Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 1963)
HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES, Panelists Frown On Property Tax At Growers' Meet (Continued from page 1) gument from any of the other panelists on that point. He point ed out many problems that the property owner now has In pay ing taxes to support an lncreas ing cost of government, Farley, in his turn, said that the businessman is paying hi3 share of tax and said, "We know the problems that the cow man has." He told of the burden of unemployment compensation on the businessman and said that accounts receivable are the big gest asset he has, but they couldn't be sold for ' 50 cents on the dollar." He also said that lo cal business offers employment for boys who leave the farms, where once 90 were employed and where now only 9 are em ployed.. Farley listed compari sons to show that home owners and businesses pay taxes equal or higher than farmers In the county. Dick pointed out that farmers and businessmen have similar problems and taxes are "Just one of them." He said that property is a symbol of wealth but may certainly not be based on the ability to pay. He suggested that any new taxes proposed by the legislature should be earmarked as property tax offsets. Dick said that reappraisal Is necessary In order to correct inequities, and pointed out that inequities exist even between businesses with wide differences on personal pro perty taxes paid. Nistad discussed the state's new timber severance tax law and said that KInzua Corpora tion has found it much better than the property tax. Under the property tax, eastern Oregon was taxed on the same basis as west ern Oregon, although it takes 100 years to develop a timber crop in Eastern Oregon, much longer than In the moist climate of Western Oregon. During the first six months of the severance tax, the corpora tion sent in $19,000 under the tax, and the property tax would have been about $20,000. Thus, the company 'has found no great relief on this score. Reappraisal of eastern Oregon timber will pick up some timber not now on the roll and will bring some help, he said. The concern went on a sus tained yield basis, as it had pro mised, immediately after the severance tax was put into effect, Nistad said. A major tax problem facing the concern now is the fire pa trol tax which was 1 12 c per acre in 1934, 3 l2c in 1944, 8.8c in 1954 and 15c per acre In 1962. In 1961 the company paid $20, 000 for the fire patrol tax and spent an additional $25,000 of its own money fighting fire. The Columbus Day storm has added a great deal of blowdown, and its dry needles, with added fire hazard, may mean the fire patrol tax may double again next summer. Kinzua Corporation now has im,(5 acres on its tree farm- In come of sawmill operators has been going steadily down, Nistad said. "Chips keep some mills lrom going broke, he declared. Tiie speaker pointed out that corporation pays on the average oi ni.n.su ot its own per month per employee for social security, unemployment insurance, Indus trial Accident coverage, health and welfare insurance, industry pension plan, paid vacations (up to tnree weeks), and paid holl d.iys. Sen. Key said that he had seen taxes tiom both sides In the leg islature, serving first on the ways and means committee where many demands for funds were presented, and then on the taxation committee where the people seek relief from taxes. Ways and means screened bud gets carefully, he said. The upcoming session of the legislature will be a tough one as it seeks to meet needs for funds. Whatever legislation is passed will be subject to a waiting period with possible re ferral to the people and possible consequent 2-year delay before it mav be voted upon, A "wonderful" solution, he said, would be for the people to write their own tax bill, put it on the ballot through initiative pe tition and bypass the legislature. That way they would get what tliey want. He cautioned that the farmer needs to watch the exemptions ir; any sales tax bill proposed or he will be paying taxes on all the raw materials in his product. lloefke said, "The average tax payer does not understand what we are trying to do with reap ptaisal." State law requires a ratio of 25'"(. to true cash value, and urban property here is at 23.5';;., he said. Farm property is m 18.1, or 38" off. He cited examples that showed great In equities within the county. Reappraisal seeks to get a fair value on property, but even un der reappraisal mistakes will be made. "That's what assessors are for," Hoefke said. "Don't just cuss him and blow him out of of fice." lie said "It is real easy to say property tax is too high, but the local level governs what tax you are going to pay." Hoefke acknowledged Inequi ties in the real and personal pro perty taxes, but said, "Where are we going to pick up $30 mil lion?" A 3V1 business tax was advocated at the last legisla ture, and another proposal Is a Thursday, January 17, 1963 Patterson Services Held Here Wednesday Funeral services for Mrs. Blanche Patterson, 86, Snoho mish, Wn were held Wednes dav at 1 p.m. at All Saints' Episcopal church, with Father C Bruce Spencer officiating. Inter ment was in the Heppner Ma sonic cemetery, with Creswick mortuary in charge of arrange ments. Mrs. Patterson had made her home with her daughter, Mrs. L. H. Guild in Snohomish, Wn., since 1945. She had been in ill health over a year. She died Sunday, January 13. Born In Ohio July 25, 1876, she was the daughter of Andrew and Harriet Baird. She was mar ried to Claire C. Patterson in 1901, coming to Heppner to make their home. Mr. Patterson was in the Insurance business here and later was Morrow county Judge. She was a member of All Saints' Episcopal church and Ruth Chapter 32, Order of East ern Star, Heppner. Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Guild, Snohomish; a sister, Mrs, J. O. Hager, Heppner; two grandsons, Major Baird Bryson, Arlington, Va and Robert Guild, Snohomish; one grand daughter, Mary Lee Guild, Eug ene; three great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Among out-of-town relatives here for the service were Mai. Bryson, Mr. and Mrs. L. II. Guild, Robert Guild and Mary Lee Guild. Interest Shown In Adult Classes Over 80 adults have shown their desire for the adult edu cation classes to be held in this county by Blue Mountain Col lege. Maior interest was shown in bookkeeping and typing, with many requesting both classes. The two subjects will be taught the same evening for this reason, with classes in Heppner and in lone, probably on Monday and Tuesday nights, respectively. Classes in welding and geol ogy have also been planned. As soon as definite meeting times, day and hour, have been determined and instructors ar ranged for these classes, those who have given their names to the committee will be notified. A workshop in millinery be gins Monday morning at 9 o'clock at the Lexington school by an instructor who teaches adult education classes in mill inery in the Salem area. Only one or two more can be accom modated in this workshop, which will meet tnree days lor six hours a day (with sack lunches) during the coming week. Two more workshops in mill inery, for those who cannot take the daytime class, will begin at Lexington starting Monday night, February 4. The first workshop is on felts, with the second, on straws, following in four weeks. Each will meet one night a week for four weeks. Mrs. Ewing Hynd will be the instructor. net receipts tax, computed at l'o basic, plus a graduated rate, and no personal exemptions. A cigarette tax would be the easiest to collect, Hoefke said, since the supply to this state largely comes through two big warehouses. A 4c cigarette tax would bring In $18 million. The tax commission doesn'i determine which tax is best but seeks only to enforce the laws and collect tne tax. it cannoi deviate in administering the law, Hoefke said. Dr. Blanch took a strong posi tion for the farmer in his pre sentation. "Almost everyone Is willing to pay his fair share of tax, he said, rue question is, 'What is our fair share?'" Cri teria for spreading the load over a taxing jurisdiction snouui in clude; 1. ability to pay. 2. bene fits received. 3. equality. The economist said that there is no high correlation between the amount of a person's proper ty and his earnings, and he sug gested that business has more opportunity to shift the tax bur den on (to the consumer) than does the farmer. Agriculture today, he said, is in one of the most unfavorable conditions as to the ratio of in vestment to income. Prices paid by the farmer are continuously rising and prices received by the farmer are continuously decreas ing. Property tax has "gone up 54 since 1950 yet the farmer's money Income has decreased 35r;,' in the same time, he declar ed. "Over two-thirds of the pro perty tax goes into education, he said "but do property owners re ceive special benefits ab o v e others who have children to edu cate?" Education should be a beneral obligation of society because it is of general society benefit, Dr. Blanch asserted. As to the possibility of a sales tax, he said that lie does not like it because he believes it a wrong principal to tax expenditures In stead of income. "But if this is what we want, let's get together with the legislature," he said. Emphasis should be on an in come tax base, he said, such as a receipts tax, or net income tax. The tax base needs to be lower ed to include more in lower brackets, he declared. Some important committee re ports were made at the annual meeting of the Livestock Grow ers and some interesting talks were given. Highlights of these will be Included in a story next week. i Willow Project Gets Heavy Favor At Hearing Here (Continued from Page 1) Hermiston city engineer, who presented a supporting resolut ion from the City of Hermiston; Claude Cox, who told of damage done to his creamery in a flood of some years ago. Alvin Wagenblast asked per mission to speak, saying that when he signed Krebs' petition against the irrigation feature, he had a misunderstanding on the costs, believing that water would be offered for $7 an acre foot instead of the $3 per acre foot estimated by the Bureau of Reclamation, Krebs replied that the $7 figure was what he would consider necessary for an irri gation of an acre of land, need ing between two and three acre feet for a proper irrigation. Sheriff C. J. D. Bauman, Civil Defense director, asked the poss ibility of building a fallout shelter in the dam to accommo date 500 to 600 people. Judge Peterson appeared again to read a letter from Gar field Crawford, former resident and now of Arlington, Texas, emphasizing the need for the dam. The judge also read a supporting statement from In land Waterways associa t i o n pointing out the need for the dam. Creswick reported on the sur vey that he had taken among farmers who might use irriga tion to advantage and said that virtually all had signed state ments indicating that they would be interested if a feasible plan is worked out. Colonel J. H. Beddow, district engineer, presided at the hear ing, and he was accompanied by these other engineers from the Corps: Allen Robertson, hyd rology; Willard Sivley, chief, flood section; Howard Preston, assistant chief of the engineer ing division; Glen Von Gunten, chief of the planning division; William Zink, administratve of ficer; and Phil Haffner, supply branch, equipment area engin eer. Representing the Bureau of Reclamation was John Mangan of Spokane and Carl Huish, head of the bureau's hydrology de partment. Col. Beddow in opening re marks reviewed the history of the study on the dam and told of its notential benefits as a multipurpose project. Statistics brought out were these: Height of dam, 115 ft.; length at crest, 1700 feet; 2 million yards of earth and rock in construction of the earth fill project; bottom of the lake would provide 1400 acre feet for sedimentation and fish survival; inactive storage for recreation and fish survival 500 acre feet; joint use for flood control, sports fishing and rec reation. 8300 acre feet: flood con trol (only filled during floods), 1300 acre feet; width at top ot dam, 32 feet; width at bottom, 610 feet; minimum pool, 2042 ft. elevation; normal pool elevation, 2099 feet: maximum, 2120 ft. ele vation; would provide for floods 20 greater than the 19UJ nooa; 300 ft. spillway would be safety factor for any rare floods that mieht occur over this maximum; channel through Heppner would enrrv 1500 second feet of water; channel clearing would have to he done below Hinton creek con fluence with Willow creek and up Hinton to the fairgrounds. Annual benefits are figured at $271,200 as compared with es timated annual costs of $207,000, a benefit-cost ratio of 1.3 to 1 Annual benefits are figured as follows: Flood control, $liu,u()l); irrigation, $114,300; wildlife, $2,200; sports fishing, $23,800 recreation, $20,900. Mangan of the Bureau of Rec lamation ami Quention Bowman of the Stale Water Resources board explained parts of the pro lect in connection with their re spective agencies. Mangan said that irrigation water, to be sup plied at an estimated cost of S3 per acre foot should bring benefits of $13.30 per acre foot, based on 3700 acres which might be irrigated. Col. Beddow said that the record would be open for 30 days and those who wish to submit written statements mav send them to him at the Walla Walla headquarters. At a later date a list may be available of those who have submitted written tes timony not reported here. A count of cards collected by the Engineers showed 135 citizens attending. Ponies Divide Tilts On Stanfield Floor Heppner's grade school Ponies split with the Stanfield graders on the Stanfield floor last Thurs day afternoon. The eighth grad ers whacked tne Maniieia team, 25-12, and the Heppner seventh grade team lost by a close l-is score. Up to date the eighth graders have a 2-win 1-loss rec ord and the seventh grade has a 1-win 2-loss record. Both teams meet Pilot Rock here Thursday (today) with the first game at 3:30. They travel to Condon for games there Saturday with the first one starting at 1:30 p. m. In the first game the seventh grade team just couldn't keep up in the last quarter as the two teams were tied in each quarter and at half time it was 12-12. Stanfield scored five points in the fourth to Heppner's two. In the second game the Hep pner eighth graders romped to a 10-1 first period score and fron then on were never headed, as they won 25-12. Speakers at PTA Tell of College A large crowd attending the Heppner PTA meeting last Wed nesday night heard reports on the proposed Willow Creek dam, Blue Mountain college, and the adult courses available here this spring. Mrs. L. E. Dick, president of the PTA, conducted a short busi ness meeting at which time Mrs. Gordon Hutchens was elected treasurer to fill out the un expired term of Robert Hopper. Bruce Thomson played a clar inet solo, accompanied at the piano by Marti Dixon. This was followed by a flute duet with Tamara Smith and Janis Baker doing the honors. The musical program was concluded with a saxophone solo by Barbara Blake, who was also accompan ied by Miss Dixon. Mrs. Kenneth Peck's second graders then presented a Mother Goose program with the young sters reciting nursery rhymes as pictures they had drawn were shown on a screen. Mrs. Peck was dressed , as Mother Goose, complete with floor-len g h t h dress and tall hat. Attorney Bob Abrams spoke on the Blue Mountain college, its aims for the future and the progress up to date. He is a member of the board of directors for the college. Other speakers for the evening included Judge Oscar Peterson, who gave a short talk on the proposed Willow Creek dam and urged all to attend the hearing which was Monday. A discussion was held on the adult classes to be offer ed here this spring with Mrs. Ewing Hynd giving the details on the schedules and fees. A 30-minute movie on "What's Happened in Education?" was shown which told of the ad vancement of education from the one-room school to the mod ern day teaching methods. The Ray Smith family won as PTA'ers of the month and will receive tickets to the high school basketball game here January 25. Sixth grade room mothers, Mrs. Bud Marshall, Mrs. Pat O'Brien, and Mrs Bill Scrivner, served refreshments following the meeting. Frosh-Pilot Rock Game Date Moved A basketball game scheduled by Heppner High school fresh men with Pilot Rock has been changed to January 24 here at 6:30, it is announced. The game originally was scheduled for 6:30 Thursday (today) in the Hepp ner High gym. Another game with Pilot Rock has been scheduled for Februarv 7 there, starting at 6:30. Directors Study Plans for Budget At Monday Meet (Continued from Page 1) building the new Lexington Heppner high school, on complet ion of the kitchen at a cost of about $19,000. This will make it possible to use the multi purpose room as a cafeteria, when the bid was let, the kit chen option was not exercised, which would make it necessary to prepare food at the old high school and transport it to the new school to serve students there. About $9000 of the needed amount will come from the bond issue and the remaining $10,000 will come from the bond reserve or emergecny funds. The board also agreed on work that it will call for In the 1963-64 district budget to com plete construction of the new school. It is expected that some from the lone high school staff $59,000 will be accrued from three sources: 1. delinquent tax es paid by property owners; 2. unused Dortions of the emergen cy fund; 3. unused portions of specific items in the budget. The surplus would have to be bud geted specifically for the con struction purposes in the 1963 64 estimates. Of the amount, $5000 would go to modifying parts of the old high school building for grade school use. Outlined for completion under the program are these phases of the construction: 1. Band room, $25,000; 2. paving, provide for physical education area, $10,000; 3. install bleachers, baskets in gymnasium, $10,500 ; 4. complete multipurpose room with stage, $10,500. Superintendent Van H o u t e said the Heppner building is now about 50 per cent complet ed and it is hoped that it will be finished by May 15. Grad uation of the class of 1963 may be in the building. Most of the roof is covered with two layers of paper and tar with the ex ception of just one coat on the gym at the present time. The superintendent said that he had contacted the county about completing drainage work on me luorgan sireci cmchmuh i and has been assured that it will be done very soon. He reported that about SS of the district's share of the property taxes have been re ceived from the county. Resignation of Arnie Hedman was accepted. He is entering business in Heppner. Arnold Melbv, Heppner instrumental music instructor, will go to lone for a half dav. and his salary was raised to compensate for the extra work. Mrs. Gone Rietmann will teach part time in the ele mentary school at lone. Mustangs Win Important Game over Sherman Five Heppner High's casaba quin tet, which now holds 10 votes In the Oregonian's A-2 poll and is among the top 12 A-2 teams In the state, took an important Greater Oregon league victory at Moro Friday night, 68 to 54. The Sherman county basket eers had previously defeated John Day and Burns and are re garded as one of the powers in the Greater Oregon circuit. Coach Bob Cantonwine was happy that he could tuck away a victory on this road trip. A big factor in the victory was the 28 points netted by Lee Pad berg, who thus had counted 51 points in two games. The coach said that in view of Padberg's performance, his offense has been revised to capitalize on this scoring. The team was clicking against Sherman county, and Heppner violations were few. Moro hop ped to a 12-8 lead In the first quarter but the Mustangs found the range in the second period and edged to a 26-23 halftime lead in the thrilling contest. Not to be denied, Shermar county squeaked back in fron in the third stanza, 44 to 43 but the Mustangs put on the steam in the final period with 25 points while holding the los ers to 10. John Porter was second high man for Heppner with 12, but Ron Johnson had 16 for Mom and Doug Bish connected for 14. Porter, Dick Springer and Pad berg are in a 3-way duel for rebounding honors, and all were active on the boards against Moro. Fred Harnden and Shan Applegate clayed good floor games, and Harnden's pinpoint passing was particularly effec tive. This was the first league game for the Mustangs and gives them a 1-0 mark as they head into the rough road trip this week-end when they face Grant Union at John Day Friday and then move on down to Burns Saturday night, a double-barreled doozey and a crucial test. Heppner's jayvees made it eight in a row when they smack ed the Sherman county jayvees, 56 to 34, after leading at half time, 47 to 23. Coach Dick Strait's boys have yet to taste defeat this season. Dave George was highpoint man with 15, fol lowed by Carl Bauman with 12. Gentry of Sherman county led his team with 10. Varsity score: HEPPNER 68 Applegate 9, Har n d e n 6, Springer 9, Porter 12, Padberg 28. Wright, Clark, Nichols, Smith 4, Sherman. IP YOU'VE A NOTION TO LIGHTEN YOUR WORK, BRIGHTEN YOUR HOMI, TIDY KITCHEN, CLOSET LOOK FOR THE 88 PENNEY PRICE TAO. CHECK THE BIG SAVINGS Four 12 oz. in sulated tumblers. 88c m am Plastic drain board. 3gc THESE ARE BUT A FEW ITEMS WE FABULOUS 88c PROMOTION! SHOP FRED HARNDEN SHERMAN COUNTY 54 Kellogg 10, Lane 4, Fields 2, Bayer, Johnson 16, Bish 14, Doo- lin 8. HOSPITAL Those admitted to Pioneer Memorial hospital this week are: John Privett, Heppner; Stanley McMinn, Kinzua; Mary Ann Pettyjohn, lone. Those dismissed during this same period were: Ruby Bill ingsly, Kinzua; Donald Eub anks, lone; Ed LaTrace, Hepp ner; Gladys Beckett, Heppner; Effie Weems, Heppner; Thelma Smethurst, Heppner; Janet Strong, Fossil; Steven Lane, Lex ington; Verna Howell, Heppner; Margaret Lindsmith, Condon; Terry Malvick, Condon; Sandra Carlson, lone; Craig Smith, Spray; Fred Pettyjohn, lone; Victor Chittock, Condon; and Earl Carlson, Condon. New babies this week are: to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Sherer, lone, a 7 lb. 9 oz. son, Brett Michael, born January 14. To Mr. and Mrs. Homer Bow man, Kinzua, a 6 lb., 14 oz. daughter, Cynthia Mae, born January 15. STARTS FRIDAY, January 18th At 9:30 A.M. EXTRA Plastic Cake Cover and Tra. 88c Aluminum S-cup Coffee Pot 88C 3-piece Plastic Canister Set 88c Seven piece glass juice set ggc 15 quart plastic Pail- ggc Cardinals Down Echo, Umapine; Climb in League Bouncing back from a slow start in league play, lone High's basketball team clicked out a pair of victories over the week end to bring its season's mark in the Umatilla-Morrow B cir cuit to four wins, three losses. Coach Glenn Biehl's lads went to Echo Friday night and cap tured a 55 to 43 victory after a cold first half, and then came home to blast Umapine Satur day night, 85 to 32. At Echo, the Cardinals fired more than 50 shots at the basket in the first half and made only 11, but this was good enough for a 22-16 margin at halftime. In a big third quarter, the Cards drilled 28 points and led, 48 to 30, going into the final period. Ron Crabtree, the Cards' high scoring center, made 24 points to lead all players by a large margin. No others on the lone team were in double figures, but Hays of Echo had 13 to lead his mates. Young Bill Klinger was the big gun for lone in the Umapine contest as reserves played most of the game against the under- . manned visitors. Bill took nine shots and made eight good from the floor, a phenomenal .889 shooting average. He tallied six of eight free throws and thus wound up with 22 points. At halftime, lone held a run away lead of 56 to 7 and coasted through the second half. Ron Crabtree had 16 points for lone, and Steve Lindstrom tallied 12. Tops for Umapine was Trump with 12. Ione's iayvees also won a pair, notching a 41-32 triumph over the Echo jayvees and a 48-21 victory over Umapine. None were in double figures against Umapine but Lindstrom and J. Halvorsen each connected for eight points to lead all others. Varsity scores: IONE '55 Martin 7, Ekstrom 8, Crabtree 24, Heimbigner 8, Padberg 6, Klinger 2, Morgan, Akers, Lind strom. ECHO 43 M. Flanagan 6, Brown 3, O'Brien 6, Hanson 6, Hays 13, Billing, Fife 1, Furniss 8. UMAPINE 32 Trump 12, Schubert 9, Wil liams 3, Leinbach 2, Krumbah 2, Benz, Marlatt 2, Larson, Hod gen 2. IONE 85 Martin 5, Ekstrom 5, Crabtree 16, Heimbigner 2, Padberg 8, Morgan 8, Akers 7, Lindstrom 12, B. Klinger 22. Townsend, Halvorsen. 2ij quart plastic pitcher. ggc 15 qt rinse and wash pan. ggg HAVE AT THIS EARLY! SAVE!
