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,
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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
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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.
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