TW O - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, October 30, 2002
Letters to the Editor
The Official Newspaper
o f the City o f Heppner and the Counts of Morrow
H ep p n e r
G A Z E T T E -T IM E S
U S P S. 240-420
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D a v id S y k e s .............................................................................................Pub lishe r
Katie Wall
.................................................................................... Editor
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Thoughts on
Measure 25-14
To the Editor,
I w o u ld lik e to
encourage voters to vote “Yes”
on the ballot m easure for the
M o rro w C o u n ty U n ifie d
R e c r e a tio n D is tr ic t. T h e
m easure seeks to eliminate the
z o n e s to w h ic h th e b o a rd
m em bers are elected and have
them serve at large. The recent
census data will require the
board to change the boundaries
o f the current five zones. This is
an expensive process and by
law must be implemented after
e a ch cen su s. I b e lie v e th e
resources o f the District can be
better spent on programs rather
than on realigning the zones
every 10 years.
Balancing the zones by
population will require that the
boundaries for the lone and
Heppner zones be extended into
the Irrigon and Boardman areas.
This shift effectively eliminates
representation by geographic
w e*and eliminates the original
p u rp o se for h a v in g zo n es.
Board m em bers who serve the
district at large are required to
provide representation to the
entire district. Representation,
w ith the unified purpose o f
providing the best decisions for
all the constituents of the district
is an asset to each o f us. I hope
you will join me in voting “Yes”
on this measure.
(s) Cyde M arie Estes
Heppner
I
•u H -
Former tugboat
captain offers
support for Smith
To the Editor:
It is w ith great pride that
1 wTite this letter o f support for
O regon State R epresentative
Greg Smith. 1 have known Greg
for m any years, and he has
proven to my family and 1 that he
is dedicated to constituents and
willing to go that “extra mile" to
get things done.
D u rin g
th e 2001
Legislative Session, 1 visited
Greg several times at the Capitol.
His office was always open to my
ideas, thoughts and comments.
A s a fo rm er tu g b o at
captain, Greg and 1 strongly agree
on issues surrounding our river
system . He was there for us
when the threat o f rem oving the
dams hovered. He was not afraid
to stand up with Senator Gordon
Smith and C ongressm an Greg
W alden to deliver the m essage
that our dam's were staying right
where they were.
Greg has already proven
his loyalty to senior citizens. The
Oregon Health Care Association
and the Oregon State Council o f
Senior C itizens have both named
him a “Senior Champion". 1 know
that he will continue to be our
legislative guardian in Salem.
House District 57 has a
great friend in O regon State
Representative Greg Smith. By
sending G reg back, w e ’ll be
letting Salem know what Eastern
O regon stands for, and more
im portantly, w hat w e w o n ’t
stand for.
(s) Dan Creamer
Irrigon
Editor's note: Letters to the Editor must be signed. The Gazette-Times will not publish
unsigned letters. Please include vour address and p h on e num ber on all letters lor use by
the G -T office. The C-T reserves the right to edit. The C -T is not responsible for accuracy of
statements made in letters (Any letters expressing thanks will be placed in the classifieds
under 'C a r d o f Thanks’ at a cost of $7.)
Local woman
voices
disappointment in
superintendent
To the Editor:
Recently it has come to
my attention that the current
superintendent. Jack Crippen,
has made what 1 w ould consider
inconsiderate, ignorant decisions
regarding the placement of a small
child. This child, Jenna Taylor
turned five on Sept. 2 o f this year,
o n e d a y p a st th e n o rm a l
acceptance date required by the
state o f O regon. The fam ily
requested that the board take into
consideration the fact that Jenna
has had two years o f preschool,
a. statement from Jenna's doctor,
which 1 might add Mr. Crippen
would not even exam ine and
also, Jenna was administered the
normal test given at the end o f
the year to kindergarten children
showing their ability to function
at the first grade level. Jenna aced
this test. The test and her scoring
on this test were also presented
to Mr. Crippen, which again he
w ould not consider o r even
examine.
At this point in tim e 1
guess I am wondering what Mr.
C rippen's credentials are with
re g a rd to th e e d u c a tio n o f
children. The Taylors are not
trying to put Jenna into first
grade... they are only asking that
she be given the opportunity to
e x p lo r e a n d le a rn at th e
kindergarten level. The Taylors
have also stated that, if at the end
o f the kindergarten year, Jenna
did not seem ready for first grade
they would have no problem with
the repeating o f kindergarten.
However, given her test scores
this would be highly unlikely.
T h e T a y lo rs h a v e
e x p lo re d th e p o s s ib ility o f
sending her to A rlington. The
su p erin ten d en t in A rlin g to n
w ould w elcom e Jenna to their
kindergarten but here again Mr.
Crippen has seen fit to tell the
Taylors that M orrow County
w ould not rele ase Je n n a to
Gilliam County. In lieu o f that fact,
the Taylors w ould have to pay
approximately $5000 annually for
Jenna to attend A rlington. Mr.
Crippen also stated that if Jenna
did attend Arlington she would
not be allowed to enter first grade
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in a M orrow County school.
What kind o f a statement is that?
It definitely sounds like a spoiled
child that threatens if not given his
ow n way.
1 cannot understand how
an educator (and 1 use that term
loosely w hen speaking o f Mr.
C rippen) could want to deny a
little five year old o f learning and
exploring her educational world.
N o child should be refused the
ch a n ce to learn. We are not
talking about a child who is a
m onth or m ore past the state
g u id elin es... only one day. Let
m e state that I do not know Mr.
Crippen and evidently whoever
hired him hopefully must not have
know n him e ith e r... but his
d e c is io n s
and
la c k o f
understanding are unacceptable
behavior especially since he holds
such a position o f pow er in the
school system. Our children and
their chance for an education
should definitely be uppermost in
Mr. C rippen’s and the M orrow
County school system. Has this
now becom e a vendetta? There
are other children w ho attend
lone schools that reside in an
adjoining county and that doesn’t
seem to be problem. Evidentially
the educators in the other county
feel it is important for the children
to attend w here they feel most
c o m fo rtab le. O f course, the
m onies allotted these children
from the other counties go into
the lone school system. Could this
be the issue, money, and not
really the consideration o f the
c h ild ? I f so, I w o u ld ho p e
som eone would m ake changes
a n d so o n b e fo re a n y o th e r
children suffer because o f Mr.
Crippen’s reluctance to examine
all the facts.
Gilliam County seems to
have the interest o f the children
on th e ir ag en d a... I g u ess I
h av en ’t yet figured out w hat
a g e n d a M r. C rip p e n is
follow ing... or does he even
know.
(s) Judy Harris
lone
EOU student a
believer in Smith’s
commitment to
education
To the Editor:
In the midst o f our state’s budget
crisis, I don't think there as many
people who w ould deny that
funding education should be a
p r io r ity .
We
need
a
Representative who will support
education at all levels. A s a
s tu d e n t a t E a s te rn O re g o n
U niversity, I have w itnessed
firsthand R epresentative G reg
S m ith ’s c o m m itm e n t to
e d u c a tio n . H e h a s w o rk e d
closely with our school to gain
fu n d in g fo r s m a ll s c h o o l
universities. Smith also played a
large part in helping EOU to find
the funds for our new science
center.
R e p re se n ta tiv e G reg
Smith is aware o f our needs and
he knows how to get things done.
So if education is a priority to
you, then I urge you to re-elect
Representative Greg Sm ith for
O regon State Representative,
District 57.
(s) Sarah Herrmann
LaGrande
Some believe
special interest
groups allow our
voices to be heard
To the Editor:
As I read through the
endorsem ents given by the East
Oregonian on Sunday, I became
quite upset by the obvious attack
on “special interest” groups.
I am a citizen o f Oregon.
I am a taxpayer. I am a voter. I
am also a member o f the Oregon
C attlem en’s A ssociation. My
friends, family and neighbors are
m e m b e rs o f th e O re g o n
Education Association, Oregon
F a rm
B u r e a u , N a tio n a l
F e d e ra tio n o f In d e p e n d e n t
Businesses (N.F.I.B.), O regon
Wheat League and many political
action com m ittees that ensure
our voice is being heard in Salem.
1 do not consider m yself
a m em ber o f groups that reduce
o u r p u b lic o f f ic ia ls to be
“ p a r a ly z e d w ith fe a r th a t
campaign dollars will be withheld
if they vote a certain way.” I am
offended at Ms. Scheeler’s and
the East O regonian’s comments
that we conduct ourselves in such
a manner. Part o f w hat m akes
America so beautiful is the right
to voice our opinions and belong
to organizations that help us
protect our freedoms.
I, along with many other
folks, are the “special interest”
groups that you so negatively
re fe r to. I su g g e st the E ast
O regonian (and Ms. Scheeler)
find a different way to attack her
o p p o n e n t. T h o s e r e p e a te d
comments are not welcome, nor
are they appreciated.
In die meantime, I will be
c a s tin g
my
v o te
fo r
Representative G reg Smith. He
has proven a record o f working
side by side w ith all citizens,
regardless o f w hich group they
associate with.
(s)C allie Jo Carr
LaGrande
Grant Co. resident
proud to claim
Smith as
representative
To the Editor:
A s a resident o f Grant
County I was proud to claim
G re g S m ith as m y D istric t
R epresentative. G reg was an
excellent R epresentative. He
took the time to talk to the people
in h is D is tr ic t, a n d m o st
importantly, he listened to us.
G re g u n d e r s ta n d s E a s te rn
Oregon, and he has what it takes
to m ake things happen, as he
proved during the last Legislative
Session
It w ould be a sham e if
Eastern O regon w ere to lose
su c h a s tr o n g a d v o c a te . I
encourage everyone to vote for
Representative G reg Sm ith for
District 57. We need someone in
Salem who is not afraid to fight
on our behalf.
(s) Virginia Carr
Dayville
Thoughts on tax
increases and
representatives
To the Editor:
It seem s like every two
y e a rs, w h en th e le g isla tu re
conveys, you had better grab
your wallet. W hether it’s trying
to raise the income tax, changing
the way property is valued, or the
“little” fee increases we face, our
h a rd -e a rn e d m o n ey a lw a y s
seems to disappear.
This November, I will be
saying no to increased taxes
through a vote for Representative
G reg Sm ith. G reg understands
th a t a p ro sp e ro u s eco n o m y
d o e s n ’t
occur
th ro u g h
governm ent control and more
taxes, but by allow ing our free
enterprise system to work. Greg
has convinced m e that he will
continue to work hard to reduce
the tax burd en s on w orking
c itiz e n s and sm all b u sin ess
owners, so that they can once
again be profitable. If you feel as
I do, the choice is sim ple - vote
to re -e le c t G re g S m ith for
O regon State R epresentative,
House District 57.
(s) Ron Herbison
LaGrande
Support for
Scheeler
To the Editor:
Elizabeth Scheeler has a
fresh voice and is well prepared
to ta c k le th e b u r e a u c r a tic
entanglement in Salem. She has
done her hom ew ork. Her voice
h a s th e so u n d o f a q u ie tly
determ ined m other bear that is
ready to defend her cubs.
Elizabeth, as a parent
and m em ber o f the Pendleton
School Board, has been involved
in schools for several years and
is especially concerned about
funding quality education for the
children o f Oregon.
Elizabeth is mindful that
Ballot M easure 5 m ade drastic
changes in school funding and
that the choice o f the legislature
this year was to use one-time pots
o f m o n e y a n d a c c o u n tin g
m aneuvers for K -12 education.
She is fed up w ith politicians
running on the education platform
only to get to Salem and forget
their cam paign prom ises. And,
she believes that any new taxes
for schools must be accompanied
by a reduction in incom e tax
rates.
H o u s e h o ld s n e e d t o '
budget their m oney for their
future needs and em ergencies. _
W hy n o t g o v e rn m e n t? T he
O re g o n S c h o o l E m p lo y e e s
Association, the Oregon School
B o a rd A s s o c ia tio n and th e
C o n f e d e r a tio n o f O re g o n
A d m in istra to rs can fin d no
e v id e n c e th a t E l iz a b e th ’s
o p p o n en t, G reg S m ith, ever
v o ted for sta b le , lo n g -te rm
funding for schools.
Elizabeth cares deeply for the
welfare and quality o f life for all
Oregon children and families.
Support Elizabeth Scheeler and
the quality o f life and education
you want for yourself and your
family. Let’s send Elizabeth
Scheeler to Salem and let her
work for our children and us.
Vote for Elizabeth Scheeler. I
am.
(s) Betty Alexander
Milton-Freewater
Support for Smith
To the Editor:
I recently looked at the web
site for the O regon Education
A ssociation to check on how
legislators performed during the
2001 Legislative Session. I also
checked to see which candidate
they recom m ended for House
District 57.
I w a s p le a s a n tly
surprised to find that the Oregon
E d u c a tio n A s s o c ia tio n has
endorsed R epresentative Greg
Smith for the upcoming election.
I have ready m any articles in
w hich S m ith ’s opponent has
attacked him for not supporting
e d u c a tio n . O b v io u s ly , th e
Oregon Education A ssociation
thinks differently.
O f th e to p e ig h t
legislative successes listed by the
O E A , R e p re s e n ta tiv e G reg
Smith was there for our teachers
on all eight. Keep in m ind that
these are the top eight pieces o f
legislation that m em bers o f the
O E A fo u n d to be th e ir top
victories during the 2001 session.
I hope that you will join
m e, as w ell as m an y o th e r
inform ed voters, in supporting
Representative G reg Smith. He
has a p ro v en rec o rd o f
supporting main street business,
lo g g e rs, fa rm e rs, ra n c h e rs,
veterans, senior citizens and last,
b u t c e rta in ly n o t lea st, our
schools.
(s) Terri Strang
Irrigon
Pendleton man
offers support for
Scheeler
To the Editor:
I am in complete support
o f the candidacy o f Elizabeth
Scheeler for the Legislative seat
for District 57. W hile Elizabeth
S c h e e le r d oes not asp ire to
becom e a career politician, she
is co m m itted to serving her
legislative district and the state at
a tim e w hen we face a crisis in
funding schools and other vital
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