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Summary Of Problems In 2006
Here in Columbia County the lack of jobs has been a problem for quite some time. Although the Commissioners boast about bringing in good family wage jobs I for one have not seen much results from their endeavors.
Yes, several years back Commissioner Hyde was the driving force behind the procurement of US Gypsum to the Rainier area. Hyde was a key player on the REDCO board. The building of USG was quite a challenge, since non-union workers and illegal aliens mainly from out of the area did most of the construction, our local union and non-union construction workers were left to sit and watch their work being done by people that did not live in and did not support our community.
REDCO borrows money from USG to buy the property from the Port of St. Helens, in return USG gets the property and the taxpayers of Columbia County owes a BIG DEBT to USG, a total of $7.4 million, in final payment in 2016. (With an annual payment of $600,000.00) Because REDCO limited their tax revenue share, giving part of the monies collected to all the "special districts in Columbia County," when USG comes out from under the Enterprise Zone (tax breaks). REDCO is $300,000.00 short in repayment monies. WOOPS! Where are we going to get the money to make up the shortfall? Lets see… We will get it back from the taxpayers! Novice idea!
The taxpayers of Columbia County provided the funds for most of the road building and repair, great gift to USG, while their own roads continued to degrade.
Hyde was the deal sealer on the Pacific Stainless project (Mc Naulty Way) Hyde was asked by the City manager of St. Helens to jump on board since Brian Little was not capable of closing the deal. Hyde was once again a great bargaining chip for the workers in Columbia County; Hyde never took into account or did he? Of the out of town construction company already procured by Pacific Stainless, documents showed that Pacific Stainless wanted to use a non union company that usually does all their work, from Eugene, Oregon. The company offered the work to local construction people if they could bid 10% lower than the RAT Company from Eugene. Well it is pretty hard to bid lower than a Rat company since they do not pay good wages, benefits health care etc. so the work was awarded to an out of town contractor, for a total package of $12.00 per hour. Don't forget that the taxpayers of Columbia County are subsidizing Pacific Stainless in tax relief for about 7 years. You subsidize the company with your hard earned money and watch your jobs go to out of town to RAT Contractors.
Commissioner Hyde strikes again!
Commissioner Bernhard boasts about family wage jobs, supports unions and unions support her. Bernhard adamantly argues against allowing a person a ¾ time job at the dog control facility because she wants to save the taxpayers $7,000.00 a years in wages and benefits, big deal the money would of supported a local person and the money would of stayed in Columbia County. Bernhard makes another bad decision.
Commissioner Joe tries his hardest to convince Bernhard to vote for the decent wage and benefit package but gets no where, when Hyde returns from one of his numerous out of town out of state trips, he and Bernhard joins forces and out votes Joe on the issue.
Nice coming from people who make nearly $107,000.00 a year wage and benefit package derived from collective bargaining. WE got ours, so screw you!
LNG BOONDOGGLE
LNG was quite an issue again in 2006, with the County supporting whole-heartedly along with the Port of St. Helens a proposal for a LNG facility at Port Westward. There was three major draw back's. The LNG proponent aka, carpetbagger, had no backers, no money, and no property. This is when the LNG proponent and the Port of St. Helens initiated the assault on the Thompson's with the county cheering them on behind the scenes. Hoping all the time that the Thompson's would sell or that the Thompson's would lose their land through condemnation. In the end, after spending many thousands of dollars in lawyer fees, the Thompson's had to deal with the Port and the unscrupulous LNG proponent.
BUT IN THE END, RIGHT PREVAILED and the Thompson's got to keep their property and the LNG proponent slithered back from under the rock from which he came, the Port lost their rear, like usual talking on bad investments propositions, the county came out smelling poopy like usual. And us, the taxpayers got the privilege in paying for all these entities foolish mistakes.
DEPLETION FEE 2006/2007
· I hope that the voters become incensed with the County Commissioners, who have not enacted the depletion fee ordinance of 1996. I strongly oppose the dictatorship that has formed within our county. The apparent disregard for the outcome of an election by two of the three commissioners of this county is outrageous and shameful. It is the duty of the commissioners of this county to carry out the voice of the people along with the vote of the people whether they agree with the voters or not! ENFORCE THE CURRENT DEPLETION FEE ORDINANCE! This county is losing hundreds of thousands of dollars that is intended for our County Road Department. Intended to fix our failing roads and bridges. Two of the three Commissioners,(Hyde and Bernhard) right now, are trying to circumvent the voters, by changing the Depletion Fee Ordinance of 1996, It was written by and supported by the County its self. The illegal changes that they are trying to make, is nothing more than another tax break, for corporations that site here in Columbia County. The Commissioners are trying to change the wording to do away with, naturally mined material with in or brought in to the county that current or proposed industries are subject to. The List of corporations that the commissioners want to let slide by on depletion fee are, Boise Cascade (uses clay), USG (uses gypsum), and Summit (uses coal). Again costing you the taxpayers a tremendous amount of money that YOU are entitled to. I hope after reading this you will make your comments known to the commissioners. If you agree with me, I think that the commissioners need to go back to the voters if they want to change an Ordinance that was approved by the voters, let the voters decide if they want the ordinance changed. Commissioners' Hyde and Bernhard need to remember whom they actually work for not who they owe favors to.
ILLEAGLE HOSPITAL TAX
Unfortunately the hospital board members will not come to terms that they have failed miserably in their attempt to provide the County residents with a Critical Access Hospital.
Since they cannot build the proposed Critical Access Hospital because of federal regulations I keep wondering why they continue to imitate the ostrich. The taxes that they are collecting from us indefinitely are being collected for something that we will never have. I would hope that any one of the hospital board members would come forth and admit that they are way out of their league. Take the appropriate steps to right the wrong against the voters and taxpayers in the hospital district, getting a ballot measure on the ballot to take off the deceitful measure. Commissioner Hyde and Bernhard were the two commissioners who supported this bogus hospital from the start, supported the illegal tax, they should take action to repel this tax measure for the good of the taxpayers.
2006
2006 has been a year of many interesting topics, meetings and general goings on in the county. We have had reporters threatened with arrest, we have had elected public politicians throw tantrums and flinging insults to other elected representatives at public functions, we have had the usual corporate welfare scam running amuck in the county. There has been political difference taken too far between opponents, Cults have tried to infiltrate our good community, the fair has continued to dwindle in popularity, the selling of drug related items at the fair brought in attendance, illegal awarding of security contracts for the fair was news worthy, the down right dog eat dog corporate world of LNG shone bright only to slowly die out.
The boldness of elected officials to ignore their constituents raged on in 2006, the apparent attack on union wages and jobs was apparent in many cases in 2006 with the last assault only last week when the commissioners did away with a lead mans union job and found money in the tight? Budget, to create a non-union supervisory job. Once again taking away the woken mans means.
I hope 2007 will bring prosperity to all Columbia County residents. I will continue to report the nitty gritty aspects of meetings and other news worthy events, that other reporters and news media fail to offer. I do not fault other reporters for not writing the right down dirt of politics, for they have to answer to a boss who may owe a favor, I am proud to say that I do not have to show favoritism to any one. So my reporting will be nonbiased. I want to thank Bill for giving me the opportunity to write my own weekly column, with the freedom to pick my topics with out censorship. I want to thank all my loyal readers, and all who take the time to read the Update, for the continued support each week; it is you, the readers that are making the St. Helens Update a success.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Tammy
Home Past Tammy's Takes
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