The INDEPENDENT, June 18, 2009
Page 3
Letters
Return the birdhouse
To the Editor:
I don’t know who you are but
you must have turned around
in our driveway. Saw our bird-
house. Thought it was “Cool”
and took it!
Please return it, just put it
back on the stump. Thank you,
Kathleen Gwin
Vernonia
Prepare your entry
for the July 4 Parade
To the Editor:
Vernonia Pride will again be
sponsoring the 4th of July Pa-
rade.
Advance registration isn’t
necessary, but participants
Policy on Letters
The INDEPENDENT will
not publish letters that in-
clude personal attacks on
private citizens. Because of
space limitations, preference
will be given to brief letters,
300 words or less.
All letters must be signed
and include a verifiable ad-
dress or phone number.
need to arrive early enough to
form up on Weed Avenue,
alongside City Hall and the Li-
brary, before the parade starts
at 7:30 p.m. From City Hall, the
parade will go along Bridge
Street to State Avenue, where
it will disband.
Please, don’t park on Bridge
Street during the parade so
that everyone can enjoy the pa-
rade.
No ATVs will be allowed, but
all other entries will be gladly
accepted.
De Loris Webb
Vernonia Pride
Questions are okay,
but know the facts
To the Editor:
This letter is in response to
the June 04, 2009, Letter to the
Editor entitled, “Does Vernonia
Need Five Police Officers?”
I know most people in this
community understand the
need for police and appreciate
the services we provide. But re-
cently our department has
been the subject of criticism
from a few sources, and I feel
the need to write a response.
Where to Find Them
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden
Senator Betsy Johnson
(Dem)
1220 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 585
Portland OR 97232
Phone: 503-326-7525
223 Dirksen Senate Ofc. Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510-0001
Phone: 202-224-5244
E-Mail: http://wyden.senate.gov/
contact
Website: http://wyden.senate.
gov
(Dem) Senate District 16
PO Box R,
Scappoose, OR 97056
Phone: 503-543-4046
900 Court St. NE, S-314
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-986-1716
E-mail: sen.betsyjohnson@
state.or.us
Website: http//www.leg.state.or.
us/johnson
U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley
Representative Brad Witt
(Dem.)
One World Trade Center
121 SW Salmon St., Suite 1250
Portland, OR 97204
Phone: 503-326-3386
107 Russell Senate Ofc. Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3753
E-Mail: senator@merkley.senate.
gov
WebSite: http://merkley.senate.
gov
(Dem) House District. 31
21740 Lindberg Road,
Clatskanie, OR 97016
Phone: 503-728-4664
900 Court St. NE, H-373
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-986-1431
E-mail: rep.bradwitt@state.or.us
Website: http//www.leg.state.or.
us/witt
U.S. Representative David Wu
(Dem) OR District 1
620 SW Main, Suite 606
Portland, OR 97205
Phone: 503-326-2901
2338 Rayburn House Ofc. Bldg.
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-0855
Website: http://house.gov/wu
Representative Deborah Boone
(Dem) House District 32
PO Box 926
Cannon Beach, OR 97110
Phone: 503-717-9182
900 Court St. NE, H-375
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: 503-986-1432
E-mail: rep.deborahboone@
state.or.us
Website: http//www.leg.state.or.
us/boone
Does little Vernonia need
five cops? Well yes, in my opin-
ion they do! In fact, eight or
nine would be best. I’m not
sure the author of that letter re-
ally understands the facts of
what your police and the de-
partment does and the types of
things they are responsible for.
I would like to take this opportu-
nity to explain some of the
facts, and offer my opinion on a
few other issues.
In the late 90’s there were as
many as six paid Police Offi-
cers employed by the City of
Vernonia. Those positions over
the years have been slowly
whittled away to where they are
now. All the added duties and
responsibilities now rest in the
hands of only four.
The Police Officers often
work alone with no hope for a
rapid response from outer
agencies should one of them
need emergency assistance.
With future cuts to the Colum-
bia County Sheriffs Office the
likelihood of that rapid assis-
tance will be even less.
As stated in the published
letter, these are different times.
There are indeed bad people
out there, and dangerous drugs
on the streets. There are also
many petty crimes committed,
petty things that take a lot of
time for Police to deal with. Al-
though someone may think the
issue is petty, someone else
thought it serious enough to
call for Police, requiring a re-
sponse and often times a writ-
ten report. The author of the let-
ter would lead you to believe
that he does not require police
services, stating, “I’ve never
had a problem I couldn't per-
sonally resolve.” Actually, pub-
lic records would show that
Vernonia Police have respond-
ed to his residence several
times in the past few years, in-
cluding once last month for a
disturbance.
In response to the people
caught with illegal narcotics.
The Vernonia Police Depart-
ment is proud of all our drug ar-
rests, big and small. In each
one of those, illegal narcotics
taken off the street could have
caused serious physical injury
or death if [they] landed in the
wrong hands. I don’t believe
anyone is portraying that any
type of drug cartels are moving
into town, but we do have a
problem that needs attention in
this community.
In order to get those nar-
cotics off the streets you have
to have Police Officers working
the street. Not just police offi-
cers, but COPS. Officers that
will stop a car at 2:00 a.m,
alone and possibly out-num-
bered. The Vernonia Drug
Coalition recently received a
large government grant to help
work with youth and combat the
drug issues within this commu-
nity. The most recent Healthy
Teen Survey portrayed Vernon-
ia as above the state average
on everything; teen drug use,
teen pregnancy and violence in
the schools were all above the
state average. Maybe that is
why the department is trying for
a school resource officer,
someone with resources and
trained to work with our youth,
not a security guard.
See Letters, page 4
Salem Scene
By Representative Brad Witt
Oregon District 31
This past week was ex-
ceptionally busy at the
Capitol.
The
House
passed two critical pieces
of legislation, one revamp-
ing the way we provide
health care in this state
and the other raising rev-
enue from both individuals
and corporations in order
to help close the $4.2 billion gap in our state’s
budget. I’ll begin with HB 2116 and HB 2009, the
bills that will increase access to health care for
thousands of Oregonians.
There are many compelling reasons to revise
the health care system in Oregon, not the least
of which is the growing dependence by the unin-
sured on emergency room treatment. This is the
most expensive form of care and the costs are
passed through to those who do have insurance.
HB 2116 and its companion measure HB
2009, supported by both the hospital and insur-
ance industries, will leverage additional federal
dollars, a total of $1.7 billion over the next four
years.
The major components of these bills:
• Increase health coverage for approximately
200,000 Oregonians 2009-2011
• Create or retain 3600 jobs in hospitals and
health care facilities
• Streamline a patchwork of health policy
boards with a citizen-led Health Policy Board
• Transfer almost all health-care-related re-
sponsibilities now in DHS to the Board
• Create a statewide database for all health
care claims by all providers
• Demand accountability and enhanced public
input prior to insurance rate increases
• Develop a central insurance marketplace for
individuals and small businesses
All in all, these two bills will do more to im-
prove health care delivery than any program
since the introduction of the Oregon Health Plan
two decades ago. They focus on prevention, pri-
mary care and disease management, and give
consumers the tools to make better health care
decisions. HB 2116 and 2009 were passed by
the Senate and will proceed to the Governor’s
desk for his signature.
The House also passed the revenue package,
HB 2649 and HB 3405, funding for the 2009-11
biennium. This was a difficult vote for all mem-
bers, Democrats and Republicans alike. Out of
an overall $17 billion budget, our state faces a
$4.2 billion shortfall. After $2 billion in cuts to
state budgets affecting the entire spectrum of
programs, laying off over 1700 public employ-
ees, and adding funds from the rainy day fund
and the federal stimulus, it became apparent that
there would be no way to escape turning to the
taxpayers to help us bridge a $733 million gap.
Some talk show hosts have characterized this
as “soaking the rich.” This kind of inflammatory
rhetoric ignores the facts. For too long, middle
class families and small businesses have shoul-
dered the burden of funding education, human
services and public safety in our state.
While these folks are sacrificing, over 60% of
See Salem, page 5