LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

2/15/2006

6 Comments

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PROMISE KEEPERS

I'm often amused and entertained by WW's occasionally comic, youthful and funky style of reporting, but I was not at all amused by your latest cover story on broken promises made by local officials and others ["But You Promised!," Feb. 1, 2006]. Either treat the entire subject with light humor or take it seriously, but mixing some serious issues, such as school funding, with mostly dimwitted fluff, ends up reducing the entire article to mere meaningless mockery.

The blurb on temporary tax increases to fund schools, titled "Temporary Insanity," more aptly describes the author who wrote this piece than the people he portrays as the perpetrators of broken promises. The piece blames primarily Multnomah County and city officials for pushing a "temporary" 1.25 percent local income tax hike to "keep classrooms functioning smoothly while giving the Legislature time to come up with a long-term fix" and then effectively breaking their promise by asking for a new four-year city-only tax plan.

Let's be clear who broke the bigger promise: the current federal administration which, despite its rhetoric, has dramatically shortchanged schools across the nation, our own Oregon Legislature under the leadership of Karen Minnis, which has led our once-flourishing Oregon public-school system to be the laughingstock of the nation (one of the only promises Minnis keeps is her promise not to raise taxes, a promise which has devastated our state and has only shoved the burden to our local leaders), and most importantly we, the shortsighted taxpaying citizens of Oregon, who have time and again voted statewide not to progressively raise taxes to pay for the vital services we depend on. Then we go blaming local heroes, such as Mayor Tom Potter, who dare to exhibit real leadership and try to take us in the right direction, dare to actually for once KEEP a promise—the promise of our children's future and the future of our economy.

"So how pissed should voters be?" asks the WW author of the possibility of another local tax hike for schools. The answer is "extremely pissed," but not at the local tax fix which is necessary to keep our struggling schools afloat. Rather, we voters should be "pissed" at Minnis and her legislative cohorts and hold them accountable for their broken promises and for once make the decision to fully invest in our own future.

Adriana Voss-Andreae
Northeast 10th Avenue

02.14.2006 at 10:00 Reply

Story Forum Archive

LETTERS TO THE EDITORFirst - Oregon public schools have NEVER been good. When I moved here 10 years ago from the Midwest there were headlines proudly proclaiming that the drop-out rates had decreased down to something like 12%. Coming from a place where the drop-out rate is less than a single percent - I thought they were kidding. Nope. And proud of it. Second - If YOU have kids, YOU should pay for their education. I'm not fan of Minnis by any means - but what she did here was the right thing to do. My taxes shouldn't be raised while you continue to get breaks simply because you breed. If they took that tax deduction you get for each spawn and applied that to your schools that should take care of your little problem. —JNB

LETTERS TO THE EDITORActually I thought it was a great article. Ms. Voss-Andrae, did you give yourself a black eye by writting such a knee jerk letter?—actually

02.15.2006 at 10:00 Reply

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - Response to "JNB" posted 2-15Why did you leave the midwest? Maybe you should consider returning. —Chris Johnson

LETTERS TO THE EDITORI fail to see how moving here 10 years ago and not spending any time in any Oregon schools, yet recallling a headline, makes one an expert on the quality or lack-thereof of our state education system.I also fail to see how obviously acidic prejudice against "breeders" allows one to determine who should and should not pay for education. In this country, citizens are provided access to a free public K-12 education. That means everyone pays, not just those who breed. Educating our children benefits everyone.Ms. Voss-Andrae, THANK YOU for your courage in pointing the finger where it should be pointed. For more than a decade, the Oregon legislature has failed to address the school funding issue. For longer than I can recall, local governments have been forced to come up with interim solutions--solutions not supported by the likes of "actually" and "JNB." The result is that nobody in Salem or elsewhere wants to take on the responsibility. And those who point out why--the real why--or try to propose solutions are shouted down and criticized by those who think more of their own bottom lines than of the good of our communities.Oregon has not faced an overall tax increase in a very long time. Last time I checked, everything is much more expensive than it used to be. I've had raises to cover cost of living. What makes anyone think that the same isn't true for state and municipal entities? My heating bills have soared, haven't yours? It costs more to heat schools, too. While this isn't the only area of increased expenses, I point to it as one simple example.Paying taxes is a responsibility. Be a good citizen and stop whining!—TL

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR"...local governments have been forced to come up with interim solutions--solutions not supported by the likes of "actually" and "JNB." " TL do not for a second think that you know what I suport or do not support. My initial post just commented on that I thought the orginal was a great article and that I thought MS. Voss-Andrae's letter was knee jerk, just as your response to my post is."Be a good citizen and stop whinning" yes please stop thinking for yourself and do as your told. TL do YOU only listen to FOX news? —Actaully again, response to Tl

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

2/15/2006