The INDEPENDENT, August 15, 2012
Where to Find Them
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden
(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
U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley
(Dem.)
One World Trade Center
121 SW Salmon St., Suite 1250
Portland, OR 97204
Phone: 503-326-3386
313 Hart Senate Ofc. Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3753
E-Mail: http://merkley.senate.
gov/contact
WebSite: http://merkley.senate.
gov
U.S. Representative Suzanne
Bonamici, (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://bonamici.house.
gov
Senator Betsy Johnson
(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
Page 3
Guest Opinion
by Tony Hyde, Columbia Coun-
ty Commissioner
and
Columbia County Economic
Team, and
Jeff Kemp, CEO, Pacific Stain-
less and Columbia County
Economic Team
Columbia County’s
Industrial Grade
Workforce
Columbia County’s greatest
economic asset is its highly
skilled workforce. These highly
skilled workers excel in manu-
facturing. Fortunately, workers
with experience in goods pro-
ducing industries – a full 25%
of the local workforce – can
find
quality
opportunities
throughout the region. Howev-
er, the bottom-line value of
working locally, for residents
and the community, is incom-
parable.
In Columbia County, there
are currently unfilled openings
for skilled workers at manufac-
turers – and the Columbia
County Economic Team fore-
sees a growing manufacturing
sector that generates many
more such opportunities for lo-
cal residents in the future.
Manufacturing is a key in-
dustry here. It generates more
wages than any other private-
sector category – $63 million in
total payroll last year. And local
manufacturers need skilled
employees today.
Manufacturing jobs range in
scope from production operator
to industrial engineering man-
ager. In Columbia County
these positions pay, on aver-
age, $50,000 in annual wages
– more than any other catego-
ry. At face value, these wages
slightly trail neighboring coun-
ties, for example, by only
$3,000 per year relative to
Multnomah County.
However, switching to a lo-
cal manufacturing job from a
similar position elsewhere, is
like getting, on-average, a
$12,500 pay raise when you
factor the high cost of a long
commute.
A 20-mile commute each
way, at minimum, costs $5500
per year in gas and car wear-
and-tear. In terms of lost
wages, the cost of time spent
commuting is, on average, al-
most $10,000 per year.
Yet, you almost can’t put a
price tag on the considerable
loss of free time. For example,
commuting 45 minutes to Port-
land, each way, eats up 7-1/2
hours per week, 375 hours per
year. This grueling commute is
the equivalent of nearly 10 ex-
tra weeks of vacation per year
– time anyone would rather
spend with their family, or what-
ever else adds to their notion of
“the good life.”
We both are fortunate to
work locally, and spend some
of our free time in service to the
community. Community groups
– Kiwanis, Rotary, Elks Club,
Chambers of Commerce, for
example – are a big part of
what makes Columbia County
great. We can only imagine
what it would mean to the com-
munity if each group had 50
more people volunteering one
hour per week, instead of com-
muting.
An “on-shoring” trend finally
seems to be bringing manufac-
turing jobs back to the U.S. af-
ter decades of decline. Rising
productivity here, and increas-
ing costs overseas, is leveling
the playing field. This points to
new opportunities for Columbia
County’s skilled workforce, en-
trepreneurs, and the communi-
ty.
The Columbia County Eco-
nomic Team (CCET) is hearing
from local manufacturers that
they are getting new contracts.
Contracts that were formerly
awarded to Chinese competi-
tors. Perhaps this explains, in
part, why the Oregon Employ-
ment Department finds Colum-
bia County manufacturers to
have added 100+ jobs in the
last twelve months.
Regional and statewide eco-
nomic development groups are
working diligently to capitalize
on on-shoring and new export
opportunities to stimulate eco-
nomic growth – and Columbia
County is well positioned to
participate in and take advan-
tage of these strategies.
Our robust base of industrial
sites, favorable business cost
structure, and access to mar-
kets means Columbia County
is ripe with opportunity – for en-
trepreneurs, the community,
and, most of all, Columbia
County’s industrial grade work-
force.
Learn about the manufactur-
ing companies operating in Co-
lumbia County by visiting the
Columbia County Economic
Team’s website at www.colum
biacountyoregon.com, and dis-
cover job openings at www.
worksourceoregon.org. There
are great opportunities in our
own backyard.
Out of My Mind…
From page 2
borhoods, when they contami-
nate our planet on land and
sea, and when they bury
streams and whole valleys with
coal ash.
Real courage would be tak-
ing on super rich corporations
and individuals with a tax code
that ties taxes to income, so
those who enjoy raking in 70
percent of the year’s wealth
also pay 70 percent of the
year’s income taxes.
Romney, who said the Ryan
budget was “marvelous”, now
says he has his own tax plan to
reduce rates and close loop-
holes. Like Ryan, he doesn’t
say which loopholes.
Many people still want to
see Romney’s taxes because
that is how we will know what
kind of tax policy he supports.
That may be why he doesn’t
want to reveal more than two
years of returns.
hi-point winners in each age
group at the Jamboree Play-
day: Sentry Market, Vernonia
Hardware, Napa Auto Parts,
Wauna Federal Credit Union,
Stump Branch Logging, Ver-
nonia Equestrian Team, and
Vernonia Dental.
Vernonia Ridge Riders
would like to thank the Vernon-
ia community for their contin-
ued support over the past 55
years.
DeLoris Bellingham
President of Vernonia
Ridge Riders
Letters
Representative Brad Witt
(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
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
Use corn for food,
not to make ethanol
To the Editor:
Friday, the USDA lowered its
projections of the 2012 corn
crop by 13% (WSJ, Saturday,
August 11 Ethanol vs. the
World). The intense drought in
the Midwest is largely to blame.
40% of the precious remain-
ing crop will be used in the pro-
duction of ethanol, a fuel addi-
tive for gas. Even environmen-
tal groups have turned against
the ethanol subsidy because of
the deforestation it causes.
The EPA can suspend this
ridiculous bit of corporate wel-
fare. According to the UN Food
and Agriculture Organization, if
the mandate isn’t stopped im-
mediately, widespread starva-
tion could result.
Don’t be deceived by lower
beef prices in the short term.
Cattle have been rushed to
slaughter because of spiking
feed prices. This reprieve won’t
last long.
Contact the EPA or your
congressman.
Wayne Mayo
Scappoose
Ridge Riders thank
sponsors for support
To the Editor:
The Vernonia Ridge Riders
would like to take this opportu-
nity to thank our sponsors for
their donations towards our
Montana Silver Buckles that for
Policy on Letters
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