Measure 5:
What did Oregon voters really want?
By Judge Louis Carlson
VOL 110 NO. 11__________ Wednesday, March 13, 1991___________ Heppner 3 5 c__________ 8 P a g e s
A wee bit O’ Ireland in
March 14—17 in Heppner
Photo by Joyce Hughes
L-R: Janell Healy, Sara Eckman and Annie
Hisler are all dressed ready for St. Patrick’s
weekend
THURSDAY, MARCH 14
• Arrival of ST. PATRICK’S TRADITIONAL
MUSICIANS, SINGERS & DANCERS from
County Cork, Ireland.
• Welcome poduck with host families.
• DANCE W ORKSHOP for all ages and skill
levels to learn variety of dances. Observers are
welcome. 7 p.m. Grade School Multipurpose
room.
FRIDAY, MARCH 15
• Visitors from Ireland visit schools to share culture
and talent.
• M RS. O ’LEARY’S STEW FEED at St.
Patrick’s Senior Center, 5 to 7 p.m. Prepared by
Methodist Church members.
• O ’RIEHLY ROLLER SKATING at the Mor
row County Fairgrounds, 6 to 8 and 8:15 to 10:15
p.m.
• ST. PATRICK’S TRADITIONAL MUSI
CIANS, SINGERS & DANCERS present a
celli/concert at 7:15 p.m. at the Junior High Gym.
$4 for adults. S2 for children 12 and under.
SATURDAY, MARCH 16
• Breakfast at Fairgrounds by O’Senior Center.
6:30 to 10 a.m.
• SHEEP DOG TRIALS all day at Fairgrounds.
• SHUTTLE SERVICE in front of 1st Interstate.
• LAMB COOK-OFF at Farley's, 8 to 11 a.m.
• KUMA COFFEE HOUR, 10 a.m. at Elks In
traduction of Irish family, history, and music by
our local Irish and the County Cork Irish
Ensemble.
• Brunch at the ELKS, 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
Open to the public.
• O ’S E N IO R C E N T E R taste o f Ireland
Homemade potato soup and bread, 11 a.m. to
1:30 p.m. Pie and coffee 3 to 4:30 p.m. Videos
of Ireland for your relaxation.
• PIONEER DEMONSTRATIONS at Morrow
County Museum all day, to include weaving, spin
ning and basket weaving.
• WEE BIT O ’ » E L A N D CRAFT F A » , 9 a.m.
to 4 p.m. Main Street across from Elks.
• M ORROW COUNTY ARTS & CRAFTS, all
day, Farley Show Room.
• Final performance by COUNTY CORK MUSI
CIANS & DANCERS, Main Street, 12:30 p.m
• BED RACE CALCUTTA, 1 p.m., Main Street.
• IRISH PARADE, 1:30 p.m., Main Street.
• ST. PATRICK’S ANNUAL AUCTION, 2 p.m.
• BEER GARDEN and food concessions.
• HOO P SHOOT AND YOUTH ACTIVITIES.
2 p.m. behind Senior Center.
• BOSSY BINGO, 3 p.m. behind Les Schwab.
Win $250!
• SCOTCH DOUBLES at Heppner Bowl, noon,
2 and 4 p.m.
• TOURS: Morrow County Courthouse, 3 to 6
p.m.
• O ’DUCKY RACE, 4 p.m. at bridge in front of
courthouse. (Adopt a duck early in the day to win
$100, $75, or $50.)
• O ’FARLEY SOCIAL HOUR, 4 to 5 p.m.
Reminisce with old and new acquaintances.
• O ’RIEHLY ROLLER SKATING, 2 to 4 and
5 to 7 p.m. at the Fairgrounds.
• S T . PATRICK’S HAM DINNER, Catholic
Church, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• WHAMMADIDDLE DINGBAT CONCERT,
7 p.m. at the Junior High Gym. For all ages,
an experience you won't want to miss!
• LADS AND LASSIES TEEN DANCE, Morrow
County Fairgrounds, 9 p.m.
• Dinner, dancing and live music at the ELKS.
In a recent legislative discussion
paper by Bruce Weber, professor of
agricultural and resource economics,
Brent Steel, assistant professor of
political science, and Robert Mason,
professor, survey research center at
Oregon State University, an analysis
was done of the 52 to 48 percent
“ yes” vote on Measure #5. In that
analysis they concluded that the ma
jority of voters wanted lower,
limited property taxes and were in
favor of a replacement tax to support
schools.
“ The strength of support for a
state replacement tax to fond schools
suggests that most voters did not
view their vote as a mandate for
significant cuts in spending. Indeed,
it is more consistent with the idea
that voters were seeking a replace
ment sales tax for schools than that
they wanted the major spending cuts
now being proposed in state and
local governments,” they said.
Whether or not this attitude exists
in rural Eastern Oregon can be
debated since by far the majority of
Eastern Oregon counties defeated the
measure rather soundly. Wasco and
Jackson Counties were the lone two
Eastern and Southern Oregon coun
ties that gave a yea nod to Measure
#5 with Morrow County having the
highest “ no” vote percentage in the
36 counties of Oregon.
Nevertheless, Measure #5 is with
us by constitutional amendment and
in the democratic society that
governs the citizens of Oregon.
Governing bodies must react to the
provisions of the measure as being
interpreted by the legislature.
As far as the schools are concern
ed, there is no doubt that there will
be a transfer of authority and funding
to the state over a five-year period
of time required to bring current tax
The Morrow County Medical
Fund measure is a separate item on
the mail-in-ballot being sent to all
registered voters. Ballots are to be
returned by Tuesday, March 26 at
8 p.m.
The medical fund levy provides
money for a First Response vehicle
and equipment in Irrigon. The
Umatilla ambulance service also
receives financial assistance from the
ftledical Fund to respond to the com
munity in Irrigon.
Boardman is provided with two
ambulances, a building, equipment
and is staffed by the Columbia River
Volunteer EMT Association. The
Boardman Health Care Center,
previously known as the Boardman
Clinic, is subsidized by the medical
fond in a leasing agreement with Dr.
Robert Boss, M .D., said Morrow
County Health Administrator Ernest
Wick.
In the communities of lone and
Lexington First Response vehicles
and equipment are provided. A
building is planned in lone to shelter
the vehicle.
In Heppner. the medical fund
opciales a clinic staffed by Dr.
Jeanne Berretta and Dr. Ed Berret-
ta. Also in Heppner are the Pioneer
Memorial Hospital/Nursing Home
and two ambulances manned by the
EMT Morrow County Volunteer
Ambulance Association.
“ The health delivery system in
Morrow County is unique in that it
encompasses a multitude of health
care options,” said Wick. “ It in
cludes first response to an accident
or illness, ambulance transport, and
hospitalization. Two clinics provide
prevention and ongoing medical
treatment close to home. For 32
elder county citizens, Pioneer
Memorial Nursing Home is a perma
nent home near family and friends. ”
The medical fund operating
budget is $4,407,272 with $474,645
coming from the tax payers. Seven
percent of the levied amount is
estimated to be not collectable by the
on Valby Road 16 and a half miles
out of lone on Gooseberry and Valby
road, begins Sunday School at 8:15
a.m. and service of Holy commu
nion at 9 a.m.
Hope Lutheran church in Hepp
ner. near the Willow Creek Dam,
has Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. and
a service of Holy Communion at 11
ctor, a steelhead fishing trip from
Kel wayne Hague wood, a pair of
Justin Roper boots from Gardner’s
Mens Wear, two pieces of stained
glass by Greg Sweek, a dining room
set from Nonie McLaughlin Pointer,
two lunches at Cousins Restaurant in
The Dalles, a trip on a Columbia
barge by Tidewater Barge, a 3 l/ i
horsepower lawnmower from the
Morrow County Grain Growers,
stemwheeler tickets, two sets of two
tickets for the Morrow County
Rodeo by the Rodeo Committee and
much more.
Silent auction items include tools,
mugs, a collection of sugars and
creamers and paintings by Betty
Brown, among other things.
Art sale planned
during St. Pat’s
St. Patrick’s auction chairman
Ann Spicer displays some of the
items donated to the auction, which
will be held in Heppner March 16
at 2 p.m. under the tent next to the
St. Patrick's Senior Center. Spicer
said that the auction items are “ the
best we’ve ever had.”
a.m.
Pastor Hoobing will be preaching
at both services on the theme. "The
Power to Endure,” based on
Hebrews 5:7-9.
After a quick snack at the lamb
barbecue, Pastor Hoobing invites
everyone to join or follow him to
Condon for an afternoon service at
2 p.m.
county.
For previous two years the
medical fond has basically remain
ed the same amount-$425,000. This
year's levy is increased by $51.000
because of reduced reimbursement
(Medicare. Medicaid, Workman’s
C om pensation,) capital
im
provements and support service for
the county, Wick said.
During the past five years. St. An
thony H ospital has provided
management and special support ser
vice for the entire county. Since
December 1, 1990 when the
management contract was ter
minated, special support services
have been provided on a cost basis
from St. Anthony. Administration is
now budgeted through the county
medical fund.
“ With many rural health delivery
systems struggling under the
pressure of reduced reimbursement,
the Morrow County Health Delivery
System remains strong because of
resident participation and support,"
Wick added.
Over 139 items donated for annual auction
SUNDAY, MARCH 17
• BREAKFAST, Morrow County Fairgrounds, by
the O'golfers of Willow Creek Country Club, 6
to 10 a.m.
• CHURCH of your choice. Visitors welcome.
• SHEEP DOG TRIALS all day
• WEE BIT O ’ IRELAND CRAFT F A » , Main
Street, noon to 3 p.m.
• SCOTCH DOUBLES at the Heppner Bowl, 11
a.m. and l p.m.
• LAMB BASQUE BARBEQUE, noon to 2 p.m.,
with ENTERTAINMENT by South Morrow
County Community Band: Morrow County
Fairgrounds.
m illion. W asco C ounty at
$650,000. Union County $368,000,
Umatilla County at $237,000 and
Morrow County at $86,000. These
taxing districts provide for roads,
police, parks, planning, health ser
vices along with government ser
vices as mandated by Oregon law.
Along with reduced revenue will
inevitably come reduced services as
provided by local governments and
taxing districts. Whether this will be
acceptable to the public remains to
be seen. Some govemements such as
cities have elected to raise revenue
by user fees tied to services. Others
have tied a tax to such services such
as found in motel and public
response agencies.
Morrow County governmental
departments and agencies requiring
tax dollars will be expected to absorb
the projected $86,000 shortfall in tax
revenue. This means that a percen
tage of each department’s budget
will receive an additional cut beyond
what was approved by the budget
committee.
This y ear's Morrow County
Special Operating levy is $21,669
less than the levy approved by the
voters for the fiscal year 1990-91.
This is the third year that this levy
has been reduced from the previous
year. This trend of lower tax levies
in Morrow County for one-year
special operating funds reflects the
sentiment of Oregon tax payers. In
the poll conducted by OSU they
found that in 1990, 58 percent of the
taxpayers felt that local property
taxes were the least fair, 15 percent
felt that the federal income tax was
unfair, 13 percent said the state sales
tax was unfair, five percent felt that a
state income tax was unfair and 10
percent didn’t know.
Medical fund to levy $474,645
Hope-Valby invite ali to church during St. Pat’s
The Irish are coming. The Irish
are coming. Yes, the Irish are com
ing to the Heppner area for the an
nual St. Patrick's Day celebration
The congregations of Hope in Hepp
ner and Valby of lone, invite the
Irish (real and imaginary) to worship
services on Sunday, March 17.
Valby Lutheran Church, located
rates down from the existing range
of approximately $12/1000 to
$5/1000 of assessed value.
The measure requires the state to
pick up the tab for losses to Oregon
schools as a result of the measure.
These losses in year five could
amount to at least $1.5 billions of
dollars, substantially more than can
logically be raised by existing tax
ing methods, that is the state income
tax. Thus there would need to be an
additional m ethod o f raising
revenues to meet the requirement of
funding schools by the general fond
of the state government.
Worries by local school districts
are that funding by the state would
not necessarily be returned to each
district in proportion to the amount
lost. In addition there is no guarantee
that the state will continue to provide
the “ basic school support fund” at
the current level. This currently
amounts to approximately 30 percent
of the state’s school operating expen
ditures and takes about 26 percent of
the state general fund.
The third worry for local school
districts is that there is no guarantee
that after the fifth year, the state is
required to fund the schools of the
state, because the schools will then
be capped at ’5/1000 property valua
tion and tax revenue reduced by 67
percent there will be little chance for
local districts to fund schools under
current Measure 5 legislation.
What is the impact on local
government?
Measure #5 will limit property
taxes on all other taxing districts and
governments to $10 per $1000
beginning in 1991-92 and it provides
no replacement revenue. Hardest hit
will be Multnomah County with a
$23.7 million reduction. Other ex
amples are Marion with $2.6
A
/
One hundred thirty-nine items
have been donated, in addition to
many things earmarked for the silent
auction table. Proceeds from the
auction fund the St. Patrick’s
Celebration for the next year
This year’s auction will feature
leatherwork by Mike and Kay Pro
The Morrow County Creative
Arts and Crafts Club has planned a
sale on Saturday, March 16 from
9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m at Farley's
showroom in Heppner.
The sale will feature paintings.
Chinese paintings, jewelry, wood
carvings, bronze sculpture and craft
items.
Cookies and coffee will be served
See the BEO Lepreclowns in
the parade Saturday.
m
astern Oregon
Arlington • Heppner • lone
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