OPINION READER’S FORUM
Founded in 1906
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2020
A4
EDITOR’S DESK
In an angry world, kindness begins with us
hile I was watching the
news events of last week
unfold, I was thinking
of a song that I grew up singing in
church when I was a young child. It
went:
“I want to be kind
to everyone, for that is
right, you see. And so I
say to myself, ‘Remem-
ber this: Kindness begins
with me.’”
Jade
“Be kind” may seem
McDowell
like an obvious message NEWS EDITOR
that no one should need
reiterated. But while there are many
good and kind people in Hermiston,
as someone who has a public-fac-
ing and sometimes controversial job I
can also tell you from personal expe-
rience that there are many people
in this community who are not very
kind. And they have been particularly
unkind this year.
Many unkind people don’t think
of themselves as such. Occasionally,
when I am going through comments
on the Hermiston Herald or East
Oregonian Facebook pages to hide
or delete ones that violate our com-
munity standards against profanity
and slurs, I will click on the profi le
of someone who has said something
especially rude. It’s amazing how
often the person has recently shared
a post about the importance of kind-
ness or positivity. One woman had
“Be kind, it’s that simple” as her slo-
gan at the top of her page.
W
Jade McDowell/Hermiston Herald
In an example of responding to diffi cult circumstances with kindness, teenagers wash cars
outside Center Market in Stanfi eld on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, to raise money for classmates
seriously injured in a recent car crash.
That’s the problem with the inter-
net. It creates a psychological barrier
between us and the people who we
are communicating with. Somehow,
calling someone stupid or a liar using
a keyboard feels different than walk-
ing up to a stranger in the grocery
store to call them the same things.
But the impact is often the same for
the victim, however the message is
delivered.
I’m defi nitely guilty of it, too.
Occasionally I have taken my bad
day out on a random stranger online,
and if you have ever been the target
of a sarcastic or rude comment from
me, I sincerely apologize. I am work-
ing to improve on that area of my
life.
A while ago I saw an interaction
between two strangers in the com-
ment section of an article online.
They began by disagreeing over
something political, which esca-
lated to one person calling the other
a name.
While that happens every day,
what happened next was more mem-
COLUMN
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Keep your business out of trouble
with proper record keeping
hat is the difference
between
bookkeepers,
accountants, and certifi ed
public accountants (known as CPAs)?
Many times, these terms are used
interchangeably by small business
owners, but there are distinct and
important
differ-
ences. Sometimes
people balk at pay-
ing for these pro-
fessional services,
but the investment
is well worth avoid-
ing getting side-
ways with the Inter- Greg
nal Revenue Service Smith
or Oregon Department of Revenue.
Do-it-your-selfers many times make
errors especially when it comes to
payroll and the timely submission of
reports and payments.
This is something the IRS and Ore-
gon Department of Revenue take very
seriously, and the penalties are severe.
Here is a brief summary of what
duties bookkeepers, accountants,
and CPAs typically perform and the
requirements of each.
• Bookkeepers work for a company
to keep track of the fi nances. They
are responsible for accounts receiv-
able and payable, inventory, accurate
and timely recording of transactions,
monthly, quarterly, and annual report-
ing and, in some instances, payroll.
They can be independent contractors
W
or employees. With regard to train-
ing, some bookkeepers have only a
high school diploma, but many com-
panies prefer someone with at least an
associate’s degree. Bookkeeping cer-
tifi cations and licensing are available
through national organizations. As an
aside, bookkeepers are in very high
demand and for someone qualifi ed, is
it a highly profi table business.
• Accountants typically can prepare
detailed fi nancial statements, audits
of a company’s books, and prepare
reports for tax purposes. It is import-
ant to note that only CPAs, tax attor-
neys, and enrolled agents are able to
represent a taxpayer to the IRS.
• What can a CPA do? To begin
with, they have a much higher level
of training and expertise. They have
passed required examinations, meet
all statutory regulations, and obtained
licensing. A CPA can prepare and sign
tax returns for businesses and indi-
viduals, and represent clients before
the IRS for audits and other import-
ant matters. The national profes-
sional association for CPAs is the
American Institute of Certifi ed Public
Accountants.
Small business owners are busy.
Many lack the expertise or simply
don’t keep their fi nancial records up to
date and are unaware of legitimate and
important tax deductions. Depending
on the size and type of business, an
owner may have a bookkeeper and/or
accountant, and then depend on a CPA
for more complex matters, tax plan-
ning, and preparation of tax returns.
While it is always best to accurately
track income and expenses throughout
the year, the beginning of the fourth
quarter will allow you a short window
of time to get your books in order and
implement the services of one or more
of these professionals.
Especially with all the unique cir-
cumstances surrounding COVID-19,
it is highly recommended that busi-
ness owners employ the services of a
CPA. Make the appointment as soon
as possible so plans can be made to
put the business in the best possi-
ble position before 2020 tax returns
are due. If delayed, not only will this
compromise the business, but this is
when CPAs’ schedules become full
and they may be unable to accept new
clients.
The level to which a business
owner keeps tabs on the company’s
fi nances is a sure recipe for either suc-
cess or failure.
Make that appointment today.
———
Greg Smith is the executive advi-
sor for the Umatilla Electric Coop-
erative Business Resource Center,
located at 1475 N. First St. in Herm-
iston. The center provides free, con-
fi dential advising to small businesses
and can be reached at 541-289-3000
or uecbrc@gmail.com.
CORRECTIONS
Printed on
recycled
newsprint
VOLUME 114 • NUMBER 39
Andrew Cutler | Publisher • acutler@eomediagroup.com • 541-278-2673
Jade McDowell | News Editor • jmcdowell@eastoregonian.com • 541-564-4536
Jeanne Jewett | Multi-Media consultant • jjewett@hermistonherald.com • 541-564-4531
Audra Workman | Multi-Media consultant • aworkman@eastoregonian.com • 541-564-4538
To contact the Hermiston Herald for news,
advertising or subscription information:
• call 541-567-6457
• e-mail info@hermistonherald.com
• stop by our offi ces at 333 E. Main St.
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The Hermiston Herald (USPS 242220, ISSN
8750-4782) is published weekly at Hermiston
Herald, 333 E. Main St., Hermiston, OR 97838,
(541) 567-6457.
orable. When the person who had
been called a name responded there
was no need to get personal, the other
commenter apologized, stating he
was going through a diffi cult time
in his personal life and he shouldn’t
have taken that out on someone
else. The other responded that he
understood; he did the same thing
sometimes.
“I hope things get better for you,
man,” he said, and the two parted
ways on seemingly amicable terms.
Imagine if that was the spirit we
brought into all of our interactions.
A major part of the human expe-
rience is being negatively affected
by others. We go through life get-
ting cut off in traffi c, given the wrong
food order in the drive-thru and
treated rudely by customers. What
we often don’t see is the other side
to that interaction — the normally
great driver who accidentally cut us
off because they were busy worrying
about their injured toddler they were
rushing to pick up from day care.
Other times, the person we are
angry at might be every bit the name
we want to call them. We may believe
we are completely justifi ed in what
we want to say to or about them. In
those situations, I have been trying to
ask myself one question: With all of
negativity already in the world today,
do I want to be responsible for mak-
ing it an even more negative place?
Increasingly, my answer to that
question has been no.
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Member of EO Media Group Copyright ©2020
It is the policy of the Hermiston Herald to correct errors as
soon as they are discovered. Incorrect information will be
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SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Letters Policy: Letters to the Editor is a forum for the
Hermiston Herald readers to express themselves on local,
state, national or world issues. Brevity is good, but longer
letters should be kept to 250 words.
No personal attacks; challenge the opinion, not the person.
The Hermiston Herald reserves the right to edit letters for
length and for content.
Morrow County deserves Doherty
Jim Doherty is in a November runoff to be reelected as
county commissioner in Morrow County. I have been watch-
ing Jim since meeting him over a year ago, and he will get
a vote from me. I encourage everyone registered to vote in
Morrow County to vote for him as well. Jim looks at situ-
ations from all angles and attempts to steer decisions in a
manner that will benefi t everyone in the county. Jim works
hard advocating for our county in Salem. Jim spends time
trying to understand the way things operate and is not afraid
to push for improvement even when it is unpopular. This
behavior is exactly what we need in our local government.
As a business owner raising my family in Morrow
County; I want Jim Doherty working for me as county com-
missioner. I know that with him in offi ce; someone is think-
ing of each individual and each entity when making deci-
sions. Jim has been commissioner for one term, and during
that time he has developed and adapted. I believe he will
only become more effective with time in offi ce.
Please join me in voting to retain Jim Doherty. Morrow
County deserves to have Jim Doherty as part of our team.
J. Fletcher Hobbs
Boardman
SPEAK UP
Seeking guest viewpoints
Are you a parent who has been managing your
children’s distance learning while working from
home, struggling to fi nd child care or had to quit
your job during the pandemic? The Hermiston Herald
wants to hear from you about your experience this
year. Submit a 250-word letter to the editor or a guest
column of 400 to 650 words about your experience,
along with your name, city of residence and phone
number (phone number is for verifi cation purposes
and will not be published) and you may be published
on the opinion page of an upcoming edition of the
Hermiston Herald. Letters and columns can be sent
to editor@hermistonherald.com or submitted via the
letters form at www.hermistonherald.com.
Letters must be original and signed by the writer or writers.
Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers should include
a telephone number so they can be reached for questions.
Only the letter writer’s name and city of residence will be
published.
OBITUARY POLICY
The Hermiston Herald publishes paid obituaries. The
obituary can include small photos and, for veterans, a
fl ag symbol at no charge. Expanded death notices will be
published at no charge. These include information about
services. Obituaries may be edited for spelling, proper
punctuation and style.
Obituaries and notices may be submitted online at
hermistonherald.com/obituaryform, by email to obits@
hermistonherald.com, by fax to 541-276-8314, placed via the
funeral home or in person at the Hermiston Herald or East
Oregonian offi ces. For more information, call 541-966-0818 or
1-800-522-0255, x221.