HEFFHEB GAZFTTE-TTXES. Thursday. March 16. 1967
THE Sv
GAZETTE-TIMES
Heppner. Oregon 9T836
MOBBOW COTOTTS NEWSPAPER
The Heppner Gaiette established March 3a 1SS3. The Heppner
Times established November 18, 1S97. Consolidated February 15,
1912.
NIWSfAMI
V f5M. PUIltSHItS
ISOCIATION
WESLET A. SBEBMAN
Editor and Publisher
Office Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
until noon Saturday.
Subscription Rates: $4.50 Year.
Every Thursday and Entered at the
as Second Class Matter.
Basic Support and the Budget
A common quandary for school districts In the state at
the moment Is posed by uncertainty as to what action the
legislature will take towards Increasing state basic school
support
It is particularly tough on the districts because they are
currently In the throes of preparing their budgets for 1967-63
and cannot accurately forecast how much they will receive
in assistance from the state.
With no definite knowledge on what to expect, they can
only hold to the present rate of assistance ($160 per census
child) in preparing their estimates.
If the legislature approves increases In support and it
Is expected that It will the action will increase the revenue
coming to the local districts and thereby cut the amount
of taxes that will be levied against property.
Morrow county school district R-l finds Itself in this plight
with the rest at the moment Faced with a proposed gener
al Increase in pay for teachers, the district is proposing a
budget that shows a hike of $160,000 over last year. Should
the highest of the proposals now before the legislature bo
enacted in Increasing basic school support, this Increase In
property levy In the school budget would be cut by some
$35,000.
The shock of soaring school budgets this year is not unique
with Morrow county. It is a general condition, as anyone
who follows the daily newspapers or television news will
note.
The Oregonian, in an editorial Monday, estimated that
property taxes throughout the state may be $80 million high
er next year chiefly to meet higher teacher salaries.
It certainly is a quandary to cause the most conscientious
board and budget committee members to perspire. On the
one hand, they are faced with the necessity of increasing sal
aries for keeping good teachers to provide adequate education
for students tn the district On the other hand, they are
faced with a mandate from taxpayers to keep levies down.
Their only hope for a solution Is to pick up aid from
some other source. This was the prime matter for the legis
lature to consider at this session, but nothing has crystallized
as yet.
The Oregonian editorial said Monday, "If this Legislature
is so politically mascle-bound that it is unable to provide
additional state aid to schools, which would hold down the
rapid escalation of local property taxes, there is likely to be
a lot of new faces in the 1969 Legislature."
Among those who serve on this year's budget committee
for Morrow county schools are those who well know and feel
themselves the pressure of property taxes. They are Just as
interested in holding them to a minimum as anyone.
The board arid the lay members have scrutinized every
aspect of the budget through a succession of meetings, and
they have made substantial cuts.
Some pessimism is heard regarding the voters' reaction
when they cast ballots on the budget April 17. It is hoped
that the situation in regard to state support will be clarified
somewhat between now and then, but there is no assurance
that It will be.
This year it isn't a question of paring "fat" from the coun
ty school budget The committee has already made an effort
to do that. It's simply a question of whether Morrow county
voters will pay the increasing price of teaching their child
ren in the face of the uncertainty on property tax: relief.
Of the total general fund requirements of $1,231,282 in
the county school budget for 1967-68, a total of $762,919 is
marked for instruction, including teachers' salaries and other
instructional costs. In addition, administrators' salaries are
set at $25,653.
This accounts for the bulk of the budget When you con
sider that many other costs are relatively fixed maintenance
of plant utilities, Social Security and so on there isn't much
left to hack away that would make any significant change in
the levy.
It poses a tough dilemma for the taxpayer, but the big
hope still lies with the legislature. If the property tax bur
den isn't relieved at the state level, it is a virtual certainty
that drastic reaction will result all around the state and not
just in Morrow county.
Journalism Society
Initiates Members
- Six Hf-ppner High school stu
dents were initiated into Quill
and Scroll, national journalism
honor society, at the student
body meeting of Heppner High
on February 21. Those initiated
were Barbara Anderson, Pam
McCabe, Martha Peck. Jill
Schmidt, Marsha Sowell and
Mike Sweeney.
To be eligible, students must
be- a junior or senior, must be in
the upper one-third of their
class scholastically, and have
worked in some phase of journ
alism. They must be recom
mended for membership by the
advisor or the governing mem
bership committee and approved
by the club's executive officer.
Presiding at the initiation cer
emony were Donna Potter and
Mrs. Rachel Dick, advisor.
FFA Boys Attend
District Meeting
Heppner Chapter of Future
Farmers of America was repre
sented at the Blue Mountain
District meeting in Stanfield on
March 6 by four of its members.
Local beys who attended the
district meeting were David
Hall, Earl Struckmeier, Alfred
Drake and Steve Wagenblast.
Steve also entered his record
hook, on which he received third
I lace.
At the meeting, discussion
was held on the election of dis
trict officers which will be in
April.
HEPPNER
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER
i-TjjnfAig'j'ni
HELEN E. SHERMAN
Associate PublUhw
Monday through Friday; 9 a jr.
Single Copy 10 Cents.
Published
Post Office at Heppner, Oregon,
Athletic Banquet
Tickets on Sale
Tickets for the All-Sports Ban
guet to be held in Pendleton on
Wednesday, April 19, are now
on sale a the Gazette-Times of
fice in Heppner.
Bob Lilly, all pro tackle with
the Dallas Cowboys, will be
guest speaker for the banquet,
which is sminviroH hv th Pon.
dleton Athletic Round Table.
Lilly is formerly of Pendleton.
The banquet is open to the
pubic and will honor Pendleton
High athletes.
Lillv. a former Ppnrilptnn Utah
school star, will fly to Pendle
ton with Mrs. Lilly from Dallas,
Texas. His former coach, Don
Requa of Pendleton High school,
is scheduled to introduce him at
the banquet.
In arirtitinn in fho hu
Lilly, several other features are
piannea lor entertainment.
Jack Sul of Pendleton, ticket
chairman, said that it is expec
ted that nearly 1000 persons will
attend the banquet, which will
be in the Pendleton Memorial
armory, beginning at 7 p.m. on
the Wednesday evening.
Tickets are $4.75. They are be-
ina nlar-ori nrt cala In trQpinm
cities surrounding Pendleton for
the convenience of those who
would like to attend, and the
Gazette-Times is handling them
in Heppner as an accommoda
tion. The attack rat fn moaclps Is
higher than for any other in
fectious disease.
Chaff aid
Wes
ITS I'NCOMM ONLY qu let
around this wwk with spring
(?) vacation on. Seems as if
every time we grab the phone
to call someone on news, he's
gone somewhere, but there are
enough contacts left to fill the
paper and more. Judging by the
copy hanging on the linotype
hook at this moment.
Monday's snow must have
been designed to bring conso
lation to the left-at-homes dur
ing the vacation week, showing
that it Is still winter and that
a person should be by the fire
side instead of gadding around
anyway.
Must say, though, that the
lawn mower looked pretty for
lorn in the yard with the coat
ing of snow on it
THIS IS the week that a good
share of the population might
have been at Coos Bay if things
had happened a little different
ly in the final game of the dis
trict basketball tourn am e nt
Judging by Vale's showing, it
appears that Heppner could
have done pretty well in the
state tournament. The Vikings
blasted Riddle. 71 to 34, in the
first round, and that would in
dicate that the Mustangs could
have handled these opponents,
too.
Vale lost in the second game,
53 to 45, to Stayton Tuesday,
as was to be expected tand
predicted last week) by the
state's No. 1 ranked A-2 team.
We'd still have given a Hepp
ner Sheepskin Buck (if we had
one) to see how Heppner would
have fared against Stayton. One
never knows. Doherty, Hoskins
and Co. might just have pulled
out some magic to upset the
TO THE
EDITOR.
Helping the Blind
To the Editor:
There is an old adage that
goes, "There is no one so blind
as those that don't want to or
won't see.'
Mr. Webster defines the word
' Industry" as systematic work
cr labor, ot a particular branch
of productive labor. "Industrial"
of or pertaining to. or resulting
from industry or productive la
bor. He also defines "Industrial
ist" as a person employed in or
concerned with industry, or pro
ductive labor.
For example, if we take the
100.000 acres in the Industrial
Park and divide it Into econom
ical irrigation farm units of 160
acres, there would be 625 farms
or industries. We will now add
one average size farm family to
each unit That is quite an In
ciease in population.
What would be the increase
in population if we include all
the land in the north part of
Morrow county, from the Uma
tilla countj line to the Gilliam
county line surrounding the In
dustrial Park and the Navy fir
ing range?
How many of us have the
foresight to be able to visualize
, what the development of that
imount of irrigated farms would
do to the already established
service industries in and around
Morrow county? The area would
need the services of surveyors,
j engineer, land leveling, con
struction and building contrac
! tors. The products and services
o! pipe and pump dealers, lum
ber dealers, farm machinery
dealers, gas and oil dealers and
ftrtilizer dealers would be a nec
essity in the development of
these farms. The dry goods,
hardware, grocery and drug
merchants: restaurant, hotel and
motel owners will benefit. The
professional services of bankers,
lawyers, doctors, dentists, and
druggists would be needed and
those of you in these and other
professions are here and estab
lished. As Heppner is the county seat,
n.any of these people would
have to come here to conduct
much of their business, but
Eoardmau, Irrigon, lone and
Lexington are closer to the area
end would expand faster.
Our recreational facil i t i e s
would have to be increased to
meet the demands of that many
persons and their families.
As we look at the example in
the Columbia Basin area to the
f orth of us, or to the Central
Oregon area to the south of us,
we can arrive at a fair picture
o: this country 20 to 25 years
from now if we act now.
Can any one remember Pasco
25 years ago; Warden, Othello.
Eltopia, Ephrata, of Quincy 20
years ago? Does anyone remem
ber Redmond of Madras before
dams in the Deschutes river
made water on the land possi
ble? For that matter, does anyone
remember Boardman or Irrigon
before an irrigation ditch
brought water from the Uma
there ever have been such
tilla river to the area? WonlH
towns as we know them today :
without the water? I
I believe that if we will all
work together to put that great j
God-given natural resource, I
"Water," on another God-given i
natural resource, "Land," we 1
will see ;i greater expansion of t
growth and development that
far exceeds expectation of the
most farsighted person living in
Morrow county today.
Barbara Cutsforth
Chatter
Sherman
Eagles but we'll
about that now.
never know
WE WERE talking the other day
bout what a basketball tram
Heppner would have had if the
Bill Barratts and the Bill Lab
harts had stayed in town. We
wer thinking that Scott Bar
rett, who plaved her as a
freshman (and sophomore?),
was Just a senior this year.
But a letter from Bonnie Bar
ratt (Mrs. BilH reports that he
is attending WSL' as a fresh
man. We understand that he
made a great showing In bas
ketball in the Spokane coun
try. Chris Labhart is the main
stay of John Day's team, and
he's Just a Junior. But suppose
we'd had a team with fellows
like Dohertv, Hoskins, Jacobs,
Barratt. Labhart, Kilkenny and
the Mustangs. Wouldn't that be
a coach's dream?
It's surprising how these kids
grow up and get so big. The
co-publisher watched the Her
man Green family going to
church Sunday and said to us,
"My, those Green boys are get
ting so big."
But that's natural. They're
Green and growing.
WE NEVER expected to run out
of No Trespassing signs at
this season of the year. I'sual
ly the big demand is In the
fall at the start of hunting sea
son. But Larry Lindsay slicked
us out of the fluorescent var
iety the other day. You may
not believe it, but he has an
invasion of hunters on the
Lindsay range land, across
from the bombing range.
Rabbit hunters are coming in
droves, he said. They have
counted as many as 20 rigs on
their range in a day campers,
cars, pickups, and what have
you.
On one occasion they spot
ted 18 men with rifles conduct
ing a drive. They're shooting
around the cattle and some
calves have turned up missing.
Larry la happy enough to get
rid of the rabbits, but he wants
to be sure that the hunters
know the difference between
rabbit and a cow. Judging by
the way some shoot up signs,
he isn't sure that they do.
It appears that rabbit hunt
ing is getting to be a late win
ter pastime for the city dudes,
who can't wait until Septem
ber to start firing at birds.
We sort of had the Idea that
the jacks were nearing extinc
tion in the north country, but
Larry says not so. They have
lean years and prolific years.
He figures this Is the year of
a bunny explosion. Anyway,
it's a rather appropriate thought
with Easter coming on.
-
MAYBE YOU won't believe It,
but all of the county school
administrators were out until
2 a.m. Friday morning. Don't
be alarmed, though, they were
Just getting home from school
board meeting that broke up
about 1:30 at Lexington.
Did you ever stop to think
how these six hour meetings
could turn all the people in
the county Into an irritated
state of mind?
It could go like thtis: The
principals go to the meetings
and stick them out to the bit
ter end, getting into bed around
2 am. Without much sleep,
when they go to school In the
morning, they couldn t be in
a happy frame of mind. This
might cause them to speak
sharply to their teachers. The
rankled teachers, in turn, might
give their pupils a bad day.
Then the youngsters would
come home to release their emo
tions on their parents, thereby
covering all corners of the
county with the wave of irri
tation. This chain reaction possibil
ity reminds us of the old story
of the college freshman who
was flunking out. His profes
sors blamed it on his high
school teachers for not laying
the proper foundation. The high
school teachers passed the buck
to the elementary teachers for
not giving him the fundament
als. The grade school teachers
declared the kinderg a r t e n
teacher was at fault for not
giving him a good start And
the kindergarten teacher point
ed to the home situation as
being the cause of the trouble.
And the mother declared, "His
dad's folks always were that
way."
PUTMAN FLYING. INC.
WEED
PRAYING
CALL
HOTEL HEPPNER
PH. 676-9623
Salem Scene
la
Chan? Coming In
Baste School Aid?
"Until wc get a tax program
and know how much money will
be available, we can't talk In
telligently about basic school
support"' according to Senate
Majority Leader Al Flegel ID
Kutscburgi, chairman of the Sen
ate Committee on Education
here-.
Nonetheless, the 1967 leglslat
ure is studying several bills in
tended tu change the formula
b whWh the state subsidizes
local school districts for the
cost of Ortgon pubic education
Many idea are gaining favor,
and it seems reasonable to ex
pect some changes in paying
for education within the over
all tax reform picture,
A number of claims of inco,
uittes under the present allx-a-tion
formula can be cited: Port
land versus down-Mate commu
nities, Easterm Oregon versus
the more populous Willamette
Valley, luige school population
districts with small property
evaluation versus small popul
lrtlon large value districts, O
C land grant counties versus
non-O C counties, to name a
few.
Both Sen Flegel ami Rep.
Carroll Howe (R K. Falls),
chairman ot the House Taxation
Cummittet and for 30 years n
professioi.al educator. would
like to reduce the friction. Both
would like to see the state gen
eial fund budget supplying halt
the operational cost of schools.
Such an Increase from the pres
ent 28 30 per cent woull reduce
local taxes, but such a hike ap
pears highly unlikely unless
the state picks up more tax dol
lars. The 50 per cent Idea is repre
sented in H.B. 1573. sponsored
by Rep. Howe, Rep. Stafford
Hansel! (IMIermtston) and Sen
L W. Ncwbry l R Ashland). It
provides foi the state to give lo
cal districts amounts equal to
half the cost ot education for
each pupil within each district
"This bill is keyed to fluctu
ations In the state's average in
come," Rep. Howe explains.
"Furthermore, It Is keyed to
high-spending and low-spending
districts, which will help
cvrrect sme of the inequities In
the Portland area"
Portland, with 17 per cent of
the state'. school population, re
ceives only 12 J percent of state
aid. It is argued by non-Portia
ndcrs that Oregon's largest
city does not bond itself for
school construction, and that it
has the highest property evalu
ation rate per student.
Sen. Flegel. now serving his
tenth year, calls H.B. 1573. "the
btst plan devised since I've
been in the legislature. But . . .
there is no recommended tax
plan with It. We can't serious
ly consider Increasing expendi
tures without a plan to Increase
revenue."
Another idea receiving serious
considerntion is S.B. 325, the re
sult of seven months of study
by a State Department of Education-appointed
technical com
mittee and lay advisory com
mittee representing wide geo
graphic and economic areas.
It would raise state aid to 42
per cent, a possibility with
funds already available, and
provide corresponding property
tax relief. The bill would give
Portland a 10 per cent bonus,
raising it to 15 per cent of sup
port funds, and it provides a
special allocation to small
schools in sparsely-populated
areas. It also would abolish the
equalization levy of intermedi
ate education districts, elimin
ating costs "double equaliza
tion." A similar proposal, from the
Legislative Fiscal Committee,
revises procedures for payment
of allocations and places the
state fund under an allotment
PHONE 989-8420
For Fast and Dependabl
FREIGHT TRUCK SERVICE
Daily Overnight Serric
From Portland including
Saturdays
MOVING? CALL US
Flatt's Truck
Service
GENE ORWICK
by tmett L Cutter
system. Limitations are placed
on district tax levies ior vn n
grades and on the number J'J
tax elections which tnnv be held
on operating or capital outlay
levies.
Still another plan, Introduced
In the Mount at the governors
request, would Imposo the wtme
two limitations and would pro
vide allocations to common and
union high school district of
basic and supplemental grant,
based on a support urogram lev
el. It also would eliminate any
mandatory county school fund
levy and would abolish Inter
mediate education district.
With so many proposals to
study, the legislature Is consid
ered' almost certain to hammer
out some new formula system.
Right now. Sen. Flegel and Hep.
Howe agree, the stage must be
set by the Joint Ways and
Means Committee, which breaks
down the state budget's receipts
and expenditure tally for leg
Islnllve approval.
When the Senate Equalization
Committee this week voted to i
Increase balc school support '
from $160 to $240 per census .
child, Sen. Flegel pointed out j
that action would have to come ;
from Ways and Means, which
would have to come up with,
the money.
"I am sure that Hep. Howe
will agree with me," says Sen j
Flegel In summing up much ;
legislative sentiment, "that If
we can find the state funds, we j
should give local school one- i
half of their operational cost, j
district by district, and forget
about the formula." j
Governor to Report
On Tax Problems
Governor Tom McCall will re
port to the people Thursday,
March Id. at 9:30 p.m. In a spec
ial color television show to or
iginate ocr KGW-TV In Port
land The Governor's first tele
vised report since taking office
will be titled. "Do You Want
Property Tax Relief?"
John Monger, director of the
Department of Finance and Ad
ministration, will appear with
Gov. McCall on the program.
The governor will explain In de
tail his plan fur a reduction In
property tax.
Gun Club Schedules
Shoot on Sunday
Morrow county gun club will
hold a shoot at the club grounds
south of Heppner on Sunday,
March 19, at 10 a.m.. club lend
ers announced Tuesday.
Merchandise prizes will be
given to winners at the ahoot.
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Boys' dress oxford
6.99
Durable Pentred tola and
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Extra comforti broad toe last.
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Examiner Coming
A dilvcfs lli-ento examiner
will be or duty In Heppner on
Tuesday, March IM, at the court
house hitMeeii Hie hours of ).3o
niu. mid .1 hi pin, lit iHpart
nient of Motor Vehicles of Ore
gun announce. Persons wishing
iillglniil licenses or permit to
ililve are asked lo I lie applies
lion well ahead of 111 schedul
cd eloslnj,' hour In order to a
sure time for completion of the
required llceliM) lest.
COMMUNITY
BILLBOARD
Coming Events
ROCKHOUND MEETING
Saturday, March 18, 8 p m.
Old Heppner Library build
ing Meeting changed from March
25 of Holy Week.
MORROW CO. GUN CLUB
Sunday. March 19, 10 am.
Heppner Club Ground
Merchandise Prize
EASTER FOOD SALES
American Legion Auxiliary,
Friday, March 24, next door
to Gardner's
Sans Souct Rrbekah Benefit
Hake Sale, Sat. March 23
Coxen Building, next door to
Gardner's.
GOOD FRIDAY SERVICES
Friday. March 24
First Methodist Church, 12:30
P m. until 3 p.m.
Sponsored by South Morrow
Ministerial Assoc.
Every oi .c Welcome.
CIVIL DEFENSE MEETING
Thursday, March 23, 8:30
a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Elks Lodge room.
SPONSORED AS A PUBLIC
SERVICE BT
C. A. RUGGLES
Insurance Agency
Hippnar
t. O. Box $47 NL CTO M1S
STORE HOURS
9:00-6:00
DAILY
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NOW
Girls' classic pump
5.99
In glossy black patent vinyl
pretty enough lo go party
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rounded toe, synthetic sole.
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