Print Version
Email this story
Comment
Get the taxes due
Published August 13, 2004
Sunday's reporting of my filing with the Klamath County Clerk to qualify an initiative giving voters a chance to deny tax preference for the Chicago Peoples Energy Bonanza Cob energy project implied that my motive was to "block the Cob."
I have no personal interest in stopping the Cob power plant. The state seems about to say the developers can build it, and if they do, without bilking county taxpayers, so be it.
But, I do have an interest in seeing that county taxpayers have the final say in whether tax forbearance or other incentives are granted to promote this project.
There are three blocks of sentiment opposed. The earliest objectors are the residents in the immediate area who feel they will be negatively impacted. The second and overlapping group are those people who felt betrayed by the corrupting of the state legislative and administrative processes that disregarded land use codes and water law and waived established criteria of benefit to qualify for economic development incentives. The third - the largest and most recent objectors - are those of us who feel that the magnitude of the tax forbearance sought is outrageous as inducement for a project that has almost no positives for the people of Klamath County.
My involvement is triggered by this third cause.
I think it is extremely presumptuous of the county commissioners to take upon themselves a decision that amounts to every Klamath County citizen - man, woman and child - giving up $1,000 in badly needed tax revenue so outside developers can come here to our rural Oregon and burn Canadian natural gas to make electricity for California consumers. It offends me that we other taxpayers will be required to make up the difference in infrastructure and impact costs so Chicago people can get rich.
I feel that now, with recent disclosure of the true dollar amount of the tax write-off being considered, there is strong, broad opposition to the unfairness of losing $56 million in tax income for schools and county services. This inequity should make collecting sufficient signatures a snap. I fully expect my phone to keep ringing off the wall with requests from people anxious to circulate this petition.
Ask yourself why these investors deserve a free ride? If you don't have a good answer - Sign the petition when it's available and force it to a vote.
Clif McMillan
1444 Pacific Terrace
Editor's note: This letter was written before the initiative was ruled invalid by Klamath County Clerk Linda Smith because it addressed more than one item. McMillan has appealed the matter to Klamath County Circuit Court.
No respect for others
Recently at the fairgrounds, my sister's car was vandalized.
A John Kerry bumper sticker was ripped off. But that was only the start. The car was then "keyed" - both sides, the hood and the trunk.
I don't know if this was meant as a political statement, or just an excuse for plain hooliganism. But these actions made it appear as such.
Any time people use politics in such a way shows the rest of us that they have absolutely no character or self-respect, and no respect for others.
If someone damaged their property, they would be the most indignant people you've met. Yet they seem to think their actions were perfectly justified.
Vandalism is never right. In this case, I think it will only serve to unite people against a party that has led in dividing a nation and world against our people who do rash and foolish acts.
I have voted for both parties in the past. I vote for the individual who I believe will lead us best at the local, state and federal levels.
I do not vote a party line. But I will not vote for anyone who inspires people to hate. Dividing people is not an answer. Neither is dirty, mudslinging politics.
Somehow, I hope that the person or persons involved in this particular act of vandalism are caught. Or mayhaps someone will do something to show them how it feels to be violated.
Robert G. Motschenbacher
826 Upham St.
Brings people together
I have had the pleasure to meet and talk with Ross Carroll, a candidate for State Senate District 28.
He is a person who listens and considers people's ideas. He is a retired educator and continues to consider education a high priority for Oregon. He believes our kids deserve the best education we can provide so that they can compete in a changing world. Carroll feels that with strong support for our agricultural community, we can balance the needs of agriculture with a healthy environment.
He believes that we need fiscally responsible government that provides stable funding for services. He also supports small business and believes in their ability to provide the kind of jobs we want and need.
Carroll was a professor of communications for 19 years at Oregon Institute of Technology. He also served in the United States Army and in Vietnam in 1968-1969.
Carroll took the reins of the Democratic Central Committee and has led the committee to become a political force in Klamath County. He shows the ability to bring people together. I think he will be able to build the consensus we need to realize a bright and promising future.
I would encourage you to vote for Carroll in November. Above all, vote.
Dennie Dunkeson
3827 Sturdivant Ave.
Give warning on trains
When I moved here more than a year ago, there was some discussion in the Herald and News about the railroad crossing on Laverne Avenue by Wal-Mart.
I do know that I seem to get stopped a lot when I take the shortcut and don't know the railroad crossing bars are down.
That's not that big a problem to me, but I was thinking that it sure would be nice to know if the crossbars are down before making the turn. So, I came up with an idea that may or may not work. What if they ( whoever "they" are) would install yellow blinking lights that would come on up on the bypass whenever the crossbars came down.
I know that some people would still get stopped by the train, but, as they say, you can't please all the people all the time.
You wouldn't have to close the road, and you would not have to put a lot of tax dollars into building a bridge over the railroad.
William A. Rhodes
4745 Coopers Hawk Road
Sunday's reporting of my filing with the Klamath County Clerk to qualify an initiative giving voters a chance to deny tax preference for the Chicago Peoples Energy Bonanza Cob energy project implied that my motive was to "block the Cob."
I have no personal interest in stopping the Cob power plant. The state seems about to say the developers can build it, and if they do, without bilking county taxpayers, so be it.
But, I do have an interest in seeing that county taxpayers have the final say in whether tax forbearance or other incentives are granted to promote this project.
There are three blocks of sentiment opposed. The earliest objectors are the residents in the immediate area who feel they will be negatively impacted. The second and overlapping group are those people who felt betrayed by the corrupting of the state legislative and administrative processes that disregarded land use codes and water law and waived established criteria of benefit to qualify for economic development incentives. The third - the largest and most recent objectors - are those of us who feel that the magnitude of the tax forbearance sought is outrageous as inducement for a project that has almost no positives for the people of Klamath County.
My involvement is triggered by this third cause.
I think it is extremely presumptuous of the county commissioners to take upon themselves a decision that amounts to every Klamath County citizen - man, woman and child - giving up $1,000 in badly needed tax revenue so outside developers can come here to our rural Oregon and burn Canadian natural gas to make electricity for California consumers. It offends me that we other taxpayers will be required to make up the difference in infrastructure and impact costs so Chicago people can get rich.
I feel that now, with recent disclosure of the true dollar amount of the tax write-off being considered, there is strong, broad opposition to the unfairness of losing $56 million in tax income for schools and county services. This inequity should make collecting sufficient signatures a snap. I fully expect my phone to keep ringing off the wall with requests from people anxious to circulate this petition.
Ask yourself why these investors deserve a free ride? If you don't have a good answer - Sign the petition when it's available and force it to a vote.
Clif McMillan
1444 Pacific Terrace
Editor's note: This letter was written before the initiative was ruled invalid by Klamath County Clerk Linda Smith because it addressed more than one item. McMillan has appealed the matter to Klamath County Circuit Court.
No respect for others
Recently at the fairgrounds, my sister's car was vandalized.
A John Kerry bumper sticker was ripped off. But that was only the start. The car was then "keyed" - both sides, the hood and the trunk.
I don't know if this was meant as a political statement, or just an excuse for plain hooliganism. But these actions made it appear as such.
Any time people use politics in such a way shows the rest of us that they have absolutely no character or self-respect, and no respect for others.
If someone damaged their property, they would be the most indignant people you've met. Yet they seem to think their actions were perfectly justified.
Vandalism is never right. In this case, I think it will only serve to unite people against a party that has led in dividing a nation and world against our people who do rash and foolish acts.
I have voted for both parties in the past. I vote for the individual who I believe will lead us best at the local, state and federal levels.
I do not vote a party line. But I will not vote for anyone who inspires people to hate. Dividing people is not an answer. Neither is dirty, mudslinging politics.
Somehow, I hope that the person or persons involved in this particular act of vandalism are caught. Or mayhaps someone will do something to show them how it feels to be violated.
Robert G. Motschenbacher
826 Upham St.
Brings people together
I have had the pleasure to meet and talk with Ross Carroll, a candidate for State Senate District 28.
He is a person who listens and considers people's ideas. He is a retired educator and continues to consider education a high priority for Oregon. He believes our kids deserve the best education we can provide so that they can compete in a changing world. Carroll feels that with strong support for our agricultural community, we can balance the needs of agriculture with a healthy environment.
He believes that we need fiscally responsible government that provides stable funding for services. He also supports small business and believes in their ability to provide the kind of jobs we want and need.
Carroll was a professor of communications for 19 years at Oregon Institute of Technology. He also served in the United States Army and in Vietnam in 1968-1969.
Carroll took the reins of the Democratic Central Committee and has led the committee to become a political force in Klamath County. He shows the ability to bring people together. I think he will be able to build the consensus we need to realize a bright and promising future.
I would encourage you to vote for Carroll in November. Above all, vote.
Dennie Dunkeson
3827 Sturdivant Ave.
Give warning on trains
When I moved here more than a year ago, there was some discussion in the Herald and News about the railroad crossing on Laverne Avenue by Wal-Mart.
I do know that I seem to get stopped a lot when I take the shortcut and don't know the railroad crossing bars are down.
That's not that big a problem to me, but I was thinking that it sure would be nice to know if the crossbars are down before making the turn. So, I came up with an idea that may or may not work. What if they ( whoever "they" are) would install yellow blinking lights that would come on up on the bypass whenever the crossbars came down.
I know that some people would still get stopped by the train, but, as they say, you can't please all the people all the time.
You wouldn't have to close the road, and you would not have to put a lot of tax dollars into building a bridge over the railroad.
William A. Rhodes
4745 Coopers Hawk Road
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of HeraldAndNews.com. Comment Disclaimer: The editors of heraldandnews.com reserve the right to refuse publication of any comment posted for consideration. We may refuse for any reason, including use of profanity, disparaging comments, libelous comments, etc. Any reader who notices a comment they believe is particularly offensive, should notify us at webmaster@heraldandnews.com.
RSS
grdnmumcenturytel.net wrote on Nov 8, 2008 11:19 AM: