Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (May 6, 1992)
TW O - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 6, 1992 __ Letters to the Editor Fees make up for Ballot Measure 5 To the Editor: I wonder how many of the peo ple of Oregon thought that “ Ballot Measure Five” would reduce taxes and bring the cost of the state government under con trol. Not so many of us in Eastern Oregon voted for Measure five. Not so many of any of the citizens of Oregon outside the urban areas voted for it. but we got it anyway. I’m afraid that our 1991 legislature is not likely to go down in history as having been particularly brilliant. One of their less-than-brilliant acts was to authorize some State agencies to make “ fee increases” as a way to replace operating money lost by the passage of Ballot Measure Five. I have searched through the Oregon State Constitution for the section that allows state agencies to enact laws and levy taxes. I can’t find it. Maybe it’s there somewhere, but 1 don’t think so. O ur state agencies would vehemently deny that they make laws and levy taxes, but what else can you call ‘‘administrative rules and fees” ? A little over 200 years ago, the English colonies in America went to war against their king over the issue of “ taxation without representation” , among other things. I wonder if our state government thinks that we like it any better than our ancestors did. I’m not advocating armed rebellion, but I think it’s time the citizens of Oregon stand up and holler whoa. The city of Baker City will in crease the base rate for city water by 73 percent to comply with “ surface water treatment rule” , an “ administrative rule” by the Dept, of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Baker City citizens will also pay 43 percent more for garbage collection because of “ ad ministrative rules” by the same agency. Had enough yet? How about a 22 percent increase in sewer charges to pay “ natl. pollution-discharge elimination” fees and wastewater discharge permit fees. Did your property taxes decrease last year? Add these new charges to your property and in come taxes and then see how much Oregon State government is costing you. I got these numbers from a let ter written by a justifiably irate Mayor Hofmann in protest against these new taxes. I would like to suggest that if your readers are as upset as I am about this in sufferable situation, they write to DEQ at 811 S.W. 6th Ave. Portland, OR 97204. Send copies to the governor at 254 State Capitol Bldg. Salem, OR 97310. Also, send copies to Rep. Mike Nelson at 845 Campbell St. Baker City, OR 97814, and State Senator Wayne Fawbush at 5000 O ’Leary Rd. Hood River, OR 97031. You can call the governor at 378-3111 and express your displeasure directly to her. If enough people get mad enough to write, I think it may have some effect. Our government is only as good or as bad as we let it be. Baker City is the focus of this letter, because I only have the numbers that apply here, but I ex pect that there isn’t a town or ci ty in Oregon that doesn’t have a similar horror story to tell. The countryside is not immune from the greed of the state agen cies. Our dept, of water resources is proposing a one dollar per acre foot surcharge on all irrigation water in the state, for example. We already pay taxes on our ir rigation water because of the dramatic difference in the assess ed value between dry and ir rigated land, and the water resources department is not pro posing any new services to earn this money. They only want to get their hands deeper into our pockets. We only get what we deserve from our government. If we don’t demand good government and get rid of those who will not pro vide it, we have no one to blapie but ourselves. Th^ik you. (s) W.L. Sullens HCR 88 Box 302 Baker City, OR 97814 Wallace well rounded To the editor: I am writing to ask everyone to support Jeff Wallace in his can didacy for the Umatilla-Morrow County District Court Judge, Position No. 2. This is on the May 19 primary Ballot. I have followed Jeffs career for a number of years and knew him when he was involved in 4-H and FFA. Since 1987, Jeff has been the district attorney in Mor row County, where he has gain ed valuable experience pro secuting criminal cases and representing Morrow County civilly as county cousel. I have always known Jeff to be diligent, conscientious and ethical. He served for a year as a state FFA officer and is very good in dealing with people. He is an effective problem solver and is extremely fair, qualities which a judge needs. Jeff Wallace is the kind of per son we need on the bench. He has common sense and a reasoned ap proach to the job at hand. Please cast your vote for Jeff as our next district court judge in position 2. Sincerely (s) Wally Wedin Milton-Freewater Library district will save taxes To the editor: On May 19, 1992, you will be making a decision that will have a significant effect on the future of the Boardman-Heppner areas an all of Morrow County. You will vote “ yes” or “ no" on the formation of the Oregon Trail Library District. I would like to briefly describe the ramifications of the two options. A “ yes" vote on this issue will result in an approximate savings of 75% on library taxes. Library services would be vastly expand ed. Additionally, grant money from the state library, up to $150,000, may be forthcoming in the next three years. Voting “ no" will result in the disolution of the Heppner library and perhaps the Boardman library as well. Enabling most of Morrow County’s population (61 percent) to successfully interact in this age of information will require a “ yes” vote. I urge you to vote “ yes” on the Oregon Trail Library District, (s) David P. Youngbluth Boardman Say yes to library district To the editor: I am writing this to urge the citizens of Boardman and Hepp ner to vote yes in the upcoming May 19 election regarding the formation of the Oregon Trail Library District. The numerous advantages to such a district are obvious to me. Growing up in the Seattle area and having the advantage of a wonderful library in my own neighborhood was wonderful. If the local library did not have what I needed the access to the Seattle Public library through courier was always readily available. Our little library right now has much to offer through this type of system, and as technology in creases we will have access to in formation at libraries throughout the state. This access will come a lot sooner than at our schools, who are fighting budget cuts and struggling just to keep afloat. We don’t need to put any add ed pressure on our over-buidened school system when a library district could be formed which would supplement what already exists in the schools. Please vote yes for this valuable asset to our communities. Sincerely (s) Carol Alldredge Boardman End incompetency vote for Kennemer Elect Wallace district judge To the editor: I was upset to learn that in one edition of the Voters Pamphlet, Secretary of state candidate Bill Kennemer’s picture was replac ed by that of another candidate. Is there no end of competency problems in the secretary of State’s office? I also noticed that attached to my pamphlet was a postcard about another mistake- -one that cost another $30,000 to correct. And isn’t this about the same mistake that nearly in validated the ballot measure two years ago? That’s why I’m supporting Bill Kennemer. We have to restore competency to that office again. Another reason I am supporting To the Editor: I am a retired Oregon State Police officer and I have come in to contact with a number of district attorneys, lawyers and judges. That’s why I am writing to urge people to vote for a judge candidate, Jeff Wallace, who has a well-earned reputation among law enforcement agencies in the area for dealing fairly and professionally. Jeff is running for district court judge, position 2, for Morrow and Umatilla Counties. He would make an excellent judge and I would ask everyone to vote for him. Several years ago, my house was burglarized. Jeff prosecuted the defendant and obtained a con viction. In fact, as Morrow Coun Bill Kennemer is that he could have cost us tax payers $5,000 by insisting the secretary of state send out a new page. Instead, Bill Kennemer did the responsible and sensible thing. He said he cam paigns on being careful with tax payers’ money. So he couldn’t justify spending $5,000 in such a self serving way. I like the way Channel 6 in Portland said it, “ Would you like to meet a politi cian that wants to save the tax payers $5,000?” Support Bill Kennemer. He will make a sensible and respon sible Secretary of State. Sincerely, (s) Bob and Suzanne Jepsen Heppner Wallace, fair, honest To the editor: It’s interesting that we have so many candidates for judge this year. In position 2, I’m voting for Jeff Wallace. Jeff has been a prosecutor for a number of years and knows how to handle criminal cases. He’s also been in private practice, and has had lots of trial experience. 1 think that it’s important for a Fels, honest, hardworking judge to see the inside of a cour troom before he becomes a judge. Jeff has primarily been a trial lawyer over the years. He is fair, honest and has a good way of dealing with people. I am supporting Jeff Wallace for district court judge. Sincerely (s) Bill York Pendleton Vote for quality library service To the Editor: The voters of the Boardman and Heppner areas have an ex citing opportunity coming their way on May 19. It is an oppor tunity to help their communities keep pace with the rest of the world. The opportunity I speak of is the vote regarding the propos ed Oregon Trail Library District. In this age of information and technology the amount of knowledge available to man is doubling at least every 10 years. Our children cannot go through 12 years of formal education and come out with a core o f knowledge that will assure them of survival in today’s world. Our business and community leaders cannot be expected to keep pace with all the new information and technology coming their way. There is too much knowledge changing too rapidly for any one person to know it all. Information is power. Since we cannot know it all, we must have access to new information when we need it and we must learn how to fully use that access. Through networking, resource sharing, increased facilities and service, the library system proposed in the Oregon Trail Library District will provide the access to information our children and citizens need and the power that goes with it. Say yes to knowledge. Say yes to the future. Vote yes for the Oregon Trail Library District on May 19. (s) Jerry Alldredge Boardman Support Ballot Measure 1 To the editor: On May 19, Oregon voters will have a chance to take a stand in favor of better law enforcemnt of our roads by supporting Ballot Measure 1. Today, our highway tax dollars can only be used for road con struction, maintenance and repair. They cannot be used for the most important element of traffic safety: police patrols. If Measure 1 is approved, our highway tax dollars, in the future, could also be used for police patrols on the highways. Before 1980, state highway patrols received most of their fun ding from gas taxes and vehicle fees. In 1980, a constitutional amendment eliminated the gas tax and vehicle fee revenue as a fun ding source for the highway patrol. Since that time, patrol division dollars have come from state general fund. The problem is that, with all the conflicting demands on state resources, general fund dollars dedicated to police patrols on our highways have declined sharply. From 1980 to 1990, State Police patrol division staffing decreased by 223 positions, and patrols were reduced by half. Over the same period. Oregon saw a 22 percent increase in the licensed driver population and a 40 percent increase in vehicle miles traveled in the state. In other words, while more people are driving more on our freeways and highways, we have fewer state police on traffic patrol. Our highway trust fund dollars have provided us with the conve nience of a good transportation network. We should also be able to put those dollars to work to provide safety to us on our highways. Over 7,000 people have lost their lives on Oregon highways since 1980. Two main con tributing factors, drunk driving and speed, can effectively be reduced by increased highway patrols. With the reduction of police available to patrol our highways, we have also seen a dramatic reduction in highway assistance for motorists with disabled cars. Each of us ought to imagine a loved one, pulled over to the side of the road in the dark of night, waiting and praying for a police patrol vehicle to come by to pro vide assistance. In some parts of the state, the limitations of available patrols mean that a patrol car only covers a given highway once every two days. This is hardly the level of patrols which we need to enforce the laws, much less help stranded motorists. This is an opportunity for Oregonians to make their own decisions about the use of highway trust fund dollars. I urge everyone to join me in voting for Measure 1 to allow some of those dollars to be used in the future, for policing our highways. Sincerely, (s) Kevin Mannix State Representative Co-Chief Sponsor, Measure 1 Supports Murgo To the Editor: I am supporting Rudy Murgo for District Court Judge, Depart ment 1, M orrow-Um atilla Counties. He has demonstrated profes sionalism and objectivity in his legal record. Over the last 12 years he has successfully represented the city of Pendleton and the people of Pendleton, before a variety of courts and on a challenging variety of issues. Rudy Murgo had the insight ty DA he has handled a number of unusual criminal cases in a very competent manner. With his experience as a pro- secuter, Jeff is someone I would like to see on the bench. We need a judge who has dealt with crime victims. As DA, Jeff helped set up a child abuse prosecution team to help prosecute these difficult cases. The thing that I appreciate about Jeff is that he does it in a calm and efficient manner. A judge should be above all fair, and Jeff is extremely fair in his dealings with people. Please join me in electing Jeff Wallace as our next district court judge in position 2. Sincerely, (s) Keith Lewis Heppner To the editor: We support Peter Fels to con tinue as District Court Judge, Dept., 2. Peter Fels is fair, honest, hard working and bilingual (English and Spanish). Due to the ever increasing Hispanic population of our district, it is extremely important for a judge to be bilingual What better way to ensure justice than to have a judge who can speak and understand both English and Spanish? A vote for Peter Fels is a vote for fair hearings for the entire district. (s) Stan Prowant Marjie Prowant Pendleton Vote yes for the children To the Editor: One of the most important educational resources for our children are books. They can be an essential key to learning and exploring the world around us. This is why it is to the advan tage of our community to vote yes on the formation of the Oregon Trail Library District. We want to insure that our public libraries will remain open for our children and for ourselves. The Library District will do this. So go to the polls and vote. Vote yes for the Library District, for your children, for yourselves. (s) Sherry Gregory Boardman Support Fels for judge To the editor: I support Judge Peter Fels to retain the position of District Court Judge Department 2. Judge Fels not only has the experience, intelligence and temperament for the position, he has already shown his ability to do the job. Judge Fels has begun to clear up a backlog of cases that existed before he took the job in January of this year. Judge Fels has begun to modernize court procedures and revise and improve court forms. Judge Fels has extended the office hours of the district court so that people have better access to the court. Judge Fels works everyday, all day to decide cases promptly and improve the court system for the citizens of Morrow and Umatilla counties. Judge Fels is giving his best to the job and should be retained. Sincerely (s) Patricia Sullivan Pendleton Lupus misunderstood To the editor: I have systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus). When the doctor told me that I had a chronic, incurable, potentially fatal disease of the immune system, which could cause my body to slowly self-destruct, I went into a panic. Since then I have learned that with proper treatment most lupus patients can live a normal lifespan. Lupus is not contagious, and it is not cancer. In lupus the immune system, which is supposed to pro tect the body against environmen tal and infectious agents, turns against itself and attacks and destroys healthy tissue. Although lupus is not a well known disease, it is more prevalent than muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, multi ple sclerosis, leukemia, and cystic fibrosis. It is more widespread among black women that sickle cell anemia. Lupus affects all races, age groups, socio economic groups, and both sexes. However, ninety percent of lupus patients are women, with the usual age of onset being between 16 and 30. Without treatment even a mild case of lupus may become life- threatening, as it attacks internal ly, damaging or destroying any organ which is targeted. More than 6,000 people die from lupus each year. Symptoms vary but can include joint pain, muscle aches, skin rash, photosensitivi ty, hair loss, inflammation of the membranes around the heart or lungs, anemia, fatigue, blood ab normalities, kidney involvement, and others. I found that with lupus I could look healthy and well, even when I was very ill. This paradox caus ed misunderstandings among relatives and friends, who could not understand how I could be ill and look so well. I have found that many lupus patients feel isolated and alone because of the lack o f understanding they encounter. In 1984 I founded the L.E. Support Club, a world-wide, non profit organization dedicated to bringing help and understanding to lupus patients. The L.E. Sup port Club publishes a newsletter, the L.E. BEACON, which prints up-to-date, informative articles on subjects which are important to lupus patients. The cost of prin ting the newsletter is paid for by the tax deductible dues and con tributions of members and con cerned friends. Anyone who would like more information of the L.E. Support Club, Inc., should send a self- addressed, stamped envelope for more information to: L.E. Support Club, Inc., 8039 Nova Court, North Charleston, SC 29420. Sincerely, (s) Harriet B. Mesic, Pres ident/Editor Terry for district court and courage to find and correct a long-standing error by the Secretary of State’s office concer ning the Department 1 position of District Court Judge. He is ob viously capable of researching, understanding and correctly ap plying our laws. We need Rudy Murgo and his abilities in the District Court Judge. Department 1 position. It is time for a change. (s) Chris Mayer Weston To the editor: As a close business acquain tance. I know Wallace Terry to be a man of great integrity and one who is well respected by his peers and colleagues within the legal system. As a personal friend I know Wally to be totally committed to meeting the personal and social needs of his family and friends; this speaks highly of Wally’s outstanding character, in the court room, at home, and around the community. Therefore when considering Wally’s service to humanity to- date, I know that we the people of Umatilla and Morrow County would all be well served by his appointment to a judicial position. You could not make a better choice than to elect Wallace Terry to district court judge. (s) Ron Forrar Hermiston
