Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 27, 1978)
TWO The "tte-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, April 27, 1978 VIEWPOINT EDITORIAL 'Yes' vote urged for Heppner budget City of Heppner residents will go to the polls next Tuesday, May 2, to vote on a special levy needed to fund the operation of services for the next year. We hope voters will be more obliging toward the levy request than last year when the measure was voted down twice and there are several good reasons why they should. Major increases in this year's budget stem from a 10 per cent pay raise for city employees and the funding of two additional city employees one in the street department and one in the water department. All are justified. In the past year we have seen several city foremen come and go and the result is poor maintenance of essential services. Finding a qualified and hard-working city foreman is tough when the money you can offer isn't close to what the individual could make in the private sector. Moreover, if you find a qualified foreman that will work for that money, he needs competent help. The pay increase and additional employees will result in better services for city residents and a savings down the road through constant maintenance. Another reason to vote 'yes' on the city budget request is because small, but necessary, funds are included to operate the swim pool and library. Based on last year's figures, the swim pool will pay for itself but the city needs the money up front to open the doors in June. A third reason to vote 'yes' is reality. The City of Heppner operates on a tax base that is totally inadequate for the times. Residents could help remedy this situation by asking the City Council to ask for a new tax base in the November elections. Budget committee members have put together a bare-bones budget for the city, yet it is a budget that will improve city services which we all use every day. If voters approve the levy request next Tuesday they will have given the City Council a vote of confidence and we think the City Council is ready to accept that vote by being responsive with proper administration. We urge a 'yes' vote at City Hall next Tuesday. tmh COMMENT County budget problems complex While on the subject of budgets, Morrow County residents should be aware of the work being done on the county budget. Department heads are coming before the budget committee with requests for increased funds. While these are preliminary figures that are sure to be cut back, there is a lot of credibility in the requests if people want effective law enforcement, district attorney's office, and administration. The county is also experiencing a major re-organization of the budget process this year out of necessity. Over the past decade or so, federal revenue sharing monies have been used to operate day-to-day service and departments, which means that local tax money wasn't needed. Now those federal money sources are drying up partially because they were used for day-to-day operations and the county must now ask voters to approve a levy request outside the six per cent limitation for the services we have come to know and enjoy. . Another big part of the re-organizations is simply putting the budget in order. In the past, a couple of the commissioners have been paid out of the road department, a secretary working in one office was paid out of another department, and so on. This kind of juggling to balance the budget doesn't work over the long haul and the budget committee and the County Court are correct in rectifying the situation. The bottom line is that voters can expect the county to exceed the six per cent limitation this year, but residents shouldn't over-react to preliminary budget requests and the seemingly large amounts because the end run is a few plays away. tmh THE GAZETTE -TIME The Official Newspaper of the City of Heppner and the County of Morrow Published every Thursday and entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at Heppner, Oregon, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Second-class postage paid at Heppner, Oregon. G.M. Reed, Publisher Dolores Reed, Co-publishor Terry M. Hager, Managing Editor Jim Summers, News Editor Eileen Saling, Officer Manager Elane Blanchet, Reporter Gayle Rush, Composing Chloe Pearson, Composing Justine Weatherford , Local Columnist Ron Jordan, Printer It's Spring " Tis Spring! Jo Today I saw a robin on the wing. Mother Nature's awaking! f Budding, bursting all about, As Spring gently nudges Winter out. I Myriads of flowers peek out here and there As she coaxes daffodils and crocuses from " corners everywhere. The sun warms the earth, r Thankful for his bit of rain, The farmer whistles as he tills his fields of grain. Rivers and brooks murmur a gurgling little song : As through the valley they rush happily along. 1 - My step becomes a bit more sprightly, I My heart takes on a warmer glow i Watching this awakening ? Loving all things that grow. ; All harbingers of Spring J Another robin just took wing, i Katherine Rozelle Farrar SALEM SCENE By Jack Zimmerman Oregon highways need gas tax Why would anyone vote to increase taxes these days? A substantial number of .organizations and individuals are prepared to provide voters with logical reasons for doing just that when they go to the polls on Primary Election Day, May 23. Those providing the reasons are proponents of Ballot Measure No. 5, a proposal referred to the voters by members of the State Legisla ture during the 1977 session in Salem. It is designed to rescue Oregon's highway system from its present state of decay and it raises taxes on gasoline two cents a gallon. Hardly anyone who drives is expected to oppose the idea of improving the state's rapidly deteriorating highways. But with gasoline prices at current levels, resistance to any additional price increase is bound to be expressed. It becomes particularly im portant then that voters un derstand everything the mea sure calls for and not go to the polls aware only of the gas tax increase. Ballot Measure No. 5 in volves two bills passed during the last session of the Legisla ture. They are House Bills 2140 and 3262. HB 2140 is the one referred to the voters and provisions of HB 3262 become effective only if Ballot Measure No. 5 wins voter approval. Together they would make many significant changes in present highway fund proce dures. In addition to raising gas taxes paid by the average motorist, they boost taxes paid by other highway users proportionately. For instance, weight-mile taxes paid by trucks and buses would in crease by 12 per cent. Highway maintenance and modernization are stipulated by law to have first priority when it comes to spending highway funds. They place limits on the use of highway funds for state parks and state police. Finan cing of bike paths will be transferred to the state Gen eral Fund. And a provision bound to influence many voters calls for every Oregon city and county to receive additional funds for improving city streets and county roads. Who is supporting Ballot Measure No. 5? Endorsements already have been expressed by organiza tions representing people from all walks of life. They include the Oregon State AFL-CIO, the League of Oregon Cities, Association of Oregon Counties, Oregon Fe deration of Highway Users, Oregon Farm Bureau Federa tion, Western Environmental Trade Association, Oregon Association of County Engi neers and Surveyors, Oregon Trucking Association, Cham bers of Commerce and Asso ciated Oregon Industries. Their support stems from a variety of reasons. Labor, for instance, sup ports the measure because it knows an adequate transpor tation network is vital to the job climate and the ability of workers to get to and from their jobs. Truckers favor the measure because good highways are essential to the economical movement of goods and ma terial throughout the state. They believe the increase in their taxes will be more than offset by alleviating current costs of maintaining equip ment that must travel on less-than-adequate roads and highways. Farmers supporting Ballot Measure No. 5 recognize the importance of the state's thoroughfares when it comes to marketing and distributing their crops and livestock. Professional engineers and OBITUARY Services for Bertha Lov gren, 88, were held Saturday, April 22, at the Scholls Community Church, Scholls. Mrs. Lovgren died at the Tuality Community Hospital Wednesday, April 19. The Rev. James Moore, pastor, officiated at the cere mony. Concluding rites and vault interment were per formed at the family plot in Mountainside Cemetery, Scholls. Mrs. Lovgren was born May 28, 1889, at Elwood, Ind., the daughter of John and Mary LETTERS FROM READERS 'Atiyeh is man for governor' Editor, State Senator Victor Atiyeh is a candidate for the Governor of Oregon. His record of concern for people and his desire that government be responsive to the people of the state deserves our support. His background of business, organization and legislative experience and name famili arity make him a strong candidate capable of winning. I notice a willingness on his part to listen to expressed concerns and a capability to answer fairly and to the point. I believe Vic Atiyeh will be a governor that will work toward achieving balance of trade between the country and the city and bring a closer relationship of State government to the people of Oregon. I urge you to support Vic Atiyeh with a substantial contribution. Mail to: Atiyeh for Governor Committee, 519 SW Park Ave. Room 408, Portland, Oregon 97205. Now is the time to write letters to the editors of papers throughout Oregon and to visit with your neighbors and friends about the candidacy of Vic Atiyeh, the next governor of Oregon. Sincerely, Don Peterson, Morrow County Campaign Chairman surveyors realize the cost of repairing and restoring dam aged highways increases at a staggering rate and postpon ing proper maintenance and modernization means spend ing more dollars for the same work sometime in the future. Business people favor the proposal for all of the forego ing reasons and more. They know the value of jobs, of transporting goods and ser vices. They recognize the importance of highways when it comes to attracting visitors to our state and providing access to recreational attrac tions. In essence, all recognize a properly maintained highway Bertha Lovgren Stretcher. She moved with her family from Indiana to the Scholls community in 1911. After completing her educa tion, she taught school in the Heppner area in 1915. She was married in Heppner to Ernest Eugene Lovgren, Sr., Sept. 16, 1916. They continued to live in the Heppner area, where Mr. Lovgren was a rancher, until 1931. At that time the family moved to Scholls where Mrs. Lovgren remained the rest of her life. She was a member of Community BILLBOARD Call 676-9228 Thursday April 27 Homemakers Day, 10 a.m., overall health of Oregon's economy. And all supporters of Mea sure No. 5 probably will concentrate on convincing the average motorist that his personal benefits far outweigh the outlay involving an addi tional two cents for each gallon of gas purchased. The investment is estimated to cost that average motorist an amount about equal to the present price of one tank of gas a year. How well proponents tell their stories and how willing voters are to accept them will be one of the more interesting results of this year's Oregon Primary Election. the Scholls Grange. Surviving are three chil dren: Ernest, Hillsboro; Mrs. Nels (Mary) Anderson, Sher wood; and John, Tigard, a sister-in-law, Hazel Stretcher, Forest Grove; four grandchil dren; eight great-grandchildren; and two step-greatgrandchildren. Her husband preceded her in death in 1966. The family suggests any memorial contributions be made to the Scholls Com munity Church building fund. Lions Club bldg., Irrigon Spring Concert, 7:30 p.m., lone High School Friday April 28 County budget, 10 a.m., court house Saturday April 29 Wranglers Cow Cutting, 2 p.m. Fairgrounds Sunday April 30 Wranglers Cow Cutting, 9 a.m. Fairgrounds Monday Mayi C. of C, noon, W. of W. EOSC ensemble concert, 7:30 p.m., lone H.S. Sifting the 41 Morrow County was getting ready to put out the welcome mat this week in 1968 to 34 eighth-graders from Portland schools who were scheduled to spend the weekend in the county learning about rural life. The fifth annual visit of the "city kids", sponsored by Morrow County Grain Growers, was to include a trip to the George Currin and Sons cattle ranch for a look at branding procedures, a demonstration of horsemanship by Mrs. Bill Healy, an exhibition of aerial field spraying by Mel Boyer, an explanation of irrigation systems at the Fritz Cutsforth place and a trip to the Lexington grain elevator to watch a wheat truck load and unload. Bob and Herb Peterson of lone were selected to share the 1968 Conservation Man of the Year title ten years ago for their joint conservation efforts on 5,400 acres of crop land and 2,000 acres of rangeland. Stubble mulch seed bed preparation, diversion ditches and contour strips were among methods the Petersons used to control water and prevent soil erosion. The ninth annual Spring meet sponsored by the Wranglers ten years ago drew 79 entries with more than 50 horses competing from as far away as British Columbia in the cow cutting event. The fate of the Lexington High School was on the line in 1958 as a May 5 vote was slated to determine whether or not the school should be continued. According to a front-page report by the Gazette-Times, sentiment was pretty well divided in the community as the Education Betterment Committee urged that the school be closed and students transported on the theory better educational opportunities existed at the larger schools. Still another group favored status quo. Nels Anderson, father of seven and county extension agent, was selected by the CowBelles to receive their second "Father of the Year" title this week in 1958. Anderson had expanded the number of 4-H clubs in the county from 16 to 30 during his 12 years in the extension office and was very involved in community organizations. A short editorial printed in the Times this week in 1948 brings up a point pertinent to today: "There must be more than a thousand people in Morrow County qualified to vote on school budgets, yet less than one-fourth that number voted in the recent budget elections. Those who voted expressed their opinions, while those who did not take the time to go to the polls gave their sanction to the several budgets although they might have voted otherwise. It is one of the quirks of our way of life that is hard to understand that where so much tax money is at stake so few taxpayers are concerned." Registered voters in Morrow County now number 3,289. While 31 per cent of the voters cast their ballot in the recent school levy elections, admittedly better than the record 30 years ago, it is not good enough. Each voter should register his opionion, whether 'yea' or 'nay', especially at the local level where it has the most direct impact. Withholding a vote does not necessarily sanction a budget it may mean the loss of services desired by the individual voter. Either way, each vote should and does count. The Gazette-Times, like most papers of the day, stood in favor of prohibition during the era it was in effect, as can be seen from this excerpt from an editorial printed fifty years ago: "...We would ask this of the gentlemen who are such eminent advocates of the figment 'personal liberty': Would the repeal of prohibition remove from liquor the murder and lust which now resides therein, and which always have been found therein? Would the repeal of prohibition result in a decreased consumption of the stuff that men, in the wisdom of their hearts, know is hurtful to body and spirit? Would the repeal of prohibition place more automobiles, the property of working men, on the highways? If they answer honestly, they must answer 'no' to each. "It is true that illicit liquor is consumed. But it is not true that a majority of people, or even a large proportion of the population, seek out this illicit liquor or partake of it. The saloon is gone from the corner. To install it again, or to create a comparable substitute, would be to work great injury upon earning power, saving power and moral welfare." It is interesting to note that even today, the word 'saloon', at least in Oregon, cannot be used by tavern owners in advertising their establishments. From the Town and Country column, 1918: "Jas. Kenny, east Heppner stockman, spent the first of the week with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Mike Kenny in Heppner. Jim is now driving a Franklin roadster and says there is nothing like it. "A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Keene at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W.T. Campbell in this city Wednesday. Dr. Purkey reports mother and child doing nicely." Christian Business Women, 7:30 p.m., St. Pat's parish hall Heppner City Council, 8:06 p.m., City Hall Tuesday May 2 Heppner Lion's, noon, W. of W. Resource Conservation meet ing, 7:30p.m., Riverside HS lone City Council, 8:00 p.m., City Hall Lexington City Council, 7:30 p.m., City Hall Heppner Planning Comm., 8:00 p.m., City Hall through! 1 IFIliO Sponsored By RAY I BOYCE I INSURANCE 228 N. Main St. Heppner 676-9625 4 '
