On the news tonight, there was a quick photo of a mant that is trying to organize a rally, and is passing out flyers... I would like to know how to contact him... Anybody know how to contact him let us know... Please...  Buy the way, I am the woman in the interview clips kmtr showed tonight...

I am concerned about the way our local government is making decisions for our county and for our state.  We've had gas taxes, cigarette taxes, income tax now too; my husband owns a TV repair shop -- 3rd generation-- and if it weren't for all the little taxes we pay all the time we might be able to afford to send our kids to soccer, or football; or hire another person so that he's not working 80 hour weeks.  This income tax is merely an omen of things yet to come.  There are people in our government now banning two-stroke motorcycles, forbidding children under a certain age to ride their motorcycles or four wheelers (we're 5th generation riders; our children are taught safety from the time they're born.  We won't let them ride without helmets and appropriate gear)  We pay a bus tax.  Tell me, how many people are going to bring their big screen on the bus for us to repair?  And how many deliveries are we going to make using the bus service?  LTD even took away our one close bus stop one block away from our home and now if the kids are even to take the bus they have to walk a mile.  We don't use it, but our older children did.  But we pay the tax for it.  We take home 46% of what we make.  The rest goes to the government.  How does this make sense?  The average small business owner in America remains small no matter how hard they work due to ridiculous taxes.  How many times did we vote the new library down?  And still they built it anyway.  My brother-in-law worked on the project.  It was so elaborate that the things they imported from overseas required engineers to make the pieces fit because THEY DIDN'T!  And our tax dollars paid for what we voted down, down, down time and time again.  And then they didn't even have enough books to fill the shelves.  Income tax?  What next?  If the state takes anymore from us is it going to effect us?  It's going to have a great impact on the Oregonians who make the lesser amounts.  I don't want our business to shut down because our congress doesn't care about the impact on the people.  The people speak, but they continue to enforce their opinion regardless.  Tell me, who checks the ballots in the first place?  And who do they hire to word these ballots so they can get away with taxes because the wording is such that the true agenda is hidden from view of the average Oregonian.  I hope we succeed with a petition.  This legislation is going too far. We don't want California's laws.  If we did we'd move down there.  If they want to invoke their laws, they should move back home or just stay there or find another state to invade.  A lot of our livelihood is going out the window with all the taxes and bills; rules and restrictions being placed on our own stomping grounds.  Even our housing market is out of control because a large majority of those buying houses are coming from California and paying more than the property is even worth.  Then neighbors think hey, I can get that much from my house!  How much longer will this go on?  It's time we took a stand and took back our Oregon.  Our time held traditions and pasttimes.  We need to stop compromising and start embracing the very heart of our great Northwest society.

 

When I first heard the news that 3 people "decided" for the rest of the people of Lane County to tax us, I became quite angry. 

To do this deed is an abomination to our Republic!  It is TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!!! Pure and simple!  How I would love to throw their tea overboard! 

Some months back, we voters turned down a tax.  If these people thought they needed to have this money then they should have called for another vote of the people.  Not arbitrarily charge a tax on the people of Lane County without consent! 

Shall "We The People" take these three people to task and perhaps take them to court?  This is not an anarchy!  It is a Republic. 

These people do not have the authority to do this unlawful deed!  These knotheads have not even thought of the impact it will be to the companies and businesses the people work for or the State.  They need to find another way to fund what is needed or help Ron Wyden do his job.  I suggest they start looking outside the box and stop trying to tax an already overtaxed population. 

Angrily, Barbara...   

 

Cassandra:

On the news tonight, there was a quick photo of a mant that is trying to organize a rally, and is passing out flyers... I would like to know how to contact him... Anybody know how to contact him let us know... Please...  Buy the way, I am the woman in the interview clips kmtr showed tonight...

His name is Ben Pooler.

Barbara:

When I first heard the news that 3 people "decided" for the rest of the people of Lane County to tax us, I became quite angry. 

To do this deed is an abomination to our Republic!  It is TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!!! Pure and simple!  How I would love to throw their tea overboard! 

Some months back, we voters turned down a tax.  If these people thought they needed to have this money then they should have called for another vote of the people.  Not arbitrarily charge a tax on the people of Lane County without consent! 

Shall "We The People" take these three people to task and perhaps take them to court?  This is not an anarchy!  It is a Republic. 

These people do not have the authority to do this unlawful deed!  These knotheads have not even thought of the impact it will be to the companies and businesses the people work for or the State.  They need to find another way to fund what is needed or help Ron Wyden do his job.  I suggest they start looking outside the box and stop trying to tax an already overtaxed population. 

Angrily, Barbara...   

 

Actually, they DO have the authority - and the citizens gave it to them.

This is the typical, uninformed, reaction from a citizen who, like most, has no idea how representative government works.

First, we elect people to make decisions on our behalf. If you don't like their decisions, you get rid of them. However, evaluating the quality of the decision-making requires the evaluator to be informed, and Lane County citizens want none of THAT!

The authority of the commissioners is codified in Oregon law and the County Charter. To say that their act is "unlawful" is simply ignorant.

Here are some facts:
1) This tax doesn't "enhance" anything. If it survives, it will  retain county public services at the current, pathetic, last-in-USA, level. Literally.  Lane County has the lowest per-capita  police officer  density in the USA...lower than North Dakota,  Mississippi, Vermont, Maine...dead last, but or crime rate is nearing the top/worst.

2) IF the county spent EVERY general fund dollar on public safety, and that's the only money they control,  they couldn't even return to the 2001 staffing levels - and those levels left Lane County last in Oregon. (And that would require complete elimination of such county functions as Assessment and Taxation, Elections, Building Permits, Payroll, Human Resources, and many others. Even the least informed will recognize he need for some of those.

3) Our crime rate is soaring. Our car theft is in the 98th percentile in the USA; our residential burglary rate is in the 95th percentile; our per-capita rape rate is higher than the rate in LA, Philladelphia or New York City. Our jail is less than a third of the size it should be to meet US standards so, though our sentences average less than 17% of the US average - and fewer than 30% of the inmates will serve even half of their sentence before being released from jail, we're unable to hold many of our violent criminals before trial. That's WITH the federal funding! Without it we will not have the ability to hold ANY of the burglars and many of the people committing serious assaults and sexual offenses.

4) The Oregon child abuse rate was 40% below the national average in 1996. By 2001 it was above the national average. The Child Advocacy Center interviewed 150 kid sex abuse victims when it opened a few years ago. This year, with similar staffing, they're expected to interview ove 700 victimized kids.

5) In 1982 we had 76 State Police officers posted in Lane County; today there are 26 - so there is nobody left to help the two Lane County Sheriffs and one patrol sergeant assigned to patrol 4600 square miles on an average shift.

6) Don't like the cops working traffic when we don't have the officers to investigate murder? Neither does the Sheriff but, since his funding was gutted in 1982, he's had no other way to pay for cops. If they're not out earning money writing tickets, there is NO money to pay for them so, when there is a murder, there is nobody there to respond.

7) Yes, we have murders here - plenty, and more all the time. When the last double-murder happened near Oakridge, the closest deputies were in Triangle Lake. It's not like "CSI" here... our Sherrif had weighmasters (truck inspectors) working scene security at the recent murder in Goshen - because that's all that was available!

8) Our deputies are paid less that their peers around the state, as are most Lane County employees. Our Deputy District Attorneys are paid 10% less than the deputies in other metro counties, and they have caseloads 65% higher than the state average - and FAR above national standards. The compensation and conditions are so lousy the DA can't keep staff: there are only 22 DA slots left in the criminal division of the DAs office...and he's hired TWENTY since 2000 - so the county is training DAs for other counties, and that's expensive. (Their pay, including the benefit cost, is well below HALF the average private-sector compensation.)

9) The Lane County DA had 29 DAs and 11 investigators in the criminal division in 1981. Since then the population has increased 60,000 people, and the crime rate has increased 240%, but the staffing has been gutted: There is only ONE investigator now - and 30% of the DAs have been liad-off.

10) Lane County collects taxes for ALL government, but gets only 9 cents per property tax dollar. The county's marginal tax rate is $1.28 per $1,000 of assessed value; The City of Eugene gets $7.30 per thousand - and that's where all the valuable property is! (The county rate is LOW, lowest in Oregon, because the commissioners were frugal and didn't raise the rates when they had the authority to do so. Then, when the timber revenue was suddenly cut off, they lost the authority to adjust the rate, because of ballot measures 5, 47, and 50. Eugene kept raising the rate at every turn.) Lane County has laid-off employees in 12 0f the last 15 years...

That's just a top-ten list, and I haven't even gotten into the dozens of critical social services that will not be funded - and MANY of them actually save the community money in the long run.

Did I mention that the California gangs are here now? It's a target rich environment for them, with no cops, no penalties, no POs, and no jail. We deserve what we get - and we will not be able to blame the officials who have been telling us about the problems for ten years.

It's SOOO much easier having an opinion when you know nothing of the facts.

We get the government and the service we deserve.

We are informed, and we vote every chance we get.  However, the wording of this latest "tax increase" was stated just as that.  That there would be no tax increase for a tax that didn't exist.  We were literally duped by the system.

Remember back when the Oregon lottery was initiated?  All the revenue was to go to the public school system.  And where does it go?  It's padding the pockets of a lot of our city officials, pet projects, environmental issues (where there isn't any), and very little if any goes to the schools.  The way our system is run is purely out of greed and the desires of a few unscrupulous individuals.

If our money was put where it's supposed to be in the first place, if pet projects were put on hold, if our fearless leaders were forthright instead of dubious we wouldn't be in any mess.  They've known for over 5 years that the logging revenue was going away.  The problem isn't the voters, the problem is the elected officials who don't listen to the voters nor do they do the job they were voted in to do.

Signed,

Every right to be mad as heck.

I could care less how the money is going to be used. Is government the only entity that does not have to make adjustments (i.e. downsize) ? The reality is they run the show and refuse to live within their means, not to mention most of their budget is going to feed retirement and benefits programs that the working people are paying for and can not even afford themselves.

I refuse to pay this tax - And I also think we should impose term limits for the majority of county workers of ten years, so everybody has an equal chance of dining at the govt. pig trough.

I jog most everyday down the bike path from VRC to Ferry Street Bridge and am hard pressed to feel any sympathy for guys that ride around on motorized leaf blowers, toy sized john deere backhoes and gas guzzling service trucks - Most of which are new. Give them a rake and a shovel and make them do some real work.

I have had it, as times get tougher, real inflation and the US trade deficit continue to increase making vital commodites like oil more expenisve this will be the norm from government - and unless it is stopped now it will never be.

We see the same thing in Unversity Education, these guys have a monopoly on the system and continue to saddle our young people with huge amounts of debt so University workers can line their golden parachutes - Lot’s of talk about government subisdies for education but zero talk of cutting back on payrolls...Tenured professors do nothing out public service, can never be fired and bask in their six figure salaries and lifetime benefits which none of us have. 

This “ruling class” mentality must be stopped - These people are public servants, not the other way around. I demand reform and now.

It's SOOO much easier having an opinion when you know nothing of the facts.

We get the government and the service we deserve.

What difference does knowing the "facts" make on anything ? If you cannot afford it you cannot afford it. It is time to change the way of thinking in this county. Maybe county workers need to forego entitlements like 70% retirement and lifetime health care like the rest of us do.

What do you say about that Spanky ? When was the last time you heard of a county worker having to go on state funded insurance to pay for their medicine like Walmart workers do? As inflation continues to increase this will be the norm. What happens in five years when health care is to expensive for 60% of the population and the county workers need to increase taxes to pay for their lifetime benefits, what good does knowing the "facts" do anybody then ? The relaity is we cannot affort policemen that make 80k, county clerks making 60k and park and road workers making 40-50k.

What do you think of my facts ?

Spanky you seem to be good at research - How about you compile some facts as how much more county and govt. workers make over the average lane county worker ???

I would love to see that... 

 

 

Maybe the county officials that invoked this income tax would be willing to take a salary cut themselves?  maybe pay our health insurance as well as their own for a while instead of the other way around?  I don't think scare tactics work with the informed citizens of Lane County who have every right to be upset.  The elected officials are showing a pattern of duping the public by wording elections in their favor; bending the system to their way of thinking instead of helping the masses.  I agree that the problem does not lie within the people of our community who elect officials whom we trust to have our best interest in mind but in the officials who use trickery to get into office and enjoy eating at the "govt. pig trough".  Enough is enough!  Got a simple leaf blower for my husband for Christmas last year.  Our lawnmower is over 10 years old but it works.  Yes, we own our own home.  No, we can't afford to keep flipping the bill for the extravagant lifestyles of our government employees.  No means no even on tax bills!

The reality is we as a society cannot continue living to the standards we are accustomed to. Our society and way of life  is unsustainable and the only solution in governments mind is to tax more to keep the current level of services and salaries. I do not see how an dwhy this is so difficult to understand.

Look at the airlines and automakers. The rest of the society is soon to follow, America is addicted to consumption and has to learn how to cut back. Everything can be downsized these days except salaries of beaureucrats. 

This is not necessarily in rebuttal to the last email, but a growing frustration over Oregon politics.  Wyden is angry because the Federal government won't hand over money to pay for loggers to not do their jobs.  Why should we pay for people not to do their jobs?  Oregon leaders need to learn how to budget like the rest of us have to. I guess since its' not their money they think its' ok to keep demanding more for worthless and costlly projects.  Get back to the basics.  Oregon was not meant to be a state park.  Let the loggers get back to work.  They generally make the best conservationists anyway.  Lets' pay our way into the future, not suck the economy dry.  Get rid of polititions who can't balance a budget and overspend.  We need people with comman sense.  Then when there is a genuine need voters won't be so hard to convince.

phoebe:

This is not necessarily in rebuttal to the last email, but a growing frustration over Oregon politics.  Wyden is angry because the Federal government won't hand over money to pay for loggers to not do their jobs.  Why should we pay for people not to do their jobs?  Oregon leaders need to learn how to budget like the rest of us have to. I guess since its' not their money they think its' ok to keep demanding more for worthless and costlly projects.  Get back to the basics.  Oregon was not meant to be a state park.  Let the loggers get back to work.  They generally make the best conservationists anyway.  Lets' pay our way into the future, not suck the economy dry.  Get rid of polititions who can't balance a budget and overspend.  We need people with comman sense.  Then when there is a genuine need voters won't be so hard to convince.

Phoebe,  

BRAVO!!!!  You have hit the nail right on the head.  People, over the years have thrown out the idea of sustainable growth in our forests, for the PC idea of save ALL forest land at ALL COST. The cost, the lives of residents of this County and others. They also threw the baby out with the bath water in the form of lost revenue for local govenment, schools and everything else that timber revenue supported... The timber jobs that have been lost in this county were LIVING wage jobs, not only for men and women with families but also for our young people... There was a time, when a young man got out of high school he was almost certain to be able to find a job that payed a living wage in the timber industry... Sadly the PC crowd over the years have destroyed that. Now our young people are luck if they can find work slinging hamburgers for the golden arches at minimum wage... You are right Phoebe, this County and the State need those industries back. I am afraid however, it will never happen because most of those companies have totally divested themselves of their properties in this State, and County.

The structure of the licencing, EPA studies, lawsuits, and all the political hurdles that bussinesses have to go through to locate here is so bad, they go elsewhere, just like Hulett Packard did years ago... Yes Eugene could have had that huge company HERE... Instead, the PC crowd chased them off. So, Corvallis was happy to have them... To hear them tell it, giving millions of dollars in concessions to Hynix was a great feat on their part. Oh yea, they got a foreign company that practices coersion every time taxes, that Hynix should have payed from day one, is suggested. Hynix threatens to sell out and leave, so, more concessions. You listen to these fools crow about some little business that  opens, that has 3 or 4 jobs to offer at minimum wage,,, you would think thay had won some huge conquest... When in fact, they are turning the Eugene area, and Lane County into the VERY RICH, and the VERY POOR. The middle class is disappearing... Our commissioners and council people, are so blinded by their egos, they can't see what they and people like them have done to our beautiful home, Lane County and the State of Oregon...   

Thank You Phoebe for the inspiration...

tiddles1967 ask if the county officials would be willing to take a pay cut, obviously they are not as they proved a couple of years ago when we voted they should not take a pay rise and they took it anyway. I would not mind so much paying my taxes if I felt I was getting my monies worth but with all the waste going on out there I feel I am already paying more than I am getting in return.
Fedup

Many years back lumber was KING in Lane County, it also lost its crown many years ago. Our wonderful powers to be still spend money as if all the wood industry mills were still working at 100% as the did in the 70's.

They wonder why voters won't approve more taxes when all they need to do is look at the frills they want to spend it on, while so many people are either losing their jobs due to closure, out sourcing  or down sizing.

How much money did Lane County spend on the Wayne Morse Plaza at the County Court house-this is money over what private parties collected for the Statue.....now ask certin county
managment people why they are so determined to lower all that area down to street level.

Also one day after announcing this new tax they are debating on how fancy the NEW BRIDGE in the planning to go from Eugene to Springfield, should be. 

I'm not say a new bridge is or is not needed, I am saying maybe they should be more concerened about cost compare to looks.

It is well known that County (and probably City & State), will buy brand new Oak desks for a few special people while they downsize the amount of support staff who's primary job has a direct effect on the public, such as Deputy Sheriffs, Deputy DA's, the clericial staf that is necessary for any office to run smoothly.

A few years back at the County CourtHouse I did see a really high end fabric covered desk chair that had put in ther garbage bin bescause there was a little (no more than 1 1/2 inch) tear on the back side of the chair.

Who's knows as soon as I figure out how to really use this feature I may become more outspoken .
 

tiddles1967:

If our money was put where it's supposed to be in the first place, if pet projects were put on hold, if our fearless leaders were forthright instead of dubious we wouldn't be in any mess.  They've known for over 5 years that the logging revenue was going away.  The problem isn't the voters, the problem is the elected officials who don't listen to the voters nor do they do the job they were voted in to do.

Signed,

Every right to be mad as heck.

Look, we have different governments. Getting angry at the the county because you don't like what the state has done may be satisfying for you, and people do it regularly, but it isn't rational, and it isn't constructive.

If you understand the structure of government - under the Oregon Constitution which predates all of us - you'd understand that there are many services the state can't provide, so starving the county of resources just guarantees that the resources will not be there. It doesn't teach anybody anything, but it does send all of our protection, all of our talent, and all of the money we've spent to secure both, down the road.

You all want to get rid of the county? Dump all law enforcement - whater... Fine - do it - but you need to learn the constitutional modifications that are necessary to that end. It does not goot to stamp up and down mumbling mindless statements like, "No Taxation without representation!" The people doing that have no idea of the meaning of the mantra they're chanting. We have representation...they just don't like it.

You don't want cops, DA's, services for the elderly - fine. Just have the courage to say that! Don't hide behind the easy, but factually inaccurate, mantra, "They have plenty of money, they just don't use it properly." As Commissioner Fleenor has discovered since he said similarly silly things during the campaign season, and as independent private-sector auditors have been confirming for years, the county simply doesn't have the revenue to support public safety services at a minimal level - or anywhere close to it. The county budget crashed in 1982, huge layoffs followed, and the system never recovered. It's been below minimum staffing levels and declining for many years, with layoffs in twelve of the last fifteen years. With the loss of the federal funding the county will lose the last of the jail beds available for county use (the rest are being rented to the cities and the federal government - because those entities can afford to provide the services. In fact, every metropolitan government in Oregon can...except Lane County...because it is being punished for being frugal in the early 1970s and 1980s.

Meanwhile, Lane County citizens, with the most understaffed law enforcement system in the USA, is hungry to fire more cops, DAs, and POs. Crime is increasing...but we're too stupid to care. God Bless Democracy - especially when those voting lack the discipline and gumption to learn about the system, the candidates and the circumstances. No wonder we get what we get.