I -I
Page Z. THE GAZETTE-TIMES. Heppner. OR, Thursday. Oct 7. m
At Chawhn
r
rate engineer explains gas fax
If Measure 8, the gas tax
bill, passes in November, then
the city of Heppner should
gain $7,090 and the county
should receive $44,056 during
the 1977-79 biennium, state
Highway Engineer Pat
Schwartz told the Heppner
Morrow County Chamber of
Commerce Monday.
Schwartz presented a slide
show and answered questions
from the chamber patrons at
the Monday lunch meeting.
; Measure 8, on the November
2 general election ballot, is a
referral of a bill passed by the
1975 Oregon Legislature. A yes
vote will mean that the state
gas tax will be increased a
penny a gallon; the weight
mile taxes paid by trucks and
buses will be increased by 26
per cent; and the increases
Jwill take place on January 1,
1977.
The current seven cents a
gallon state gas tax has been
in effect since 1967 and the
weight-mile rates for trucks
and buses has been in since
1963.
: Passage of the measure will
result in trucks and buses
paying a larger share of state
road taxes in relation to
automobiles. Schwartz said
the ideal is a one-third for
trucks and buses and a
two-thirds for automobiles.
Editor:
"The interview is over!" I heard a public official make that
statement when a salesman offered a bribe In relation to a
small culvert order on a road job.
The official never got re-elected, but he understood and had
n fear of the man he shaved every morning.
This started a chain of questions I have thought about for 50
years. Reduce it to priorities and offer and acceptance in
everyday living.
How about arson? As an example and exaggeration
which is worse, the man that starts the fire or the man who
The measure would raise an
additional $49 million during
the next biennium, 32 per cent
of which will go to Oregon
cities and counties for local
street and road work.
By law, all revenue must be
used for state, city and county
road maintenance and re
construction. No revenue can
be used for State Police, State
Parks, or other agencies and
programs partially or fully
funded by the state highway
department fund.
Passage of the measure will
cost the average Oregon
motorist less than $8 a year
and even if it passes, Oregon
motorists will still pay the
lowest car related taxes in the
eleven western states.
Schwartz told the chamber
that roads should be re
surfaced every 14 to 20 years.
In 1969, 140 miles of Oregon
roads were repaved at about
$29,000 a mile. In 1975, 55 miles
of roads were repaved at
$80,000 a mile.
Schwartz said 500 miles
should be repaved each year
to keep up with road deterior
ation. Schwartz said that the in
crease from the tax is needed
for a combination of reasons.
He said inflation, reduced
growth in revenue, greater
passenger and freight traffic
GAZETTE-TIMES
Editorial & Viewpoint
Is gas tax worth it ?
It sounds like a good idea, but is it really?
It will be up to the good old taxpayer on November 2 to decide whether or not he or she wants to
shell out another penny toward the state's Measure 8, gas tax.
Morrow County has been bickering and begging and asking and pleading to the state highway
department for years . . . please fix our roads. But look at the roads.
As one man put it, some of the roads are cattle trails, designed back at the turn of the century for
model Ts. Some look as if they haven't been improved since then, either.
Measure 8 is asking for a penny a gallon increase on the present, seven cents a gallon gas tax. It
will accelerate road improvement?
In Morrow County, the tax would produce $44,000 in the 1977-79 biennium. Heppner itself would
gain a little over $7,000.
According to the state highway department, roads in the area are beyond the patching stage.
They need to be totally reconstructed, Pat Schwartz, state highway engineer, told the
Heppner-Morrow County Chamber of Commerce.
Schwartz said that in 1975, 55 miles of road were repaved in Oregon at a cost of $80,000 a mile.
Now how far would that $44,000 go? About a half mile!
Gasoline is taking a pretty big bite out of everyone's pocket these days. An additional penny
probably wouldn't hurt too much ... but how much could it really help?
The average Oregon driver wiU pay a little less than $8 a year if the measure passes. How many
other $8 taxes will it take before something gets done?
The measure sounds good. It's probably a decent start. But the channeling of dollars to Morrow
County just won't get the Job done. It leaves a lot of questions unanswered.
If highways are not adequately maintained, they will quickly deteriorate. If you don't believe it,
take a drive some time ... if you have good shock absorbers.
Everybody depends on roads to get to and from work, school, recreation and even other means
of transportation. Oregon's farm-forest-tourist economy is heavily dependent on good roads.
With no rail or bus service, Heppner residents are kind of stuck behind their four wheelers.
It is up to the voter. Pay another penny, hoping this new deal is the start of something ... or
don't pay the extra $8 a year and live with roads that haven't been improved much for the last
decade anyway. -WC')-
Standards
THE
Tht official pMT f the
fit) of llrppnrr and the Cminly
of Morrow.
Ci.M.Rred.l'ubtUher
Oolorr Reed. C'o-puhlUhrr
W ilC. I'hlnney. l 4itor
and increased diversion of
highway funds to other agen
cies were some of the reasons.
The highway department
funds the state police for 75
- V 5 ' J
y',' a v - f
Julie Nelson, right, and Liz Ernst,
chairman of the Levi Ball, prepare
decorations for the Oct. 9 event. The
dance, Is set for 9 p.m. with Depot 1 1
and measurements
gAzette-times
lubllhrd ever T)iiiriav and enierwl
irond dais mailer at the pot H'ppner.
Oregon. "ier the art of March X Rwdla
povURe pM at llrppner, Orf oi.
per cent of that agency's total
budget. The highway depart
ment pays for 100 per cent of
the state patrol's traffic con
trol costs, yet it receives none
1 :
HEFFNEII
hires linn iuuu ii. vi c u:j njui ui i one smart and one
stupid? To what elevation or breadth? Or do you say this is
not relative In today's world.
Such things are included in my standards and my
measurements. An election Is not a popularity contest, and I
will vote for some people that I do not like personally. My
prerogative, by the way.
To answer those questions that prompted this letter I will
vote Democratic In the county and stale, selections that
concern me most. I will, of course, monitor the office
seeker's progress, no matter who is elected.
W.W.Weatherford
of the money from traffic
fines.
Twelve cents out of every
highway fund dollar goes to
Oregon cities and 20 cents to
the counties If the measure
passes. Cities and counties use
this money for their own road
and street construction and
maintenance. If Measure 8
passes, Oregon cities will
receive $5.7 million and coun
ties will receive $9.6 million in
additional road money during
the 1977-79 biennium.
A recent highway division
study indicated passage of
Measure 8 would result in
trucks paying their fair share
of road taxes. Weight-mile on
trucks would increase 26 per
cent while the gas tax will
increase 14 per cent.
City ups water rates,
fire insurance goes down
While most Heppner water
users have been slapped with
another rate increase, the
1
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r ' . . .
.nJL
r-.
presented o gold watch by plant superintendent Harry
Kennlson, at his rettrment dinner Sept. 29. Matteson, a
resident of Heppner. had been with Klnzua for 22 years,
five months
second since July, some con
solation may come in knowing
that the city's fire insurance
ratings have been bettered.
The Heppner Common
Council Monday night, heard
from two different persons,
complaining about the present
water rates and the proposed
increase. But, the council
agreed to increase water
rates, five cents per thousand
gallons from 14-80,000 gallons.
For a family of five with a
garden, using about 35,000
gallons a month, that nickel
increase represents a jump of
about $1.15 a month.
A housewife at the meeting
was disgruntled with increas
ing prices.
"You got your levy, you
raised the water and sewer,
you approved a garbage in
crease, you approved a TV
increase, the power and phone
bill is up ... I can't see how
much more a family can put
up with." she said.
When told of the $1.15 in
crease, she said that "nickels
add up. You can be nickeled so
much till the nickels go over
the limit."
The rate increase stemmed
from the reduction of water
rates for senior citizens in the
community. Senior Citizen
rates will be dropped back to
the original $3 minimum rate,
before the $3 jump approved
in July.
(In July, the council ap
proved a base increase of $2
for water and $1 for sewer.)
The resolution adopting the
nickel increase passed by a 3 2
margin. The majority agreed
that it was more equitable to
raise the water rates than to
go back to the property
owners for additional money.
As the water rates went up,
the city dwelling fire insur
ance rates will go down.
A half million dollar project
that improved the city's fire
protection was paid off this
week as the Insurance Ser
vices of Oregon revised Hep
pner's fire rating from 6 to 7
for dwellings and from 6b to 7b
for buildings other than dwel
lings. The new rating would lower
a fire insurance rate from
$128 to $111 on a home valued
at $32,000. Merchants In com
mercial buildings will see a
higher savings. One merchant
picked at random on main
street was slated to save over
$100 with the new rating.
Ray Boyce. councilman and
insurance salesman, threw a
wet rag on the little flame
when he said that the rat'
would end up baU'ulng out
anyway. Fire insurance rates
went up In March, he said
"Might as well tell it like it
is." he said.
In other business, the coun
cil: . compromised with Bill Cox
asking him to put a water
meter on his system so that
the city could tell how much
water he was using Cot said
the city was rhurging him for
what he usrd to use at his
creamery and that hii ue was
- ,.,.. in iha Inn vnrH
cut to a tenth now. The council
said there could be a possible
rebate.
. still hasn't decided wheth
er to face the state's code on
mobile home inspection or pay
a fee. Ralph Marlatt of the city
has taken his mobile home
inspection tests and passed.
But. even if Marlatt inspects
the homes, the state wants 15
per cent of the inspection fee.
The council does not want to
give the state a cent. If the
state comes In and inspects
the homes, they will take 100
per cent of the fee.
Fight the state? "Somebody
someday is going to have to do
it." Cliff Green, councilman
said, "or else give the city
government to the state."
The maximum inspection
fee is $25. The council toyed
with the idea of charging a $1
inspection fee and sending the
Inadequate jail
(Continued from Page 1)
There is no anteroom for prisoner delivery or for taking a
prisoner out of jail.
The booking area of the jail is located in a public reception
room: the sheriff's office. There is no fire suppression
equipment in the jail; no provisions for special problems
such as addicts, alcoholics or diseased prisoners except for a
doctor on call.
There is no facility for attorneys to visit prisoners. The
attorneys must also "walk In cold" into the jail or have the
prisoner brought into the courthouse, a public room, for
visitation.
Physically, the plumbing is exposed, pipes and wiring
included, that could serve the purpose of hanging or
strangling without much problem.
A shower in the jail is accessible to prisoners. However, the
temperature control is left to the prisoner's dexire. If he
wanted to scald himself or another prisoner, he could.
Overhead in the Jail, a pair of 220 volt heaters are exposed.
Open light bulbs are exposed in the smaller cells, as well as
plug ins.
The beds are not bolted down and, Doherty said, they could
be "dismantled and used very well as a weapon."
There is no sound monitoring system, either.
"Nobody likes to see luxuries for prisoners," Doherty
maintains, "but you can see that this is not adequate.
"It's not a matter of luxurious cells, but the facility should
be safe."
Doherty pondered the situation. "Take snmctody'a
husband that's gone over the edge some night," he said. "We
want to bring him out the next day a better man."
Doherty said prisoners can be put in the cell for a very
short time. There are no windows and it is a substantial risk,
Doherty said, for officers to have to go inside.
He said that five out of every ten prisoners are violent.
And, there are no other safe places to keep them , . . except
through transporting.
Doherty Is going to study the problems, including costs and
alternatives and come back to the county court. At the least,
he'd like to see a lock up facility. Fetsch doubles up on
Doherty's feelings.
Not only is the lack of a Jail costing mn hours and
transportation money, it is costing the entire judicial
process
'inmt prp!e arc released wlwn lh-y might to be going to
jail." Doherty said "I do it myself ... I'm sure the Julg do
II llMl,"
Why? Because Ihry have to think of tolnl protection. If thry
think a man should spend a day or two in jail, he has to be
transported to at least llermlston. That's at least two hours
out of one of the two officers' working day.
If it 's for more than a day or two. then the prisoner must lie
transported to one of the oilier two facilities . . . farther away.
If an officer has to transport someone, it leaves Ihe cminly
sherifflet for that lime. The duo thai Is alrraily working
overtime can ! work 24 hours a d.iy.
"We need lock up facilities for at least overnight
sememes." Doherty said "Just so f km I have to disrupt
police protection loo much."
Ilelwern a nwk and a hard place? A really hard place
for KinZUQ, WOS
state 15 cents. It was tabled,
however, because the contract
could not be found.
. agreed to a 20 hour work
week for the Heppner City
Librarian. At present, the
librarian is working a 15 hour
week. The county came up
with $1700 to help finance the
library and in the $1700. it
called for an extra five hours a
week for the librarian. Her
base salary will stay the
same. The city balked at the
county gift last month because
they were not sure of dollar
explanations. Pauline Winter,
a member of the library
board, explained the money
breakdown and satisfied the
council.
, confirmed the appoint
ment)! of Mike Grey to the city
planning commission and Bill
Rawlins and Pat Lande to the
library board.