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Here is more on Measure 10-119 in Reedsport. This is another example of a citizen initiative in action and the way local governments try to block the public vote...... Council may seek court’s guidance http://theworldlink.com/reedsport/news/council-may-seek-court-s-guidance/article_9c766534-a51b-11e1-ab6e-0019bb2963f4.html Read this before reading what DeFazio supports: Stop the Massive LWCF Land Acquisition Funding Is the Congressman for creating jobs with trasportation spending or does he want to destroy jobs through the acquisition of more private property? Congressman Peter DeFazio: There is no more certain way to jumpstart our economy, put people to work, and improve our long-term economic competitiveness than passing a long term transportation bill. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates every $1 billion invested in transportation infrastructure creates or sustains over 34,000 jobs and produces $6.2 billion in economic activity. These jobs are not only construction jobs. They are private sector jobs in engineering, software and architectural design, manufacturing, and small business as well. It would directly help businesses that supply materials for these projects. It would also go a long way toward modernizing and repairing aging infrastructure necessary for U.S. industry to compete worldwide. In April, I was named one of 33 principal House negotiators of a long-term surface transportation bill. The conference also includes negotiations for a temporary one-year extension of vital county payments for Oregon counties. Jobs Creating Transportation Investment Congressman DeFazio is a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee where he serves as the ranking member of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee, and also serves on the Aviation and Railroad Subcommittees Over the years, DeFazio has established a reputation as a leader on transportation issues. He believes United States must invest in a robust, multimodal transportation system if we are to remain in league with competitor nations around the world. Yet we are seriously lagging behind. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) reports approximately one-third of America's roads are in "poor or mediocre condition," and over 150,000 of our bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Across the country, trucks are rerouted due to weight restriction on bridges, and Americans waste time and money on high-priced gasoline idling in traffic. Our national investment is in infrastructure is dwarfed by competitor nations. The Urban Land Institute reports China currently spends 9% of its GDP on infrastructure including transportation; India spends 5% (and growing). Yet the United States spends only 0.93% of our GDP on like investments. Even countries making austerity cuts, like the U.K., have maintained investments in their transportation and infrastructure systems because they know these investments produce economic gains. Click to jump to section DeFazio Appointed to the Transportation Conference Committee | DeFazio Opinion Editorials on Transportation | Transportation News Clips | Recent DeFazio Floor Speeches | DeFazio Press Releases DeFazio Appointed to the Transportation Conference Committee On April 25th, Congressman DeFazio was named as one of the principal negotiators to the House-Senate conference committee on the surface transportation reauthorization bill (H.R. 4348/S. 1813). Congressman DeFazio believes there is no more certain way to jumpstart our economy, put people to work and improve our long-term economic competitiveness than with a robust transportation bill. According to two bipartisan commission reports initiated under the Bush administration, our nation needs to double its current investment in our transportation system just to bring it up to a state of good repair. The National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission said our national transportation system has deteriorated so greatly “our safety, economic competitiveness, and quality of life are at risk.” Meaningful negotiations to craft bipartisan had been waylaid by a minority of representatives who believe the federal government has no role in transportation. These so-called “devolutionists” would stop all federal investment and fracture our national system and giving the responsibility to the fifty states to raise all funds and coordinate investments. The uncertainty of no federal transportation bill has already forced many states to delay or cancel vital transportation infrastructure projects for this construction season meaning private sector firms in manufacturing, engineering, architecture, and other suppliers aren’t hiring workers for this construction season. As a conferee, DeFazio is committed to working through partisan differences to craft a bipartisan solution that will put people back to work. County Payments The conference includes negotiations over a temporary one-year extension of vital county payments for Oregon counties. The Senate attached a one-year extension of Secure Rural Schools funding for forested counties nationwide to its two-year transportation bill (S. 1813), Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21). The extension would deliver at least $100 million in support payments for failing rural counties in Oregon. On April 18th, the House passed the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012, Part II (H.R. 4348). This 90-day extension of the surface transportation programs through September 30, 2012, is the legislative vehicle the House used to conference with the Senate. If the OR Legislature is smart enough to know,cutting out middle management positions saves money, so why would Coos County do the oppisite and hire a County Administator? Business cuts these positions in times of cut-backs, but the Stuctural committee wants to add more management. That does not make sense, unless there was another motive.....like having control of the county government by by-passing the voters.... Oregon Legislature set to erase 190 state government positions, mostly management SALEM -- About 190 positions, mostly mid-level managers, would be eliminated throughout Oregon state government under a proposal scheduled for action this week by the Legislature. Most of the cuts would come in the health and human service agencies and to prisons and state police. Although the state often "reduces" its ranks by not filling vacancies, this round could involve dozens of layoffs. It's all part of an effort to increase the ratio of line workers to managers in state government, which has been criticized as too top-heavy, and to shrink the size of the state workforce. "They're certainly headed in the right direction," said Rep. Dennis Richardson, R-Central Point, who worked with two Democratic lawmakers to order up the cuts. Although the cuts are necessary to balance the current state budget, the bigger impact will be felt in future budgets, he said. The number of positions to be eliminated represents a tiny fraction of the approximately 35,000 full-time state government workers -- a number that excludes higher education. But legislative budget-writers wanted to make a point, and insisted on the cuts to the managerial ranks. "Ultimately, it's about bringing down the cost of government so it's in line with our anticipated revenue," Richardson said. Sen. Richard Devlin, D-Tualatin, who worked with Richardson on the budget, said he had hoped the agencies would find more jobs to trim, but he noted that 75 percent of the positions to be cut are in management. "I think it's going to work out quite well," he said. In February, lawmakers ordered state agencies to find $28 million in cuts to managers, consultants and public relations positions, reasoning that those were the most superfluous given the state's hard-hit budget. The Legislature left it up to the executive branch to determine the best way to find the reductions. Agency directors worked with the Legislative Fiscal Office to come up with a plan to carry out the cuts. The plan is expected to be approved Wednesday by a legislative emergency board. Michael Jordan, who serves as Gov. John Kitzhaber's chief operating officer and has oversight over the gamut of state agencies, said the plan follows the instructions laid down by the Legislature, but it undoubtedly will affect the level of state services. "There aren't any of these cuts that go without any impact," Jordan said. "There are very few, if any, managers in state government that just manage. They carry a part of the general workload with them, too." For example, the Department of Corrections is slated to eliminate 24 "lieutenant" positions, which are considered management, as part of an overall reduction of 39 jobs. All those positions are currently filled, so the end result will be layoffs, or workers with seniority "bumping" those with fewer years of service. "Lieutenants, they walk the floors and are part of the security structure," Jordan said. "It isn't like they sit in an office somewhere and manage the guards." In many cases, the workload simply will be shifted "downward," which could mean spending more on overtime, Jordan said. "Will we save money? Yeah. But there will be impacts," he said. Elizabeth Craig, spokeswoman for the Corrections Department, said the agency is waiting for final approval of the plan by the legislative Emergency Board before shifting employees. The directions from the Legislature were to make the cuts without closing any prisons, without reducing treatment programs, and without reducing the ranks of union-represented members. "This is a tough situation," she said. The biggest number of eliminated jobs is in the Department of Human Services, which will abolish a total of 63 positions out of a total of about 7,300 full-time employees, according to a memo by department director Erinn Kelley-Siel. However, none will be lost to layoffs, Kelley-Siel said. Instead, the agency will not fill vacant positions. Richardson said he's fine with accomplishing workforce shrinkage through attrition. "We want to make this transition to a leaner government as painless as possible," he said. "It means those positions are off the books, not only presently but for the next biennium and beyond." Another agency facing layoffs is the Department of Revenue. Of the 13 positions to be eliminated, seven are filled and will face layoffs, said agency spokesman Derrick Gasperini. The last time the department laid off workers was during the 2001-03 budget cycle. Those positions were quickly hired back after the state began losing money because of slower tax collections, he said. The department is trying to avoid a repeat, Gasparini said. "I can't say we can lose seven people and not have some impact," he said. "There are some areas where we'll have to decide what work won't get done." But the cuts have been engineered "so we could have the smallest impact possible." Today, lawmakers get another quarterly revenue forecast, and the early warnings aren't good. More budget cuts may be necessary, Devlin said. "If people have difficulty with the cuts we're making now, they should get used to it," he said, "because it doesn't look like it's getting any better." -- Harry Esteve Related topics: 2012 legislature, layoffs, state workers The Danger of Article 82 and Obama's Latest Treaty Back in 1982, President Ronald Reagan decided not to sign a treaty known as "Law of the Sea" (LOST), a United Nations convention that would raid America's treasury for billions of dollars, then redistribute that wealth to the rest of the world by an international bureaucracy headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica. But today, the Obama Administration has revived that treaty, and tomorrow Senator John Kerry (D-MA) will hold hearings designed to illustrate its supposed benefits and generate support for its ratification. Without a doubt, Reagan's decision should stand, and LOST should remain relegated to the trash bin of history. The rationale for LOST is that it supposedly brings order to the world's oceans, defines the rights and responsibilities of nations as they navigate and conduct business across the seas, protects the marine environment, and allows for the development of natural resources of the deep seabed. On the surface, these all sound like worthwhile goals. The thing is, the United States doesn't need to join another United Nations treaty to make it happen. For more than 200 years before LOST was adopted in 1982 and for 30 years since then, the U.S. Navy has successfully protected America's maritime interests regardless of the fact that the United States has not signed on to the treaty. The United States' navigational rights and freedoms have been secure, and they are best guaranteed by a strong Navy. LOST is not without consequences, either. One of the more nefarious and insidious of its provisions is Article 82, which requires the United States to forfeit royalties generated from oil and gas development on the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles - an area known as the "extended continental shelf." That money, which one estimate says could be worth many billions, if not trillions of dollars, would go to the International Seabed Authority, a new international bureaucracy created by the treaty and based in Jamaica. Heritage's Steven Groves explains that from there, America's money could be shipped to the Middle East, Africa, China, and even state sponsors of terror: LOST directs that the revenue be distributed to "developing States" (such as Somalia, Burma ... you get the picture) and "peoples who have not attained full independence" (such as the Palestinian Liberation Organization ... hey, don't they sponsor terrorism?). The assembly - the "supreme organ" of the International Seabed Authority in which the United States has a single vote to cast - has the final say regarding the distribution of America's transmogrified "international" royalties. The assembly may vote to distribute royalties to undemocratic, despotic or brutal governments in Belarus, China or Zimbabwe - all members of LOST. Perhaps those dollars will go to regimes that are merely corrupt; 13 of the world's 20 most corrupt nations, according to Transparency International, are parties to LOST. Even Cuba and Sudan, both considered state sponsors of terrorism, could receive dollars fresh from the U.S. Treasury. In addition to shipping America's money overseas to unsavory recipients, LOST could have other negative consequences, as well, by exposing U.S. industry and manufacturing to baseless international lawsuits. In fact, environmental activists and international legal academics are actively exploring the potential of using international litigation against the United States to advance their agendas. And for those who say LOST is a tool for mediating international disputes, take a look at the Philippines, which signed on to the treaty and yet today is finding itself browbeaten by China and its claims in the South China Sea. If America truly wants to preserve its rights on the sea, then it needs to bolster the one tool that has guaranteed those rights throughout history -- a strong U.S. Navy. Unfortunately, under President Obama's watch, the United States is seeing its fleet diminished in size and ability. A lone piece of paper will not defend America's interests on the sea, and neither will transferring billions of dollars to an international authority in Jamaica for redistribution the world over. LOST should not be ratified and signed, and instead Washington should turn its attention to ensuring that the U.S. Navy has the resources it needs to protect America's interests on the high seas. The Heritage Foundation 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002-4999 Call us at (202) 546-4400 Rural Freedom Project – Juniper Entrepreneur by Cascade Policy Institute Saturday, May 19. 2012 Gerard Joseph Lebreque talks with the Cascade Policy Institute about his struggles with regulations on juniper and his life in rural Oregon. A Delicate but Important Balance for All. Opinion/Editorial May 14, 2012 The balance of humans and animals on this earth has been a delicate balance since the beginning of time. Civilization has required that we as humans not only build and establish our homes and our way to support ourselves but to also be stewards of the land that we call home. Perhaps nowhere is this more apparent than in the livestock industry and the ranches that provide beef to that industry. As ranchers work every day (and often many nights) to build and grow their business, care for their stock and preserve their land, they are also called upon to protect their investment, protect their families and to protect the natural resources and wildlife that reside along with them. It is indeed, a delicate and often difficult responsibility. As cattlemen, we are working to not only meet that responsibility but to educate ourselves on the best practices based in science and research that will allow conservation and management for wildlife and land. We take our role as stewards of the land and its inhabitants very seriously – and that is why we are proud to be a part of educational opportunities such as the Gray Wolf Conservation and Management Symposium, held on Saturday in Albany. Ranching in Oregon has a unique history of high social and economic values in our state. Our history and heritage has demonstrated that we, as citizens, will always be working not only to benefit self but also to benefit community and nature. Ranchers are no different and in fact have been working to improve socio-economic conditions for generation upon generation. Predator populations will always be a challenge to anyone who is working with livestock, or perhaps has pets or other animals that also call their land home. But by working to educate ourselves, hear perspectives and practices from other parts of our nation on what has worked in the efforts to define a process with integrity to not only conserve but manage wildlife and lands, we can continue to preserve and protect the cattle industry’s positive economic impact and growth for our state – for this generation and the ones who come after us. Curtis Martin Curtis Martin is the current President of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association and is a cattle rancher in North Powder, Oregon. The Oregon Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) works to promote environmentally and socially sound industry practices based on research and data, improve and strengthen the economic impact of the industry, and protect industry and property rights. For more information, please contact Kay Teisl, Executive Director at [email protected] or 503-361-8947. Visit the OCA website at www.orcattle.com. Hi: Americans for Prosperity, Coos Co. Chapter, will feature Art Robinson as their featured speaker at the North Bend Community Center on Thursday, June 14th. Dr. Robinson is the Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, Oregon District 4. His new book Common Sense in 2012 is being released this month. 'Big Daddy' Noorlander will be on hand cookin' up his nationally famous pulled-pork sandwiches -- donations are accepted. Doors open at 5:00PM. Admission is free and the public is welcome. Americans for Prosperity---What We DoAFP’s network of organized and influential citizen leaders in a growing number of states throughout the country is working to change the nation one state at a time. AFP mobilizes citizens to effectively make their voices heard in public policy issue campaigns.
Regards, Rick Hoffine Asst Chapter Leader AFP Coos County Memorial Day Parade The Coos Bay Annual Memorial Day Parade, sponsored by the Coos County United Veterans Parade Committee, will be held Saturday, May 26th at 11:00 a.m. Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. All citizens who would like to honor these Americans who have served are encouraged to join Coos Bay Mayor Shoji to walk in the Memorial Day Parade. "Rain or shine, it’s fun and meaningful to be in of the parade," said Mayor Shoji. "Bring the family and wear your red, white, and blue." If you would like to join Mayor Shoji in the Memorial Day Parade, please contact Jackie Mickelson in the City of Coos Bay’s City Manager’s Office at 541-269-8912. For information about having your own entry in the parade, contact Chairperson Bill Kehler at 541-888-6556. Live Election Coverage
Read more: http://theworldlink.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/updated-at-a-m-candidates-prepare-for-runoff-elections/article_754c1d5a-9f30-11e1-9c97-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz1v3k1LiQP Reaction mixed to passage of 10-119 in Reedsport Read more: http://theworldlink.com/reedsport/news/reaction-mixed-to-passage-of---in-reedsport/article_d396b9ac-9f16-11e1-a481-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz1v3jdcGVN Portland creates $169M urban renewal area around PSU http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2012/05/16/portland-169m-urban-renewal-PSU.html Here is what the opponents said: Commissioner Amanda Fritz voted against the measure, saying the area isn't blighted, a legal requirement for urban renewal areas. The League of Women Voters also raised that concern during a public hearing last week. The new district includes significant corporate offices, including the headquarters of The Regence Group The Regence GroupLatest from The Business JournalsCity Council to hear PSU urban renewal planLeadership Summit: surviving health care reformOregon Zoo takes steps to achieve LEED Silver ratingFollow this company , the state’s biggest health insurer. Massive LWCF Land Acquisition Funding Passes Senate
Urgent Action Urgent You Call, Fax and E-mail Regarding LWCF Conference. Conference Committee Started May 6, Call, Fax & E-mail Now. Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Goes To House-Senate Conference Committee as part of the massive Highway Bill. Huge increase in land acquisition funding must be stopped. Here are the phone numbers, fax numbers and e-mail addresses of all the Conferees staff members. Download this e-mail and forward to all your friends. Willing Seller, A Myth Other background: e-mail, full Amendment and list of votes Senate transportation bill funds more federal government land grabs - by Rebekah Rast Private Rights Protection Act Of 2012 (HR 1433) I’m writing in the hope that we can meet this summer, July 29-August 3, in the new and gleaming headquarters of the liberty movement, the Cato Institute, where we’ll be holding Cato University.
Cato University is for people who didn’t stop thinking after they got out of school. It’s for people who don’t want politicians or bureaucrats or officials to do their thinking for them. It’s for people who value liberty. I hope it’s for you. You’ll learn. You’ll be inspired. You’ll make friends. You’ll leave with the tools to change the course of America by limiting government. At Cato University, people of all ages and backgrounds come together to learn, to bounce around ideas, to be inspired, and to experience the camaraderie of like-minded individuals from around the globe. Cato University is a genuine community; you can freely share viewpoints, concerns, questions, ideas, and more in an atmosphere of friendship and personal respect. And, for many, Cato University offers the rare chance to create a family legacy of liberty—with parents, children, and even grandchildren participating together. This year the program will be held at the Cato Institute’s newly expanded headquarters. Cato’s new facilities offer the latest in conference and multimedia technology, spacious and remarkably comfortable meeting areas, and more. According to George F. Will, “The Cato Institute is the foremost upholder of the idea of liberty in the nation that is the foremost upholder of the idea of liberty.” It’s also one of the coolest—or maybe that’s hottest—intellectual spots in America. Being in Washington, D.C., also offers attendees a world of opportunities. In addition to specially scheduled events—including a dinner program on Capitol Hill with Senator Rand Paul—Cato’s building is just a short walk away from the city’s historical and cultural offerings—from the White House to the Mall; from art galleries to museums. And, being in Washington provides easy, immediate access to close-by Reagan National Airport–along with close proximity to other airports and (for train enthusiasts)—Union Station. This summer Cato University will feature a faculty of outstanding teachers, including the following:
All of this, and more, is spelled out in detail online at www.cato.org/cato-university. To make this program as accessible as possible, we’re keeping the cost at $995–no increase over previous years. The cost includes all meals, receptions, reading materials, books, and evening events. (But not overnight room charges, since we’ve arranged low room rates for participants at the various hotels just a few minutes away.) I hope to see you this summer at Cato University. You can enroll immediately online at www.cato.org/cato-university. I look forward to welcoming you in Cato’s gorgeous new facilities. Please come to Cato University and make friends, boost your ability to promote liberty, and recharge your batteries for the fight for liberty. Cordially, Tom Palmer Farmers use video to stop Oregon Death tax
May 15, 2012 YF&R Committee Vice Chair, Brenda Kirsch, gives a video reason on why Oregon’s estate tax (aka “death tax”) should be eliminated. Currently the End Oregon Death Tax petition campaign is gathering signatures to qualify for the 2012 ballot. There will be a runoff in the General Election CCC-Position 1 Bob Main Fred Messerle CCC-Postion 2 John Sweet Tim Bishop CCC-Postion 3 Mellissa Cribbons Don Gurney Coos County Commissioner – Position 1 18 of 18 Precincts Counted Randall Sanne 2,153 19.95% Robert “Bob” Main 3,587 33.24% Fred Messerle 5,024 46.55% Coos County Commissioner – Position 2 18 of 18 Precincts Counted John Sweet 4,547 43.60% Mark McKelvey 1,843 17.67% Frank Vincent 708 6.79% Tim Bishop 1,977 18.95% Kermit Gaston 921 8.87% Geno Landrum 404 3.37% Coos County Commissioner – Position 3 18 of 18 Precincts Counted Mellissa Cribbons 3974 38.43% Dale A. Pennie 372 3.60% Donald Bebee 1535 14.85% Don Gurney 2147 20.76% Mary Loiselle 1728 16.71% Rick Wiley 557 5.39% THE TEA PARTYER May 7, 2012 Initiatives, Referendums & Referrals, Oh My….. One of the least used tools at the disposal of the citizens of Oregon is the state’s liberal initiative, referendum, and referral process. It was a system designed as a way for the citizens to have checks and balances over local and state government. Initiative petitions are filed when an individual or group of individuals want to amend, change or rescind existing law. People can file an initiative petition at any time and the petitioners have up to two years to gather enough qualifying signatures. The criterion of the initiative process allows it to be an offensive tool enabling the initiates to pick the time and place to enact the process. People use Referendum petitions to approve or reject legislation adopted by the state legislature or the governing body of a city, county, or special district. An ordinance has to be enacted before a referendum can be filled and it has to be done immediately afterwards. The lawmakers created the referendum process as a defensive tool, so people can stop bad legislation at its inception. The state legislature or a local governing body are the responsible parties for placing a Referral on the ballot, so the voters can decide the question on whether or not to enact an amendment. Politicians can refer to the people when new amendments or ordinances are too controversial for our representatives to deliberate. There are many times when elected officials make the wrong decisions and the utilization of these tools must become the priority of activists. The Secretary of State’s website www.oregonvotes.org has all the manuals and forms needed to learn and initiate our system of government and the people have no excuse for not taking advantage. The First Urban Renewal Initiative of the Season It was very disappointing when the Referendum petition on the Bandon Resolution failed to attain enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. We collected a total of 288 signatures. The County Elections officer accepted 275 and validated only 151 of those signatures and that deficiency caused us to miss the mark by a slim margin of 28 valid signatures of the 179 that were required to put the measure on the ballot. It was an unusually high percentage of rejected signatures. However, most of them that were rejected came from registered voters who lived just outside of the city limit. Since it was our first attempt at filing a referendum and because it failed, we will have to revise our strategy on gathering signatures, so we can refine and practice the process. The best way to do that is to file another petition, this time an Initiative Petition. On May 7, 2012, Mrs. Joan Calhoun and I decided to file an Initiative Petition for the Urban Renewal Amendment in the city of Bandon. It is the same measure passed by 70% of the voters in Clackamas County last year. The amendment would force the city’s Urban Renewal Agency to go to the voters anytime the agency makes any substantial changes to their urban renewal plans, such as increasing the maximum indebtedness, expanding the urban renewal area or extending the length of time the agency’s plan can remain active. Eventually, our group plans on filing that same initiative for the Coos Bay, North Bend and the Coquille Urban Renewal Agencies. The Board of Commissioners is working on a similar measure for the county’s Urban Renewal Agency. This would be a Referral by the commissioners if the amendment passes two readings before the board. People need to call the Coos County commissioners and tell them to put the Urban Renewal Amendment on the ballot and let the voters decide if more debt for private development is more important than hospitals, schools, fire departments, and the community college. If you would like to volunteer to collect signatures for the Urban Renewal Initiative in Bandon, then please email your contact information to [email protected], or to find out more visit our website at www.CoosCountyWatchdog.com. Contact us if you live inside the city limits of Bandon and want to sign the petition, because every signature is another step towards the goal of limiting the power of authority. “Rob Taylor was the original organizer of the TEA Parties in Coos County and is currently an independent activist working to promote the rights of the individual.” Oregon Firearms Federation PO Box 556 Canby, OR 97013 Voice: (503) 263-5830 http://www.oregonfirearms.org OFF ALERT 05.14.12 Tomorrow is election day. If you have not yet dropped off your ballots, please do so. It is too late to mail them. For those of you who are still undecided, you can view our candidate ratings here. Your vote really matters. As you may know, the investigation into the ATF�s corrupt �Fast and Furious� scheme has demonstrated that Obama administration, and especially Attorney General Eric Holder, are willing to tell any lie and hide any fact to cover up their efforts to smuggle guns to Mexican drug cartels. House Representative Darrell Issa, who has been investigating this murderous debacle, has introduced a resolution expressing the sense that the House of Representatives have lost confidence in Holder. In other words, they think he�s a liar. This House Resolution (HR 490) has over 100 co-sponsors, however, not a single member of Oregon�s delegation has signed on. This would be no surprise from Earl Blumenauer and Susan Bonamici both of whom detest gun rights. But where is NRA endorsed Kurt Schrader, �NRA member� Peter DeFazio and our only Republican, Greg Walden? Are all these guys ok with Eric Holder�s lies? Our friends at Gun Owners of America have made if very easy for you to contact your House of Representatives member and ask them exactly that question. You can use this link to contact you Congressman and ask why they have refused to sign on to this important resolution. On a separate note, we informed you recently that New Mexico had chosen to no longer recognize Arizona CHL�s which are becoming very popular in Oregon due to the reasonable process required for Oregon residents to get them. We have been informed that New Mexico has now changed their minds and are again recognizing Arizona CHL�s. In the event you have any problem connecting to the embedded links, the full links appear below: OFF�s Candidate Ratings http://oregonfirearms.org/2012/2012Candidate.rating.html GOA�s Action Page on Fast and Furious: http://capwiz.com/gunowners/issues/alert/?alertid=61311706 New Mexico�s Current Reciprocity Agreements: http://www.dps.nm.org/index.php/nm-concealed-carry/reciprocity-agreements/ Hi: Grab your clubs, and golf with... Senator Jeff Kruse and Senate Candidate Scott Roberts Monday, June 25th-Shotgun at 1:00 (Box lunch) Bandon Crossings Golf Course 87530 Dew Valley Lane Bandon, OR 97411 Cost: $100 individual or $300 foursome (Checks to one or both candidates) RSVP to Samantha: [email protected] or 503.999.6852 Committee to Elect Jeff Kruse PAC ID 2278 89358 Cranberry Lane Bandon, Oregon 97411 Friends of Dr. Scott Roberts PAC ID 13983 3500 Cedar Street North Bend, OR 97459 donwalden A SAOVA message to sportsmen, farmers and pet owners concerned about protecting their traditions, avocations and livelihoods from anti-hunting, anti-breeding, animal guardianship advocates. Forwarding and cross posting, with attribution, encouraged. USDA seeks change to regulate Internet and retail pet sales Dear SAOVA Friends, This afternoon USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) held a stakeholders conference call to announce a forthcoming proposal to revise its definition of "retail pet store". APHIS states this proposal restores the definition to its original intent so that it limits the retail pet store exemption to only those places where buyers physically enter to observe the animals available for sale prior to purchasing them and where certain animals are sold or offered for sale at retail for use as pets. The definition of pet includes dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, rats, mice, gophers, chinchilla, domestic ferrets, domestic farm animals, birds, and coldblooded species. To meet the exemption requirements for the newly defined retail pet store, buyers must be allowed to physically enter the retail seller's place of business or residence in order to personally observe the animals available for sale prior to purchase and/or to take custody of the animals after purchase. In addition, breeders must have four or less breeding females and can only sell the offspring of the breeding females that were born and raised on their premises, and sold for pets or exhibition. USDA/APHIS issued a press release this afternoon: USDA Proposes to Close Loophole on Retail Pet Sales to Ensure Health and Humane Treatment which can be found at this link: http://tinyurl.com/7b9kbpj The notice is scheduled for publication within a week in the Federal Register. The proposed rule and an FAQ are currently available at www.aphis.usda.gov. Proposed Rule is Docket No. APHIS-2011-0003, Regulatory Analysis and Development PPD APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD, 20737-1238. Once the rule is published there will be a 60 day comment period. The APHIS Factsheet states: under the proposed rule, no dog or other pet animal will be sold at retail without either public or APHIS oversight. Obviously this rulemaking proposal will have far reaching impacts on sportsmen, dog, cat, and small animal breeders. SAOVA will distribute further analysis and updates as the rule making process continues. Susan Wolf Sportsmen's & Animal Owners' Voting Alliance Working to Identify and Elect Supportive Legislators USDA seeks change to regulate Internet and retail pet sales Dear SAOVA Friends, This afternoon USDA�s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) held a stakeholders conference call to announce a forthcoming proposal to revise its definition of �retail pet store�.APHIS states this proposal restores the definition to its original intent so that it limits the retail pet store exemption to only those places where buyers physically enter to observe the animals available for sale prior to purchasing them and where certain animals are sold or offered for sale at retail for use as pets.The definition of pet includes dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, rats, mice, gophers, chinchilla, domestic ferrets, domestic farm animals, birds, and coldblooded species. To meet the exemption requirements for the newly defined retail pet store, buyers must be allowed to physically enter the retail seller�s place of business or residence in order to personally observe the animals available for sale prior to purchase and/or to take custody of the animals after purchase. In addition, breeders must have four or less breeding females and can only sell the offspring of the breeding females that were born and raised on their premises, and sold for pets or exhibition. USDA/APHIS issued a press release this afternoon: USDA Proposes to Close Loophole on Retail Pet Sales to Ensure Health and Humane Treatment which can be found at this link: http://tinyurl.com/7b9kbpj The notice is scheduled for publication within a week in the Federal Register. The proposed rule and an FAQ are currently available at www.aphis.usda.gov. Proposed Rule is Docket No. APHIS-2011-0003, Regulatory Analysis and Development PPD APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD, 20737-1238. Once the rule is published there will be a 60 day comment period. The APHIS Factsheet states: under the proposed rule, no dog or other pet animal will be sold at retail without either public or APHIS oversight. Obviously this rulemaking proposal will have far reaching impacts on sportsmen, dog, cat, and small animal breeders. SAOVA will distribute further analysis and updates as the rule making process continues. Susan Wolf Sportsmen�s & Animal Owners� Voting Alliance Working to Identify and Elect Supportive Legislators Upcoming Events: Oregon Primary May 15 Stand Up For Religious Freedom Portland Rally June 8th Get Involved! Americans For Prosperity Oregon 9/12 Project U~Choose Liberty Talkers Ask Damascus Bag the Ban Oregon How you can get involved in the 2012 election Well, Occupy's big May Day demonstration has come and gone. How did they do? Read More >>
Bill Gates is the world's richest person, but what kind of power does he have over you? Can he force your kid to go to a school you do not want him to attend? Can he deny you the right to braid hair in your home for a living? It turns out that a local politician, who might deny us the right to earn a living and dictates which school our kid attends, has far greater power over our lives than any rich person. Read More >> This Month's "Must Reads"
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This is a request to put ARRRG on the BOC agenda at the next meeting. To the Commissioners: I am requesting that the organization known as ARRRG be put on the Agenda for Tuesday, May 15th, 2012 for the purpose of asking you to place the proposed initiative Home Rule Charter for Coos County 2012 on the November, 2012 ballot without having to collect signatures. I look forward to your response. Sincerely, Ronnie Herne, Secretary, ARRRG Click Here for a link to the file Reedsport robo-calls raise questions about Measure 10-119 funding Read more: http://theworldlink.com/reedsport/news/reedsport-robo-calls-raise-questions-about-measure---funding/article_664fd500-9a38-11e1-b181-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz1uXNxk9dQ 10 Worst States for Business 2012: Slideshow May 2 2012 by ChiefExecutive.net http://chiefexecutive.net/10-worst-states-for-business-2012-slideshow/8 Oregon is the 42nd Best State for Business 2012 http://chiefexecutive.net/oregon-is-the-42nd-best-state-for-business-2012 Note: The Coos County Watchdog is not endorsing any change in The County Charter. However, there are a few good aspects of this document that should be debated. Also, this might help educate the public since people are not paying attention now. Press Release From ARRRG 5-9-12 "Voice of the Voters " Would you like a vote on having a County Administrator? Would you like a vote on Urban Renewal taxation? Would you like a vote on the transfer of major county assets? Would you like five full time commissioners, paid, representing the whole county? Would you like to have Citizen Comments at all the public meetings? Would you like the commissioners to be restricted to voting only at regularly scheduled Board meetings (versus also at scattered Work Sessions)? Would you like open competitive county bids and standardized contracts? Would you like to have accountability in quality and contract compliance with these county bids? You can have it all. The Home Rule Charter for Coos County 2012 has just been filed as an initiative to be decided in the November election. It contains all of the above provisions, and more. It is sponsored by Americans for Responsive, Responsible, Representative Government (ARRRG). This county does not need a captain. It needs a rudder, and a map. This Home Rule Charter provides both, in detail. It features the values and rights of the voters while defining the requirements of the county governing body. It is unique. It is designed for Coos County. Feel free to contact us. We're available to meet with any of the various local groups. We have Charters for anyone who wants them. We can e-mail the complete Charter. Contact information: ARRRG, PO Box 826, Coquille, Oregon 97423. Phone: 541-396-4200 (machine after six rings). E-mail: [email protected] Donations are made payable to ARRRG. Donations are not tax deductible. Submitted by Ronnie Herne, Secretary, ARRRG This file contains the wording to the charter: 
SUMMARY INDEX PREAMBLE - Citizens' rights/governing body responsibilities SECTION 1 - NAME, NATURE, BOUNDARIES, COUNTY SEAT Governmental structure of the County consists of 5 Commissioners, Surveyor, Assessor, Treasurer, Clerk, Sheriff, and Director of Human Resources, elected at large SECTION 2 - COUNTY AUTHORITY AND POWERS Vested in County Commissioners SECTION 3 - BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Requirements for holding office Terms of office Elections and vacancies Quorum/Meeting(s) requirements Conflicts of interest Ordinances, Regulations, and Orders Limitation on delegation of authority Specific responsibilities SECTION 4 - REFERENDUM, INITIATIVE, RECALL Manner of exercising reserved powers SECTION 5 - GENERAL COUNTY ELECTION PROVISIONS Nomination, election, recall of county officers Election of County measures Charter amendments and repeal SECTION 6 - FINANCE Budget/priorities Capital program projections and voter approval Grants Audits SECTION 7 - PUBLIC RESOURCE PROTECTION Disposition and acquisition of real/personal property Public vote not required: re personal property: less than: $5,000 $25,000 with full approval of BOC Public vote not required re real property less than $50,000 with full BOC approval Contracts: Public vote for contracts over $100,000 Public Debt limit SECTION 8 - DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL, SETTLEMENTS, JUDGEMENTS, COSTS Quarterly public reports SECTION 9 - PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE Designate a Chief Maintenance Officer/program for continuous maintenance of equipment and facilities SECTION 10 - ADMINISTRATION Commissioners' administrative responsibility: standard oversight of documents, departments, etc. Employee severance pay for eliminated positions Public access to service departments Fee structure for public administrative services Commissioners' oversight and meeting with department heads/department disbursement of budgeted funds. SECTION 11 - COUNTY OFFICERS Oath of office Term of office Filling vacancies Gift limitations Officers duties ( partial ): Clerk, Sheriff, Assessor, Surveyor, Treasurer- Chief Financial Officer, Human Resources Director. SECTION 12 - VOTER APPROVAL OF URBAN RENEWAL Public vote - Approval/termination SECTION 13 - ENTERPRIZE ZONES, LOCAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS Public vote SECTION 14 - LAND USE Ordinances or plans submitted to Oregon state agencies for change submitted to voters first SECTION 15 - TRAVEL EXPENSE REGULATIONS Travel / lodging / meals Credit cards SECTION 16 - PUBLIC CONTRACTING Public contracting open bid regulations SECTION 17 - COLLECTIVE BARGAINING Per state and federal requirements SECTION 18 - VETERANS Veterans Service Officer Office hours SECTION 19 - PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS Building materials Water rights Regulation of nuisances SECTION 20 - PREDATOR CONTROL Dedicated funds SECTION 21 - HEALTHCARE FREEDOM Individual control SECTION 22 - COMPENSATION Elected / union / non-union SECTION 23 - ENFORCEMENT Penalties/responsibility for penalties due to official violations of this Charter Citizen remedies SECTION 24 - MISCELLANEOUS Charter effective date Use of taxpayer funds Artifice/Subterfuge Severability Prohibition of retroactive actions Emergency contracting powers General emergency powers SECTION 25 - TRANSITION PROVISIONS Continuity Election of additional officers Ratification of ordinances Ordinances in conflict with Charter Oregon: a welfare state by In the news Sunday, May 6. 2012 by Dan Lucas KGW reported Friday on Governor Kitzhaber’s recent trip to Washington D.C. to ask for $1.9 billion to try to reform Medicaid in Oregon. Medicaid is the government health care payment system for the poor. The KGW article also noted that there are 600,000 Oregonians on Medicaid. More accurately, according to the U.S. government Medicaid site, there were 644,000 Oregonians on Medicaid as of the end of 2010. That’s 1 in 6 Oregonians on Medicaid. Oregon’s welfare state by the numbers:
Governor Kitzhaber is spending a great deal of time and focus trying to fix Oregon’s government run health care – he’s even spending some time learning how to redefine economic success. Governor Kitzhaber should spend more time working on getting Oregon’s economy back on its feet. Then more Oregonians can get jobs and they won’t need help from the government. |
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