>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

Davis, Freeman, Rysdam-Shore, Whitaker, Piercey, Fiorito

Your June 14 story, “For Ag Economics, East Side Has New Go-to Guy,” begins to get at the real burden faced by rural Americans, some of whom are now spending more than 10 percent of their income on gasoline. And it should point to the fact that we’re going into yet another election year with neither party offering real policy that makes sense for the challenges faced by rural communities.

One in three of the nation’s inadequately-funded public schools are rural; doctors are in shorter supply; child poverty rates are higher; and a disproportionately large number of rural Americans are wounded or killed in Iraq.

Apart from obligatory stops along the campaign trail or platitudes debating the Farm Bill, the media and politicians prefer to ignore the real needs of rural communities.

A new, comprehensive approach (RuralCompact.org) to rural policy is badly needed, one that addresses education, health, stewardship of the land, and investment in our communities, and re-affirms our shared commitment to the future of rural America. The absence of such an approach has served no one well — perhaps its time we try something different.

Dee Davis, president, Center for Rural Strategies

Whitesburg, Ky.

I am writing today to remind the citizens of La Grande about what the La Grande School Board told us two years ago when it closed Willow Elementary School.

We were told we would save so much money by closing the school and that due to a projected drop in enrollment over the next several years, we would not need the lost space. I have watched as the story has changed and we are now forced to consider a bond levy to “add a total of 13 classrooms.’’

An $18 million bond levy would cost property owners an estimated $135 per $100,000 of assessed value, per year. Property values in this town have increased a lot in the last few years with most homes now being worth well over $100,000.

Can you afford an extra couple hundred dollars a year? I sure can’t. I have watched as classrooms have grown so full that it is no longer conducive to learning. I have watched bad administrative decisions hurt the education that our children receive and I have gone to the meetings where they assured us “it will be OK.” Well, it is not OK.

I would like to urge every citizen to show up to the public input meeting on July 16 and demand accountability for the dishonest way that we were put in this position in the first place.

Rustin N. Freeman

La Grande

The June 13 article, “County eyes planning fee hike” mentioned that the Union County Commissioners approved a court order directing the sheriff’s office to sell six county properties. A call to that office confirmed the properties will be sold July 23.

I am an adjoining property owner. The parcel is a 3.87-acre county rock quarry situated in an A-4 Timber Grazing Zone and is under a Timber Grazing Plan. It is used for parking by an excavation company. May 20, I received a letter dated May 15, signed by Hanley Jenkins advising me that I had 10 days from the date of his letter to appeal the county’s approval of a lot-of-record dwelling approval.

On May 21, I spoke with Commissioner Nellie Hibbert and asked why she granted a lot-of-record permit on a 3.87-acre rock quarry located in big game habitat. Mrs. Hibbert said she hadn’t seen the property.

I paid $150 to file an appeal with the Union County Planning Department May 22 and was told I would be notified in writing regarding a hearing. On June 15, I read your article and the public notice in The Observer that my appeal hearing would be June 23.

June 19, I received a staff report on my appeal dated June 23. The “Suggested Findings of Fact” states: “Obviously, each of the following findings will tend to support or deny the application. Only those which support the Planning Commission’s motion should be read into the record moving to approve or deny the request.”

Why would the county sell an income-producing property? Why did the planning commission grant a lot-for-dwelling approval on a less than 4- acre rock quarry located in a Timber Grazing Zone?

Why did the County Planning Commission advise me to appeal when they had already predetermined that my findings, which are unfavorable to their decision, will not be read into the motion to approve/deny? What are they really planning?

Toni Rysdam-Shore

Elgin

The concession speech of Sen. Hillary Clinton urging support for Sen. Obama as next president brought closure to the hard-fought Democratic primary season.

Clinton campaigned as the first creditable female candidate for president in the history of the United States. The 18 million Americans who supported her cracked the glass ceiling of the White House beyond repair.

At times, it seemed Democrats were divided with partisans of each candidate unable to imagine support for the other should their own candidate fail.

In fact, Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton are united in their opposition to the unwise and costly Bush/Cheney war in Iraq. Both understand the need for quality health care for all Americans; for addressing global warming; for protecting American jobs; and returning fairness to our tax system.

Democrats are united in their hopes and ideals. They’re committed to ending the war in Iraq and to taking back our country for the benefit of ordinary citizens, for the middle class and ending the unfair advantages extended by the Bush administration to Big Oil and the super rich.

Friends and neighbors are working together to achieve the visions shared by Sens. Obama and Clinton. In Union County, Democrats, Independents and Republicans are uniting to work for solutions to the many problems we face.

Union County Citizens to Elect Obama is hosting Just Desserts in the Park from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday in the Pioneer Park Picnic Pavilion.

We invite everyone concerned about the economy, the loss of jobs, the skyrocketing cost of fuel, access to health care, ending the war in Iraq, rural development and grassroots citizen involvement to solve the challenges we face to join us.

Bring a dessert, ideas and family and friends. Meet local Obama supporters and learn how you can get involved. Change can’t happen without you.

Bill Whitaker and Cheryl Simpson-Whitaker, members of Union County Citizens to Elect Obama steering committee

The community of Elgin would like to extend its sincere appreciation to Maryann Zinzer of Grande Cuisine for her dedicated service and exceptional cuisine that she provided to the Eagle Cap Excursion Train since the beginning of the train’s operation.

Although another restaurant will be providing the catering for the Eagle Cap Excursion Train this year, Maryann provided a personal touch that she put on the service she provided to visitors. We are certain her wonderful cuisine enhanced the experience of the train’s passengers, only making the experience even that much more memorable.

We applaud Maryann Zinzer of Grande Cuisine for her exceptional contribution to the excursion train experience.

Christy Piercey, president

Elgin Chamber of Commerce

In response to the article, “Study: Timber counties need breathing room” in the June 24 edition of The Observer, I have some observations.

Payment in Lieu of Taxes money that the federal government owes us must not be allowed to just dry up and be “gone forever” as our wimpy governor, Ted Kulongoski, puts it.

The federal government (We the People) own(s) millions of acres of public Forest Service and BLM land in the Northwest.  The deal was that we get the money that would be paid in property taxes if that land was owned privately to help pay for our schools and roads.  This money that used to come from timber harvest receipts along with the family wage jobs that the timber industry provided in rural counties made this a great place to raise a family. I am afraid that our governor seems more than happy to oversee our rural communities’ demises.

One recommendation handed the governor by the task force was to raise our property taxes by 30 percent. Who are these geniuses that are on the task force and how do we fire them?

I have a recommendation. I recommend that we vote in a governor with a backbone who will stand up for the people of the State of Oregon and demand that the money owed to us, by us (The People), is paid to us in full!

That or return the federal lands to the state to be managed for true multiple use with sustainable timber management being one of those uses.

Our state forests are being managed very well while our federal forests are falling apart.

I say all of this with a heavy heart as a former U.S. Forest Service employee of 34 years.

Dan Fiorito

Union