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—Letters—
What Is The Real Motive?
To The Record-Courier:
First, let me say that I agree with Randy Joseph’s recent letter, June 13, 2008, stating that “We need to quit thinking as Democrats or Republicans.” But considering that Mr. Joseph is very active and partisan in the Democratic Party, I am puzzled about what his real motives were in attacking Congressman Greg Walden.
Like the Baker City Herald said in a recent editorial, June 6, 2008, we here in Baker County care about reality and our dedicated and honest Congressman, Greg Walden, opposed a false promise for the “county payments” program put forth by Congressman Peter DeFazio from Eugene. DeFazio proposed to pay for the county payments program by breaking federal contracts with other American companies, and by this same means has been killed three times by the U. S. Senate. It was bound to go nowhere and doesn’t solve the problem. This bill was so disingenuous and full of counterfeit money that it failed miserable by 56 votes including opposition by many Democrats.
I am sure if anyone had a contract from the Bonneville Power Admin-istration to move wind generated energy from Baker County to other American consumers he or she would demand that the federal government honor those contracts. We will want a leader like Congressman Greg Walden standing up for us. I for one am grateful that Eastern Oregon can count on Greg Walden as our own.
Alice Knapp
Baker City
Show Your Support
To The Record-Courier:
As the Baker County Fire Defense Board Chief I am writing in regard to the upcoming community meetings being held across the county. These meetings are being held by several of the Rural Fire Protection Districts and City Departments and will often include representatives from the Oregon Department of Forestry, Bureau of Land Management and the Unites States Forest Service.
These meetings are held each year to be a forum for you to receive information about a wide range of topics, which could include: burn barrel requirements, burn permits, fire prevention information, water supply, road access for emergency personnel, just to name a few.
Please plan on attending the community meeting in your area and show your support for your fire department.
Buzz Harper, Fire Chief
Keating Rural Fire Protection District
Myths Debunked About Measure 11
To The Record-Courier:
Clatsop County D.A. Marquis’ spin on Measure 11 deserves some common sense questions drawn from Oregon’s Public Safety statistics.
First of all: How come since 1995 we now have five more prisons and more than double the prison population if M-11 was successful?
Some other questions:
Only 9 cents of every tax dollar to Corrections? To be fair, Public Safety, which includes all law enforcement, is more nearly 11 cents of every tax dollar. In 1995 we spent $1.7 billion on Public Safety. Today we spend 3 times as much, according to the State Budget.
Instead, 60% of prisoners are incarcerated for violent crimes, I’d ask if, as reported in earlier Introduction to the Budget, that 80% of convictions were related to drug/alcohol addiction? This doesn’t seem a logical conclusion from what we know about how crazy people become on drugs and alcohol.
I’d add it was good of Mr. Marquis to alert us to the kind of Attorney General we’d be electing if we vote for Mr. Kroger. Do we really want more of our young people locked up instead of spending those tax dollars on treating and education?
Helen Solem
Oregon Justice Watch
Vernonia, Ore.
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