Letters To The Editor
The Heppner Gaiette-Ttmei, Hcppnw, Oregon, Thursday, May 13, 1982-FIVE
Vote 'no' on 5
To the editor:
I'm writing to urge a "no"
vote on ballot measure five,
the proposal to give the
governor the authority to
appoint the chief justice of the
Oregon Supreme Court.
Measure five is a result of
the 1981 special session of the
legislature dealing with state
financing of local courts and
with reorganization of the
state court structure. As part
of the political compromise
which the legislature struck
with the Governor to forestall
his vero of the court bills.
Measure five refers this
question of executive author
ity directly to the voters. It
does so precisely because,
while the governor favors his
office's having the power to
appoint the chief justice, a
majority of the legislature
does not.
As the Oregon State Bar has
noted in arguing against
passage of the proposal,
measure five, would funda
mentally change the "separa
Keeping Spicer is essential
To the editor:
Ann Spicer operates the
Morrow County District At
torney's office in an efficient,
economical and even-handed
manner. For those of us inter
ested in fair and impartial
enforcement of the law, keep
ing Ann as district attorney is
essential.
Ann brings a unique blend of
experience to the district at
torney's office beginning with
her work in the Clark County
Public Defender's office as a
student intern progressing
through her work as city
attorney for Umatilla, deputy
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Retain
Annette L
Spicer
Morrow County
District Attorney
pf Proven Efficient and Even
Handed Law Enforcement
Pj5 Years Governmental
Law Enforcement
FfSeasoned Trial Attorney
j4
V Knows Morrow County
and its Problems
Why Change?
Vote Annetta L Spicer for Morrow
County District Attorney May 18
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Altomay. Tiacaurw, Stov t Cafiy feck PO. Bon 428 ftoppnar, OR 97836
tion of powers" prin
ciple dividing our
government into the
legislative, executive and jud
icial branches. It would give
the head of one branch the
power to appoint the head of
another, and this appoint
ment, unlike many others,
would not even be subject to
"check and balance" confirm
ation bv the state senate. It
would also eliminate the
process, existing since the
adoption of our state constitu
tion, whereby the seven just
ices of the supreme court,
whom the voters elect as
constitutional officers of the
state, independently select the
chief justice from among
themselves.
A "no" vote on measure five
is essential to the preservation
of the independence of our
highest court and the separa
tion of powers of our state
government.
Very truly yours,
Fred W.Heard
Senate President
district attorney for Morrow
County and then Governor Vic
Atiyeh's choice to replace
Dennis Doherty as district
attorney for Morrow County.
Ann's excellent work since her
appointment has certainly
justified the governor's good
sense in appointing her and
the voters of this county
should show their support of
fair and impartial law en
forcement by voting for Ann
Spicer for Morrow County
District Attorney in the May
primary.
Very truly yours,
Robert B. Abrams
-i ?- -si-
Support Don
To the editor:
I would like to explain to
your readers why I support
Don Clark for the democratic
nomination for governor.
Don Clark is an experienced
public official and manager
who has solid, detailed plans
for Oregon's future.
His economic recovery pro
gram has been praised by
political writers as "imagina
tive, daring and carefully-constructed."
I agree. His plan
would provide 23,000 jobs now
for Oregon's unemployed -- in
their home communities on
projects of long-range import
ance to local economic
growth. His plan for an
Oregon Job Development
Corporation is especially ap
pealing, because it would
focus state economic develop
ment tools on Oregon's 60.000
small businesses.
Last week he proposed a
much-needed $25 million hous
ing program - again using
existing resources -- to stimu
late construction of 500 new
houses and $15 million in new
wages for Oregonians.
I think his State Health
Thanks for support
To the editor:
The St. Jude Children's Re
search Hospital Wheels For
Life Bike-a-thon is over for
this year and, looking back we
want to sincerely thank local
citizens for their generous
support of our campaign.
We are extremely proud of
the 33 Lexington, Heppner and
lone riders, the hard working
volunteers whose efforts made
this a success, and the local
citizens. "".
Because the diseases that
St. Judes Children's Research
Hospital is battling can strike
any child anywhere, this
money will be helping to save
children's lives all over the
world.
It is a wonderful feeling to
know that the people of our
communities are concerned
and caring individuals and, on
behalf of the children of St.
Jude's. I want to thank each
and every one who helped.
Sincerely,
Bill & Margaret Nichols
Campaign Chairmen
"
' I
'
X
, rf ' s
Clark
Plan is especially necessary
during these times of high
umemployment. It would pro
vide comprehensive health
coverage for every Oregon
resident -- whether employed,
unemployed or retired - and
would cost less than what we
currently spend on health
care. In fact, it would save
more than $200 million annual
ly, including nearly $30 million
in savings for business.
Don Clark's strong record in
fiscal management in county
government cannot be over
looked. As Multnomah
County's elected executive, he
has demonstrated an excep
tional ability to stabilize his
government despite high infla
tion. I think he can do the
same job as governor.
Don Clark, in summary, is a
leader with the experience
and vision these difficult times
demand. I hope your readers
will join me and vote for him
on May 18.
Sincerely,
Representative Hardy Myers
Speaker of the House
132 NE Laurelhurst
Portland, Oregon 97232
Vote on
school tax base
To the editor:
In my judgement, the most
important local issue facing
voters of Morrow County is
whether or not to approve an
adequate tax base for Morrow
County School District.
The intent of the Oregon
Constitutional provision gov
erning the establishment of
tax bases was to provide a
basic level of funding that
would keep schools operating.
This provision also requires
districts to ask voters for
approval of any tax expendi
tures which exceed the six
percent growth which is allow
ed in the statute. This is a
built-in protection for taxpay
ers. In the past years, with so
much inflation, voters have
been asked to approve tax
levies above six percent every
year. Actually, voters have no
choice. Under our present 191f
tax base, we have only two
choices: either approve the
levies or close the schools.
A realistic tax base, kept up
to date, provides taxpayers
with a chance to reject a tax
measure when times are
tough without the threat of
school closure.
I urge you to vote "yes" on
the Morrow County School tax
base on May 18.
Sincerely,
Ken Broadbent
Boardman
Transport
Comm. to
receive bids
on county
projects
Bids will be received by the
Oregon Transportation Com
mission on Thursday, May 27,
for 14 projects estimated to
cost $9.9 million, stated a news
release from the commission.
According to the news
release, a project in Morrow
County calls for improve
ments and resurfacing of
Bombing Range Road - Butter
Creek (Unit No. 2), section of
the Lexington-Echo Highway,
beginning about 13.2 miles
northeast of Lexington. The
project is three miles long and
the paved width varies from 28
to 32 feet. Completion time is
350 days.
A project involving Morrow
and Umatilla counties invol
ves improvements to the
Boardman, Stanfield and
Deadman Pass Safety Rest
Areas to make them acces
sible to the handicapped, the
news release said. At each of
the rest areas, two toilet
buildings will be remodeled to
provide access. An irrigation
system will also be construct
ed at the Boardman Safety
Rest Area as part of the
project. Completion time is
120 days, the news release
said.
Not supporting Spicer
To the editor:
Situations may arise in the
life of a conscienciosus citizen
and taxpayer which dictate
that person's taking a political
course contrary to their per
sonal interest. Such a situation
now confronts us.
If we were looking out solely
for our own interests we would
be supporting Ann Spicer to
the political hilt in her bid for
election as Morrow County's
District Attorney. The reason
is simple: a weak district
attorney is to our advantage as
defense lawyers.
We are not supporting Ann
Spicer.
As taxpayers, we too are
concerned with how our tax
dollars are being spent, and as
attorneys we are in perhaps a
better position than most to
see the cost, in dollars, of a
prosecutor's poor judgement.
Trials are expensive. Unless
good evidence exists to prove
a criminal charge, common
prudence indicates at least
one of the following: 1) further
investigation, 2) negotiation,
or 3) reduction of the charge to
something that can be proved.
We are not suggesting that
any prosecutor should be, or
even can be, 100 percent cer-
Congratulationg
To the editor:
On Tuesday May 4, Pioneer
Memorial Hospital staged a
fire drill and mock evacua
tion. All of the people involved
are to be congratulated.
Whether they were directing
traffic, driving an ambulance,
fighting the "fire", acting as
patients, riding the evacuation
vehicles, nursing or acting as
"physician director," every
one responded in a selfless
manner.
Our special thanks to the
following: the volunteer am
bulance driver team, the
county Sheriffs office and
emergency center, the Hep
pner Volunteer Fire Depart
ment, the search and rescue
organization, the Heppner
Police Department, the hospi
tal employees (on and off
duty) and St. Patricks Catho
lic Church for the use of their
parish hall as our evacuation
center.
As a result of this exper
ience, our disaster plan has
been criticized and will be
updated and rewritten.
Our thanks to all
A.K. Felt
OREGON'S ROADS NEED HELP! !
You Can Do Something About This By Voting
YES on MEASURE 4
COST TO MOTORIST
A Motorist traveling 12,000 miles
per year at 18 miles per gallon
would pay an additional $6.70 in
taxes per year.
tain of every case he or she
brings to trial. We do however,
believe that a prosescutor
should be able to maintain the
objectivity essential to a real
istic evaluation of a given
situation. We also believe a
prosecutor should be able to
learn from prior experience.
When she assumed office,
Ms. Spicer exhibited signs of
an ailment common to new
prosecutors which is known in
the trade as "overcharging."
Overcharging simply means
that the prosecutor alleges
commission of an offense
which is more serious than the
actual evidence will support.
The result, if the case is
allowed to proceed to trial, is
often acqiutal. Defense attor
neys won a significant number
of cases in Ms. Spicer's early
days in office because those
cases were overcharged and
defendants are winning cases
still for the same reason.
Experience assumes that a
person learns something, not
merely that they physically
occupy a given office day after
day.
We note with a mixture of
amusement and chagrin that
Ms. Spicer's "Voter's Pamph
let" statement credits her
with providing "county coun
sel." We recall a particular
incident in which Ms. Spicer
refused to assist a county
official concerning a tax dis
pute. The result: the county
court was forced to authorize
that official's employment of
outside private counsel to con
clude the matter. The bill:
$5,929.72.
I Saturday Wife Live 1
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HEPPNER ELKS 358 llrW .
Elks & Out of Town Guests Only iiJ V
A Comprehensive Study by the Road Infor
mation Program Found about 20,000 Miles of
SUBSTANDARD ROADS in Oregon.
Measure 4 in the May 18 Primary Election would increase the
gas tax 1 cent a year for the next three years. The weight
mile tax on commercial vehicles would be increased by the
same percentage rate.
Measure 4 would generalt $21 million annually for road
repair, construction, improvement and operation. Of this
total, the state would get $14 million, the counties $4 million
and the cities $3 million.
WHY MEASURE 4
If we don't repair roads now, it will cost more to rebuild
them later on.
Winter storms and floods oyer the past few years have
really damaged some Oregon roads.
Bad highways are a safety hazard and cause accidents.
PROJECTED
3-YEAR REVENUES
Hermiston
Umatilla
Stanfield
Echo
Umatilla Co.
Paid For By Committee For Good
This account is by no means
a complete and total one, but
simple space limitation pro
hibits our detailing of incident
after incident wherein the
county paid and paid and paid.
Suffice it to say that in certain
Pendleton legal circle, Mor
row County is referred to as
"Spicer Country." The re
mark is not intended as a
compliment.
As for Mr. McNerney, we
can say this: we have observ
ed him in trial. His trial skills
are perfectly adequate. He is
well organized and well pre
pared. His courtroom manner
is polite, straightforward and
smooth. He is realistic about
his cases, appreciating both
their strong points and their
weaknesses. He has been
honest in his dealings with us;
we can trust his spoken pro
mise without having to resort
to legal process (and its ex
pense) in order to nail it down
in writing.
We fully realize the risk we
are running in making this
statement publically. If Ms.
Spicer wins the forthcoming
edal
Geta 6 pack of Coke plus deposit
with any filF-up of l 0 gallons or
more thru Saturday !
HEPPNER CHEVRON
COMMERCIAL COST
An 80,000 GVW diesel-powered
commercial vehicle driven 30,000
miles per year would pay an ad
ditional $270 in taxes per year.
$51,615
116,168
8,722
t 3,297
1352,297
Roadi, John Amort, Treasurer
election we can expect to
enjoy another four years of
defense practice strained by
personal antagonism. If that is
to be the nature of the beast,
so be it. We have followed our
consciences and they are
clear.
Michael J. Sweeney,
Valerie B Doherty
Attorneys at Law
P.O. Box 582
Heppner, Oregon
Business
Cards;
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