up 3% a year as long as it is less than the real market value and something new hasn’t been built on the property,” Thunell said. “How you figure out someones tax is you take their total assessed value, divide it by 1,000 and then you multiply that by the tax rate.” All improvements, such as homes and other buildings, are assessed the same way — whether on a farm, or a business or residence in a city — so all building owners pay taxes equally based on the assessed value of those buildings, Thunell said. However, the land is assessed sep- arately, and for farm and timber land, Thunell said special assessments reduce the assessed value to well below the real market value to encourage agricultural production, which typically requires more acreage than other industries. “If people had all of this land and they had to pay their property taxes based on the market value, (no agricultural pro- ducers) could afford to pay their prop- erty taxes,” Thunell said. “One reason why the state did this was to incentivise ranchers and farmers to keep their land in an agricultural use.” Eagle file photo Grant County Assessor David Thunell looks at one of the many books containing all of the properties in Grant County and their owners. ent soil classes and timber land rates are provided by the Department of Revenue. Another 2,400-acre property in Grant County with no buildings has a real mar- ket value of about $1.3 million but an assessed value of about $41,000. Last year, property taxes totaled about $500. “They’re under farm use, and not only are they under farm use, it’s all range land, which is the least productive type of land,” Thunell said. “So the soil class determines the value.” Thunell said tax rates also vary within the county, depending on which taxing districts a property is in. Although every property in the county pays the same rate to Grant County, rates vary between the different school and cemetery districts, and city residents pay an additional rate to the city. The Assessor’s Office also collects fire patrol fees for rural properties on behalf of the Oregon Department of For- estry, which show up on property tax bills but do not get distributed to the local taxing districts, Thunell said. Thunell noted that special assess- ments, like regular assessments, are also limited in how much they can increase annually through a for- mula calculating maximum specially assessed value, which typically restricts the assessed values to a 3% increase per year. Although farms with large amounts of land have high real market values, the assessed values that taxes are based on are much lower than those for com- parable amounts of land used for other purposes. For example, EO Media Group owns the 0.28-acre lot that houses the Blue Mountain Eagle and Department of Motor Vehicles. The building has a real market value of $223,780 and an assessed value of $195,676. The land has a real market value of $45,020 and an assessed value of $40,590. In total, the property has a real market value, or sell- ing price, of $268,800 and an assessed value of $236,266 on which taxes must be paid. Last year, property taxes totaled $3,881. In contrast, one farm property of about 1,000 acres in Grant County has a real market value for land of about $921,000 with an assessed value of about $67,000. The buildings on the property have a real market value of about $248,000 and an assessed value of $233,000 — assessed identically to buildings or improvements not receiving special assessments — but the overall property has a real mar- ket value of $1,169,000 and an assessed value of $299,000. Last year, property taxes totaled about $3,900. Thunell said the special assessment values for farm land vary based on differ- DON'T JUST KINDA TV. DIRECTV. Blazing Fast Internet! Where sports fans call home. ADD TO YOUR PACKAGE FOR ONLY SELECT TM ALL INCLUDED PACKAGE 49 $ 19 . 99 $ 99 /mo. where available mo. For 12 mos. plus taxes w/24-mo. agmt & qualifying AT&T wireless svc (min. $50/mo. after discounts for new customers). Autopay & Paperless bill req’d. Prices higher in 2nd year.* 2-YEAR TV PRICE GUARANTEE Over 155 Channels Don’t settle for cable. Call now! 190 CHANNELS 1-877-441-1933 S198975-1 1-866-373-9175 ✔Tax Levies & Liens Release ✔Resolve Back Taxes ✔Wage Garnishment Release ✔Payroll Tax Negotiation ✔Stop Penalties and Interest ✔Tax Preparation & Bookkeeping Services ✔Tax Debt Negotiation & Settlement 877-557-1912 wash),” Maloney said. The water from the high school would travel north to the car wash where it would enter the infiltration ditch, according to Maloney. “Mostly, this is for treat- ing the water, and then it will go into an infiltration pond ... which will be behind the alleyway behind the soil conservation building,” said Maloney. He added that there will be a couple places where they have a transition zone where they have separated sidewalk buffers. When it comes to the work on the sidewalk near the high school, Maloney said ODOT has been work- ing closely with the school district. “Essentially, there’s no sidewalk there, and people can kind of pull in and out,” Maloney said. Plans have the sidewalk wrapping around the corner of the first entrance of the high school traveling from John Day heading towards Canyon City. The side- walk would then connect with the high school with a crosswalk. John Day City Councilor Dave Holland asked if the cost of the project will be too high to finish, something that has hampered progress in the past. Maloney said that a com- bination of funding from a Safe Routes to Schools grant and ODOT Enhance funding from previous planning for this project will be enough to cover the plan. “We seem to be in pretty good shape this time,” Malo- ney said. “I feel pretty com- fortable that we’re covered on this project now.” The city council agenda states that the right-of-way acquisition will continue this summer, and construc- tion is scheduled to begin next year. Eagle file photo Planning continues for construction of a sidewalk along South Canyon Boulevard from Sixth Avenue to the high school. Imagine The Difference You Can Make DONATE YOUR CAR 1-844-533-9173 Ask About A FREE 3 Day Vacation Voucher To Over 20 Destinations!!! Oﬀer ends 7/15/20. S198977-1 One solution for oxygen at home, away, and for travel Introducing the INOGEN ONE – It’s oxygen therapy on your terms There are many ways we can tackle IRS or State tax relief together: SCHEDULE YOUR FREE IN-HOME ASSESSMENT TODAY! Discussions continued regarding the Highway 395 South sidewalk project in John Day as plans have been adjusted. Sean Maloney, the trans- portation project leader for Oregon Department of Transportation Region 5, gave an update on the proj- ect, which will provide a sidewalk from Southwest Sixth Street to Grant Union Junior-Senior High School, during a city council meet- ing on July 14. The update focused on revisions made to the con- cept plan from winter and stormwater treatment. The plan presented in winter was to have a curb and gutter with breaks in it, then a swale and then the sidewalk for the project. The swales would help with the stormwater treatment. Maloney said that storm- water treatment has been the struggle in the design. He said the team found out that the swales could not have stored all the water, so they were going to store the water in a vault along Southwest Sixth Avenue. However, due to low spots in the ground and being close to ground water, the team wasn’t able to do that. “So, really, we spent a fair amount of time since then trying to figure out what to do with our stormwater,” Maloney said. Maloney said the plan is for two-thirds of the proj- ect, from the north end of the high school to the car wash, to have a curb-tight sidewalk design. “So the water essen- tially is going to run into that (curb-tight sidewalk) for about two-thirds of the proj- ect and then it’s going to go into the separated sidewalk infiltration ditch (at the car All oﬀers require credit qualiﬁcation, 24-month commitment with early termination fee and eAutoPay. Prices include Hopper Duo for qualifying customers. Hopper, Hopper w/Sling or Hopper 3 $5/mo. more. Upfront fees may apply based on credit qualiﬁcation. S198976-1 Tax Problems: RESOLVED Prepare for unexpected power outages with a Generac home standby generator By Rudy Diaz Blue Mountain Eagle Help Prevent Blindness Get A Vision Screening Annually Including Local Channels! CALL TODAY - For $100 Gift Card Promo Code: DISH100 SELECT ALL INCLUDED PACKAGE: Ends 8/31/20. Available only in the U.S. (excludes Puerto Rico and U.S.V.I.). 1st & 2nd year Pricing: $49.99.mo for ﬁrst 12 mos. only. After 12 mos. or loss of eligibility, then prevailing rate applies (currently $85/mo for SELECT All Included), unless cancelled or changed prior to end of the promo period. Pricing subject to change. $5/mo. discount: Must enroll in autopay & paperless bill within 30 days of TV activation to receive bill credit starting in 1-3 bill cycles. First time credit will include all credits earned since meeting oﬀer requirements. Must maintain autopay/paperless bill and valid email address to continue credits. No credits in 2nd year for autopay/paperless bill. Includes: SELECT All Included TV Pkg, monthly service & equipment fees for one Genie HD DVR, and standard pro installation. Additional Fees & Taxes: Price excludes Regional Sports Fee of up to $9.99/mo. (which is extra & applies to CHOICE and/or MÁS ULTRA and higher Pkgs.), applicable use tax expense surcharge on retail value of installation, custom installation, equipment upgrades/add-ons (min. $99 one-time & $7/mo. fees for each extra receiver/DIRECTV Ready TV/Device), and certain other add’l fees & charges. See att.com/directvfees for additional details. Diﬀerent oﬀers may apply for eligible multi-dwelling unit and telco customers. DIRECTV SVC TERMS: Subject to Equipment Lease & Customer Agreements. Must maintain a min. base TV pkg of $29.99/mo. Programming, pricing, terms and conditions subject to change at any time. Some oﬀers may not be available through all channels and in select areas. Visit directv.com/legal or call for details. . ©2020 AT&T Intellectual Property. All Rights Reserved. AT&T, Globe logo, DIRECTV, and all other DIRECTV marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T aﬃliated companies. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. FREE MO. for 12 Mos. Iv Support Holdings LLC Sidewalk project along Highway 395 in John Day moves forward FREE TOWING TAX DEDUCTIBLE America’s Top 120 Package *$19.95 ACTIVATION, EARLY TERMINATION FEE OF $20/MO. FOR EACH MONTH REMAINING ON AGMT., EQUIPMENT NON-RETURN & ADD’L FEES APPLY. Price incl. SELECT Pkg., monthly service & equip. fees for 1 HD DVR & is after $5/mo. autopay & paperless bill discount for 12 mos. Pay $44.99/mo. + taxes until discount starts w/in 3 bills. New approved residential customers only (equipment lease req'd). Credit card req'd (except MA & PA). Restr’s apply. The Eagle/Rudy Diaz John Day City Manager Nick Green and Mayor Ron Lundbom lis- ten to an update regarding the Highway 395 sidewalk project. ACCREDITED BUSINESS ® A+ Rating No more tanks to reﬁ ll. No more deliveries. No more hassles with travel. The INOGEN ONE portable oxygen concentrator is designed to provide unparalleled freedom for oxygen therapy users. It’s small, lightweight, clinically proven for stationary and portable use, during the day and at night, and can go virtually anywhere — even on most airlines. Inogen accepts Medicare and many private insurances! Reclaim Your Freedom And Independence NOW! Call us now for your FREE tax consultation & evaluation: 7-Year Extended Warranty* A $695 Value! 844-945-2056 Oﬀ er valid March 16, 2020 - Sept 6, 2020 Special Financing Available Subject to Credit Approval *Terms & Conditions Apply S198980-1 Anthem offers a money-back guarantee designed to help you avoid wasting money on ineffective tax services. We will gather as much information from you as necessary and work with tax authorities to give you the best chance of reducing your tax debt. If for any reason that does not work out, and the government notifies us they refuse to reduce your overall tax liability or monthly payments by any amount, we will gladly refund you the fees you paid for our services in trying to reduce that debt. Money Back Guarantee does not apply to Bookkeeping and Tax Preparation Services. S198979-1 Call Inogen Today To Request Your FREE Info Kit 1-855-839-0752 © 2020 Inogen, Inc. All rights reserved. MKT-P0108 S198978-1