wallet and buy off any and all obstacles in her way. This will blow over and she will get away with murder similar to what happens in our Justice system every day.
In this world if you have more money than ethics you can buy your way out of anything. What eludes the Shoeshine Boy is what part of her DNA would make her want to seek power and dominance when she could be sitting on the beach. Or better yet own the beach at Waikiki....The Shoeshine Boy

From  J. Wondering   5/21/07
I was just wondering if Teeven Brothers was getting charged the rock tax like some other surface miners in this County? Seems like when you fallow the trail of campaign contributions to some of the County Commissioners in our County there is a direct correlation between enforcement and collections.

Dear J. Wondering,

That's more of a statement than a question. Since you are pointing at some verifiable information. I will let our readers go find out for themselves at the County Clerks elections desk where that information is obtainable.

Campaign contributions are generally of two types.
One is a donation by someone who really believes the particular candidate will help straighten out the political mess we are in at whatever level.
The other is insurance that the candidate will think about a particular special interest before they cast their votes on any related matter.

Contributions from special interests have ruined not only Oregon but our Nations entire political process. In our area elected officials are for the most part operated by special interests. While your assessment is a shotgun approach it is for the most part accurate. There are as always exceptions to any rule......... The Shoeshine Boy

From Hoping to keep my job  5/19/07   
Shoeshine Boy,
What do you think the county will do if they do not receive Timber
money? I heard that they will be cutting several employees I wonder
if the commissioners will take a pay reduction also or will the
brunt of the budget shortfall, be placed on the rank and file of the
employees. I have always read that when there is trouble the
GENERALS take the heat for their men; will the commissioners take
responsibility and share the burden of budget cuts?

Dear;  Hoping to keep my job.
Most of the info I have read on the issue is in the Oregonian since there isn't much actual believable news in the local fishwraps. In fact I listen to Portland Radio more than Columbia County Coverage these days. With that in mind, There are several counties in Oregon that will suffer in different amounts and in different ways. Columbia reads to be the fourth or fifth worst out of thirty six counties.

Judging from the fact that they have little to work with as it is, it means laying off lots of bodies, probably the ones who really do the work while the old timers who are used to relying on the young uns will stay on. This is bad bad news for you and I and our Roads and Sheriff Patrol or whats left of them. I don't have much against the salary levels at the County when I look at the stuff the Port and City of St. Helens Administrators were making. Probably the Schools and Fire Districts as well. If you want a shock look at their budgets the pay is twice what the county folks do. I used to say what you are then a smart friend of mine pointed out the truth...

What it bears down to is how much their tax rate was set at several years back. The Fire Districts were big winners and the County was a big big loser. Since then the county has been in a slide and waiting for D-Day. It seems to be approaching soon. What that means is that no matter who you put into County seats or how much they are paid they are still doomed. Now on the other end the Fire Districts can't possibly spend their way into bankruptcy.
The sad piece of the whole thing is that the State Government is now spending their little hearts away and ignoring their counties while they collapse.

Watch for the State to jump in at the last minute and give the Counties a pittance and try to make it sound like they are charitable and riding in on their big white horse. You live in a very sick country and a very sick state. Bad politics are paving a road into our heartland from Mexico and can't pay it's bill to the local rural Counties. NAFTA CRAPTA....The Shoeshine Boy

From Miz Biz 5/17/07
Miz Biz asks:  I heard a rumor recently that Skip Baker recently
bought property from Larry Olson, who owns the property on which the
proposed Tire Reklaim Co. is to be placed.  Suppose Mr. Baker got a good deal?

Dear Miz Biz;
While I can't confirm what you suggest. It has been purported before that Mr. Baker is involved with a couple of the high roller developers in our area in more than one pecuniary venture. If that is the case it presents a sad scenario of how Kings are made in Columbia County. It is pretty well known that this type of conflict of interest exists between a number of elected officials and developers. In fact some of the elected officials over the years