FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 5„ 2010
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Letters to the Editor ~
The Heppner Gazette Times will print all letters to the Editor with the follow ing criteria met: letters submitted to the newspaper will need to have the name o f the sender along with a legible signature. We are
also requesting that you provide your address and a phone number where you can be reached. The address and phone number will only be used for verification and will not be printed in the newspaper. Letters
may not be libelous. The GT reserves the right to edit. The GT is not responsible for accuracy o f statements made in letters. Any letters expressing thanks will be placed in the classifieds under “Card of Thanks”
at a cost o f $10.
Rep. Greg Smith has worked hard
To the Editor:
Representative Greg Smith is being challenged by
Colleen MacLeod. I served with Colleen for four years as
a Union County Commissioner. That is why I am endors
ing Representative Smith. I would like to explain why.
Colleen states she is against “all” tax increases.
That wasn’t her record as commissioner. After 12 years
in office she can not name a single tax or fee increase she
voted against. When the vote came to more than double
inspections fees, adding more than $ 1,000 to the cost of
a new home, Colleen was the “Yes” vote that passed the
increase.
There was Colleen’s vote to spend $1,000 tax
dollars on a cocktail reception in Hawaii. (Yes, you read
that correctly.) Colleen, while in office, took a lobbyist
paid trip to Hawaii. Before she went she cast the decid
ing vote to spend $1,000 general fund tax dollars on
what was advertised as a “cocktail reception“. While the
amount was relatively small the principle of the matter
was not: local elected officials should not be spending
tax dollars on cocktails being served in Hawaii. Colleen
did just that.
There were her votes to have her county buy a
failing railroad and golf course which have cost Union
County dearly over the last few years.
Colleen states she is for small government. While
in office her salary doubled as did the size of Union
County government.
Please don’t be fooled by her rhetoric and her
political makeover at the hands of people who live outside
our district. She can’t get local people to go door to door
for her so her lobbyist friends are bringing them in from
out of area - literally.
Rep. Greg Smith has worked hard and served
our district well. I appreciate that. He has my vote and
100% of my support.
John Lamoreau
La Grande
Spicer honest, efficient, fair, and
will bring common sense approach
To the Editor:
Ann Spicer is the most capable and most commit
ted Morrow County Justice of the Peace candidate. With
over 30 years of practicing law in Morrow County, she
has a vast array of civil and criminal law experience and
knowledge that she will bring to the justice judge posi
tion, including past Morrow County District Attorney.
She is committed to her community as is shown by her
tremendous civic service record of accomplishments.
Her past community involvement includes chairing the
St. Patrick’s Day Auction, member and past president of
the Heppner Soroptomist Club, past board member of
the Heppner Economic Development Group, member
of the Heppner Chamber of Commerce, working the
St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Morrow County Fair
Parade, member of the Heppner Friends of the Library,
and 4-H leader. Currently, her civic passions are working
as president o f the Oregon Trail Library District and on
the Morrow-Umatilla Domestic Violence Board, where
she is past president. The surest sign of ability and com
mitment as a public official is a person’s record of civic
service. None of Ann’s opponents can boast of this record
of public service to Morrow County.
The office of Kuhn and Spicer represents the
communities of Heppner, Lexington and Irrigon. The
Morrow County Justice of the Peace is the court where
municipal ordinances are enforced. Ann comes with a
background of municipal code enforcement experience
that her opponents do not have. She knows evictions law
and the other areas of civil law from 30 years of practice
representing Morrow County citizens. Her experience
as Morrow County District Attorney and as a 30 year
practitioner qualifies her to handle the criminal law case
load she will see as justice judge.
Ann is honest, efficient, fair, and will bring a com
mon sense approach to being a justice judge. I recommend
her to you as the best qualified and most capable candidate
for the office of Morrow County Justice of the Peace.
Cara Osmin
Heppner
We need a seasoned legislator who
knows and will fight for our needs
Letter to the Editor:
Even if you do not agree with his voting record
100% of the time, Greg Smith is the right man to represent
Eastern Oregon. He does not let the Willamette Valley
legislators or lobbyist tell him what is best for Eastern
Oregon.
Greg has been there for our logging industry by
providing the industry with much needed property tax
relief.
Greg has been there for our cattlemen by mak
ing sure the Range Resource Program at Eastern Oregon
University remains open.
Greg has been there for agriculture through his
work to make sure we keep our FFA and 4-H programs.
Greg safeguarded our rural, critical access hos
pitals and our local nursing homes from deep targeted
cuts.
Greg defended our National Guard Armories
from closure.
Greg has been there for Eastern Oregon Univer
sity by casting that difficult vote to keep the university
open.
And just check out his pro business voting record
with the Associated Oregon Industries. The Associated
Oregon Industries tracked the votes and found he voted
with the needs of small business owners 95% of the time
- one of the best voting records in the entire legislature.
Now is not the time to send an inexperienced per
son to represent our needs in Salem. We need a seasoned
legislator who knows our needs and will fight for them.
That person is Greg Smith.
Suzane Jepsen
Heppner
Proud to be a Greg Smith supporter Colleen MacLeod a dependable
champion
To the Editor:
I am pleased to write a letter in support of the
re-election of Representative Greg Smith.
Representative Smith has proven to me, countless
times, his dedication to higher education, to the value of
having an institutional member of the Oregon University
System located in eastern Oregon, and to the employ
ment that Eastern Oregon University specifically brings
to Union County. This dedication is in addition to the
allegiance I have seen him display toward many of the
vital, rural programs we all use and depend upon.
Not only has Representative Greg Smith served
us well as a legislator, but he and his wife Sherri own
a small business in eastern Oregon. He knows what it
means to meet a payroll, to balance a budget, and have
to cut expenditures.
Not all legislators have the ability to balance
family obligations, maintain a small business, and provide
effective public service. Representative Smith does this
with compassion, integrity, enthusiasm, and a steadfast
drive to ensure that Eastern Oregon is equally and ap
propriately represented in the legislature.
For these reasons, I am proud to be one of Greg’s
supporters. This May, please mark your ballot for “Greg
Smith.” He is our best choice to send to Salem.
Dixie Lund
Retired EOU President
To the Editor
Political campaigns get turbulent and often
heated. Facts get stretched and distorted. Let’s take a deep
breath. We have been friends and supporters of Colleen
MacLeod for years. We have admired her steady county
commissioner focus on the resurrection of our Eastern
Oregon economy and her unflinching devotion and as
sistance to the components that have kept us economi
cally better than many other areas; Boise Cascade and
the timber industry, EOU, BMCC and our main street
businesses.
To paint her as unsupportive of these components
because she questions runaway government spending
and the potential California-like insolvency of this state
is pure political gamesmanship. There is a big picture
issue being studiously ignored in this race. It highlights
the growing American concern of unsustainable taxation
at the cost of future generations. We know for a fact it has
never been about the beneficial Eastern Oregon projects
that were vote traded by her opponent. It is about the
back room process involved. When the Oregonian calls
your representative on the carpet for questionable insider
vote trading, it lessens the pride and real leadership we
once enjoyed with former representatives Baum and
Simmons.
Let’s set the political rhetoric straight, she is pro
life,
she
got a 100% from the NRA, she is a conservative
Nelson would do an exceptional job Republican
and she may just be the most outspoken de
if elected
fender of Eastern Oregon and its citizen we all know.
Letter to Editor:
Join us in voting for a dependable champion,
My name is Chance Dixon, and 1 have had the Colleen MacLeod.
opportunity to work with Justin Nelson for several years. I Carol Tate
started my law enforcement career in Morrow County. I North Powder
have since moved to Umatilla County to continue my
work in law enforcement. I have a good idea of the case We need someone who will fight for
load for Morrow County, as I relocated to Umatilla County
quality jobs and programs
and my personal case load doubled.
During my career in Morrow County and Uma To the Editor:
I like the mountains, the people and the small
tilla County I have had the opportunity to work with
town
feeling
you receive each time you go into town for
several District Attorneys and Deputy District Attorneys. I
supplies
or
attend
one of Heppner’s various events.
have worked for the past several years with Umatilla
I
like
Greg
Smith and firmly believe he’ll work
County Deputy District Attorney Justin Nelson and I am
confident with his abilities to perform professionally and hard to keep and to help create quality jobs in our area that
with his level of integrity. Justin has experience with all will help people to live, raise families, and stay here.
Greg Smith is very supportive of our local FFA
types of criminal cases and has the experience necessary
to be District Attorney. Justin is a hard worker and spends program, FBLA program and he’s a familiar face at sport
countless hours working to make sure the criminals are ing and other local events that help guide our youth to
paying for the crimes committed. If elected, Justin will make appropriate life choices.
He supports agriculture and private property
spend whatever time is necessary to prepare himself for
rights, and I appreciate that he negotiates through moun
a case, and prepare the officers.
I have observed Deputy District Attorney Justin tains of paperwork to ensure that we receive funding on
Nelson at several crime scenes, making sure he under this side of the state for critical infrastructure upgrades
stands the facts of the cases filed by the District Attorney and whatever else might contribute to quality of life in
Office. Justin also takes the time to talk with officer and our area.
Many programs were threatened last year when
deputies concerning cases and trials, and has made himself
the Oregon Legislature supported a plan to close EOU
available any time day or night for questions.
It is my pleasure to tell you that Justin Nelson and National Guard armories. Pioneer Memorial Hospital,
would do an exceptional job if elected as Morrow County which is designated as critical, was to receive drastic cuts.
Not only does our hospital provide needed emergency ser
District Attorney.
vices; but the district provides numerous jobs throughout
Chance L. Dixon
Morrow County. In addition, important youth programs
Hermiston
were
at stake for immediate de-fUnding (note, they were
Smith possesses skills, abilities, and not targeted
for reductions; they were placed at zero). The
experience to be best choice
list goes on and on.
Suffice it to say, rural Oregon has not place
Letter to the Editor:
I am supporting Greg Smith for re-election to “high” on the list for urban legislators. We have had one
House District 57. I have worked with Greg a number conscientious man in the legislature that has stood by us
of occasions involving law enforcement issues. When and fought to keep our “piece of the pie.”
We need to send Representative Greg Smith back
I presented a problem to Greg, he immediately began
to
Salem
to keep up the good fight. I urge you to join the
working with me to help develop possible solutions. He
hundreds
of us who have signed up for the Committee
has developed legislative bills for, not only me, but other
to
Re-Elect
Greg Smith at www.repgregsmith.com. Let
people as well. Greg has been a leader in the legislature
us
send
a
voice
back to our capitol who is not afraid to
and has worked tirelessly for the benefit of the people of
stand
up
for
what
is right.
his district.
Please
help
re-elect Representative Greg Smith.
Greg is a regular visitor to all the areas of his
Talk
to
your
friends
and neighbors, write a letter, place a
district. He attends and has been recruited as a master
sign,
and,
most
importantly,
vote for Greg Smith.
of ceremonies for numerous community events. He has
Pam
and
Mark
Wunderlich
always been available when I needed his assistance or his
Heppner
opinion. I value his partnership.
I have visited Greg on many occasions at the Smith has pro-family stance on
state capitol and he has always taken the time to visit
with me and discuss current issues. He has a proven re important issues
cord of representing the interests of his district. The last To the Editor:
legislative session created substantial controversy and I,
Our family has joined the Committee to re-elect
for one, have not lost faith in Greg’s ability to represent Greg Smith for Oregon House District 67. We have done
the core values of the people of his district. He continues this because of his pro-family stand on issues that are
to possess all the skills, abilities and experience to be the important to us.
best choice for the people of District 57.
Representative Greg Smith has been endorsed
Please join me in supporting Greg Smith for re- by Oregon Right to Life. He believes that human life
election to House District 57.
is precious and has value at all stages. He has been a
Kenneth W. Matlack
strong voice in opposition of marriage being defined as
Morrow County Sheriff
anything but a sacred union between a man and a woman.
Lastly, Rep. Smith fights legislation that is detrimental to
nursing and hospital facilities, and is a fierce defender of
Support of Greg Smith for
opr senior citizen population. Ensuring that our elderly
neighbors have quality health care and choice of physician
representative
is important to him.
To the Editor:
Please join us in supporting a conservative voice
We are writing in support of Greg Smith for
in Salem. Vote Rep. Greg Smith on May 18.
representative from our district.
Mary Ann Elguezabal
Greg has served this area extremely well over the
Heppner
last several years and we have always found him to be
straight forward and accessible at all times. Greg has been
in Salem long enough to know how the system works and A politician with common sense
has held key leadership roles in the legislature.
To the Editor and voters of Morrow County:
The one think we don’t need in rural Oregon
Tom Stutzman is running for the U.S. Senate.
is for the so called head of the Republican Party and a As he has stated “I will not be running for this position
couple of silk stocking lobbyists from Salem telling us as a politician but as a dad, a husband, a baseball coach,
how to vote.
a real estate broker, and as someone who chooses to use
In difficult times like this we need Greg’s sound common sense.” Wouldn’t that be great - a politician with
thinking and leadership in Salem and that is why we would common sense. For more on his ideas you can download
encourage everyone to join us and vote for Greg Smith at www.commonsensetom.com.
for state representative.
Billy J and Shirley Adams
Larry and Betty Mills
Heppner
Heppner