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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (March 8, 1979)
The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday March 8, 1979 THIRTEEN Caution light i burnin tate Larata! g at By Jack Zimmerman Salem Scene A caution light is burning in the State Capitol at Salem and its amber glow likely will color the remainer of the current regular biennial ses sion of the 60th Assembly.. A consensus in the Capitol as the session ended its sixth week indicated the pace is best described as deliberate and prudent, as opposed to anything resembling languor or lethargy. Lawmakers are busy. But they are wary, also. Aside from the preoccupation with determining a satisfactory tax relief program and modifying the state's costly Workers' Compensation system, few other issues have surfaced that fall either into the substantive or publicly popu lar categories. Largest bill introduced so far is a revision of the state's election laws and it is largely a 191-page recodification of existing statutes. Bill product ion appears to be lagging significantly behind previous recent sessions and the total of all measures introduced as of Feb. 15 is 51 1 fewer than at the same lime last session. At the end of the sixth week in 1977 the Senate had intro duced 744 measures and the House had introduced 901. This year the Senate has introduced only 534 and the House an even 600. Many observers believe the figures so far indicate law makers will continue to resist the temptation to match or surpass the record 2,812 total measures considered during the 1977 session. House dead line for open introduction of bills was Feb. 5 and deadline for the Senate is Feb. 27. Introduction of additional measures after those dead lines requires special permis sion in both Chambers. Al though such permission is ira YOUR F u SOOPER SCOOP RflDLBC CRISCO JEM ASSORTED FLAVORS, HALF GALLON IT'S DIGESTIBLE, 3-LB. SIZE Wit r r e (f Cri S' o NISSIR) r MOTl ,M ASSORTED FLAVORS, 2.5-OZ. SIZE & CtiSPfED GORTOft! LAM MINCED OR CHOPPED, 6.5-OZ. (o)(oa CO)? for v. ' 1 4 V PJFAHUT BUTTER TASTEVELL PEANUT BUTTER CREAMY OR CRUNCHY 36-OZ. SIZE u SHUR FRESH 100 WHEAT CRISCO SALAD OILM $1.09 NESTLES CHOCOLATE MORSELS $1.69 NABISCO PREMIUM SALTINES . , 69 MACARONI & CHEESE DINNER-...., 4 $1 PINEAPPLE IN ITS OWN JUICESSSJ&&. 55 DUNCAN HINES CAKE MIXES Assorted Flavors, 8Vi-oz. Pkg. . 69 MAXWELL HOUSE COFFEE,,. 6.99 PAMPERS DAYTIME DIAPERS Extra-Absorbent, Pkg. of 24 2.69 22Y2-OZ. LOAF SHUR FRESH BUNS PACKAGE OF 8 HOT DOG, HAMBURGER OR SESAME HAMBURGER LlF0Rv22 CINNAMON ROLLS PACKAGE OF 12 SHUR-FRESH, VANILLA OR MAPLE, 2 "x 6" SIZE ll WESTERN FAMILY GRAPE JUICE 16-01. VAN DE KAMP ASSORTED flA MEXICAN DINNERS GST BIRDSEYE ASSORTED -nA RICE DISHES... 59 CREARi PBES BANQUET, ASSORTED VARIETIES, 14-OZ. SIZE FANCY GOLDEN LES GROWN IN WASHINGTON FIRM & CRISP, FULL OF FLAVOR m;rritc red leaf lettuce ' ' " -. .wliw- rminwrnrPUDIItinuCC (IflCT n'' t UK KUIVIMIIMC, TMIMUT rncon Dumunto, mui POPULAH bALAU Vtut I ADLt, GREAT ON SANDWICHES 0fr Mi f r Ax 7- ''' -miiimiiaim'- jut FANCY MUSHROOMS MEDIUM SIZE, GREAT RAW OR COOKED, GOURMET'S DELIGHT FANCY D'AKMJOU PEARS "... ,b .39c FRESH ARTICHOKES ea 49 FUERTE AVOCADOS Fancy California . ea.3for 1 BAKING POTATOES U.S. No. 1 Russet lb 25 Vn If A A f LJ LB. 0 pi inirTinnu m m m m kb u m m m mm I innm whi inn C X N 1 JL J generally forthcoming, the vast bulk of subsequent legis lative proposals emanates from committees. The same people who expect fewer total measures this session are quick to explain less legislation doesn't neces sarily mean a shorter session. This early in the game there are those who predict current deliberations will match or even exceed the 177 days occupied between Jan. 10 and July 5, 1977. One fairly reliable prognosticator already has predicted' adjournment will occur on July 7 this year. And if that happens, the 60th Assembly will set a record for length. It would surpass by one day the 180-day session of 1973. There are probably many reasons for the tedious pro gress of the session so far and the circumspection of its members. The complexities surround ing both major issues is one. Gov. Victor Atiyeh, making good on his election campaign pledge, has delivered a tax relief plan that has been received so far with a great deal less than enthusiasm. Members of the House Reve nue Committee don't appear anywhere near finding a compromise program to send to the Senate. And the Workers' Comp situation is at least equally as complicated. Although many measures have been intro duced and more will follow all aimed at changing the present system in one way or another, a consensus on most lies somewhere in the relatively distant future. Nearly all parties agree the system's high cost must be alleviated but are far from agreeing on who's to blame or how to achieve a less expen sive method of caring for injured workers without re ducing present levels of that care. Involved are employers, labor, the insurance industry, health care people, the judici ary, lawyers and various segments of the bureaucracy dealing with the issue directly and indirectly: Aside from the many com plications standing in the way of finding solutions to tax and Workers' Compensation prob lems, it appears the vast majority of the 90 lawmakers serving in Salem this session are extremely aware of a public pulse that beats faster with every intrusion by government. "It's almost as if they all suspect the folks back home are looking over their should er," explained one observer. "No one is anxious to make waves or do anything to create headlines." Along this line, it appears those seeking legislative office are becoming more sophisti cated and eagerly expose an incumbent's record in the course of seeking election. The number of people visit ing the Capitol to witness proceedings hasn't slackened appreciably and those calling to inquire about the status of specific legislation is compar able with last session. And even though the 60th Assembly may agonize longer over fewer proposals, there's little reason to expect the session will be dull. The major issues are volatile and there are plenty of others that pique the public interest. Senior citizens likely will descend on Salem enmasse seeking special treatment for their utility bills. Gun control already is an issue. Land use planning problems abound. Highways continue to deteri orate and there are still lots of unresolved issues involving welfare, public education, cor rections, drug use, human rights, natural resources, con sumer concerns and state financing for veterans' homes and farms. It all adds up to a situation that demands caution and perhaps a slower pace than the people have been used to in Salem. The biggest danger is that this approach might leave an impatient public even more disenchanted than before. Unless, of course, it pro duces results that please nearly everybody. 5.. X , 1
