Illinois Valley News Vol. 72 No. 44 Dated: January 13, 2010

Letters to the Editor

From our weekly issue dated January 13, 2010

(Editor“s Note: Views and commentary, including statements made as fact, are strictly those of the letter-writers.)

Typed, double-spaced letters are considered for publication. Hand-written letters that are double-spaced and legible also can be considered. “Thank you“ submissions are not accepted as letters.

A wish to a low-life
From Mae Sheets
Cave Junction

To the low-life that ripped me off Christmas Eve or Christmas night: I hope that whatever they did with my jewelry (that my deceased husband gave to me for special occasions) that they get as much enjoyment out of it as I did.

Thanks for leaving my necklace and bracelet that my grandchildren gave me. Someone might have received a nice Christmas present wrapped in my wrapping paper that also was taken.

The thief left behind the purse that they dropped going out the back door. I am home now, so if they stop by, I“ll give it to them. Oh, by the way, I was at a hospital with my very sick daughter.

So everything the thief trades for drugs or gives away to a friend, I hope that their conscience gets the best of him. He might have taken my jewelry, but he“ll never take away the memories.

Thank God he has to live with what he did. May the good Lord be good to him, as he will really need it.

Sad tale: “Frank“ and “Ike“
From Betsy Joiner
Cave Junction

First, this is the story about our German Shorthair, “Frank.“ He was 4 years old and his dad, “Ike,“ who was 12, were the lights of our lives. They were wonderful, they not only brought unconditional love but happiness in our hearts and lives.

“Frank“ and “Ike“ were together 24/7. They did nothing without each other. “Frank“ kept “Ike“ young. We keep our dogs in a fenced yard, but “Frank“ decided to explore and got out.

I want to ask the person who hit and killed my “Frank“ on Rockydale Road on Friday, Dec. 18: Did he stop and check to see if my pet was dead“ If he did stop, why didn“t he call us“ “Frank“ was white and weighed 65 pounds, so the driver had to know when he hit him. He had on a collar with his name and phone number. But the driver didn“t stop.

A kind woman that night found him dead and called me at 9 p.m. I have to say my heart broke. I can only hope that he didn“t lie there suffering, dying alone.

The reason I“m telling this story “ I want the hit-and-run driver to know that when we buried “Frank,“ “Ike“ gave up. Three days later, with sad eyes, he died. Once again he is with “Frank.“

I guess it“s hard for some people to understand that dogs grieve just like humans. “Frank“ was “Ike“s“ reason for living. We would have understood if it was an accident, but because someone left him there, they should be ashamed. I hope the person had a Merry Christmas, because we didn“t.

What will it take for people to slow down on Rockydale — the hit-and-run of a human life and being left there alone to suffer and die“

Social justice
From William Patrick
Grants Pass

I was born in this great nation and am proud of my heritage. My great-grandmother, Elizabeth, taught her grandchildren the generations from the Mayflower to date, Puritan in belief, never to forget “in God we trust.“

Decades ago, my paternal grandfather and two maternal grandfathers, father and son, fought the British with Gen. George Washington.

It“s hard to comprehend one who, I presume, was born of this country and has reaped the benefit of those who sacrificed that she might enjoy the freedoms in which she lives today. I write of Judy Hoyle and the stand she takes for Social Justice Alliance (Illinois Valley News, Letters to the Editor, Dec. 30, 2009).

Social justice is a major premise of sustainable development. Another word for social justice is socialism. Karl Marx was the first to coin the term, “Social justice.“

Keep in mind that America is the only country in the world based on private property. But, private property is incompatible with the collectivist premise of sustainable development.

According to the “sustainablist“ doctrine, it is a social injustice for some to have property if others do not. It is a social injustice to keep our borders closed. It is a social injustice for some to be bosses and others to be merely workers.

Are you starting to see the pattern“ Cap and trade, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, Going Green, etc. They are all part of the enforcement of sustainable development.

It“s time to take action. Attend city council and county commissioner meetings. Speak out. Ask questions.

Remember, Social justice comes from the Communist Manifesto. Read it. Anti-property rights, the take-over of health care, education, banking, energy as well as the distraction of family. Reason enough to vote out persons like Peter DeFazio, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, and Dave Toler. Perhaps Dwight Ellis, too, who welcomed the support of the Social Justice Alliance during his last election.

What a day to celebrate when persons like Chuck Baldwin, Jaynee Germond, Dr. Ron Paul and Jack Brown are elected to office along with others who will honor God, family and country.

Oregon sales tax
From Sue King
Eagle Point

The state of Oregon now has a sales tax. If Measure 67 passes in the special election on Tuesday, Jan. 26, it will be a sales tax on everyone in the state regardless of income.

What they tell you in the Voter Pamphlet and the ads for 67 is only the raise in corporate taxes from $10 to $150. What they do not tell you is the additional tax that the corporations will pay retroactively on their gross revenue. An example: A small market will pay $40 to $50,000 due in April this year before any profit. If that is your business, will you lay off employees and/or raise prices to pay that debt“

I call that a sales tax on all of us. I will vote “No“ on 66 and 67.

Oregon tax burden
From Mark Rehmar
O“Brien

I find it somewhat curious, to say the least, that many of those generally considered “Conservative“ are in opposition to the tax measures (66 and 67) to be voted on later this month.

Typically, Conservative groups espouse a “flat rate“ tax. That is, you pay the same percentage of your income, no matter what income level you are at. However, Oregon“s total tax burden is in fact regressive. That is, lower-income folks pay a higher percentage than higher income families.

This is largely due to the much higher percentage that lower income individuals pay in property taxes and (indirectly) in excise taxes. Higher-income individuals do pay a greater percentage in income taxes, but this is significantly moderated by the federal deduction offset.

Indeed, without passage of measures 66 and 67, the 2009 total tax burden on the lowest 20 percent of Oregonians will be 8.7 percent; the tax burden on the top 1 percent will be 6.1 percent.

With the passage of 66 and 67, the 2009 tax burden for the lowest 20 percent will be 8.6 percent; that for the top 1 percent will be 7.0 percent.

Yes, that“s right. Even with the passage of these two measures, the wealthiest Oregonians will still not beat a “flat tax“ burden, but it will get us a bit closer.

An analysis of Oregon tax burden can be found at ocpp.org/2009/iss20091012TaxMeasuresWhoPays_fnl.pdf

Fully informed jurors
From Mark Roberts
Selma

The ultimate power in the courts is with juries. They have the right and, more importantly, the duty, to judge the facts and most especially the law in question. If a juror believes that the law being used to convict a person is unjust it is the duty of that juror to vote, “Not Guilty.“

This is a well-established right of a jury. John Jay, our first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in 1789 said, “The jury has the right to judge both the law as well as the fact in controversy.“

Oliver Wendell Homes, U.S. Supreme Court Justice in 1902, stated, “The jury has the power to bring a verdict in the teeth of both law and fact.“ Harlan F. Stone, 12th Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1941 declared, “The law itself is on trial quite as much as the cause which is to be decided.“

Many judges will tell the jury that they are only to decide upon the facts presented and that the judge is to determine or explain the law. As we see now, this is not accurate. The juror should not let any judge intimidate them out of their duty and right to also judge the law.

Those who know of someone who is about to serve on a jury should make sure they are aware of their right to decide on the law.

Tax measures “needed“
From Barry Snitkin
Cave Junction

I“ve listened to enough misinformation during the past year to make me sick. Now I find out that the sky is falling — job-killing taxes. Oh my.

Yes, we Oregonians are being asked to decide on a pair of tax measures that help to balance the budget at the same time that they create a fairer tax system. There is a lot at stake with measures 66 and 67 in Josephine County.

And we“re asking those who are better off than most of us to pay their fair share. Let“s look at the distortions and scare tactics.

Will raising the minimum corporate tax for the first time in 80 years from $10 to $150 kill jobs“ No. Will it hurt lower and middle income folks“ No. Unless your household makes $250,000 or more or $125,000 for an individual (about 1 percent of households in the county). And if you make less than $125,000 you won“t pay a penny more (that“s 85 percent of us).

Then there“s the 13 percent of us on unemployment; these measures exempt the first $2,400 of unemployment benefits from tax, reducing taxes for families who have lost a job.

And of course I keep hearing how businesses will leave or won“t locate here because of the high taxes. Wrong. Prior to the tax fairness measures, Oregon had the third-lowest corporate income taxes in the nation.

Under the new plan, according to the Legislative Revenue Office, Oregon will have the fifth-lowest corporate taxes “ still close to the lowest in the nation, and lower than any other West Coast state. Washington“s Business & Occupation tax, at 0.47 percent, is almost five times higher than Oregon“s new corporate minimum tax.

Those against these measures have said it is class warfare. Wrong again. Class warfare was the tax breaks for those who didn“t need them under Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush. I didn“t get one, and I bet most others didn“t either. They say Oregonians don“t need these tax increases. Really“

Just ask the local teachers. Three Rivers School District stands to lose $2.78 million. We could lose up to 34 teachers. And then ask the parents. Won“t they be happy when we have to cut 17 days of school“ Then there“s Rogue Community College which stands to lose $2.62 million. More jobs gone out of the community.

It is fair to increase taxes for corporations and high income citizens. It is right to balance the budget without taxing low income folks.

I will vote “Yes“ for measures 66 and 67.

Copeland crew cited
From Jerry Work
Kerby

I want to give kudos to the Copeland crew working to bring much-needed clean drinking water and fire hydrants to Kerby.

They have been fast, efficient, courteous and hard working. No slackers in this crew. They have had to contend with all the traffic on Redwood Hwy. while they lay pipes down both sides, including coming right in front of our building.

They thoughtfully dug with care so as not to disturb our street-side plantings or driveway, brought in the pipe and fill aggregate, tamped everything in place and had us back in business within the day. That same day they had to bring the water pipes across Sixth Street parallel to the highway and they even had that back open before they left for the day.

Today they came back and paved over the cut in Sixth Street, leveled everything out and brushed the street and the highway clean without so much as throwing a rock onto our front porch or entry way. I hope that all future public works projects can be done so professionally.

The guys and gals did a great job.