Letters
Letters
Politicians should split contributions with state
State budget shortfalls are daily grist for the mill. I note that insurance companies, hospitals and drug companies, to name a few, are contributing plenty to our elected officials to “study” issues that concern their future.
To my way of thinking our representatives and senators work for us, their constituents. We pay them, give them great benefits, provide them offices and staff. If they convince enough of us that they are worthy we continue their term of employment.
So often we hear of powerful interest groups donating large sums of money to their campaign war chests. Whatever happened to the concept of no personal gain from public employ? Outside groups want the attention of our representatives and are willing to pay for that time.
I suggest that these donations, for influence, ought to be split with the state general fund. We deserve to know who is buying the time of our representatives and their gains while in our employ should at least be shared with our state.
Wayne Brooks
Forest Grove
Oregon waterways need federal protection
I am writing this letter because I and many other fellow Oregonians are extremely concerned about the state of our waterways currently unprotected from all levels of pollution.
The Clean Water Act previously protected ALL the waters of the United States against unpermitted point-source discharges [and included] an oil-spill-prevention program and many other provisions that have made great progress in cleaning up our nation’s waters.
But because of several Supreme Court decisions and a Bush Administration rule, over 53 percent of Oregon’s streams are at risk from uncontrolled pollution and development. Just recently, Portland and surrounding communities suffered from E. coli in their drinking water as a result of fecal contamination in a Washington Park open reservoir.
I urge Congressman Peter DeFazio to not only support the Clean Water Restoration Act currently in Congress, but to also take the lead in promoting this bill to ensure that all of our waterways are protected for future generations.
Failure to do so could lead to significant public safety and economic implications.
Kristin Thompson
Cornelius
Gas tax will aid Cornelius roads and sidewalks
On the March 9 County Special Elections Ballot, the City of Cornelius will be asking for voter approval for a 2-cent-per gallon tax on gasoline sold locally. The funds collected will be used for road and sidewalk construction and maintenance.
Compared to the wild price increases we see at gas pumps of late, this very small 2-cent added fee will have very little adverse impact in our fueling costs. The big difference is that the added proceeds will strictly go to maintaining our local infrastructure rather than fattening big oil company profits.
We urge all voting citizens of Cornelius to support this measure by voting “yes” for this 2-cent proposal that will benefit our city rather than Big Oil.
Trudy Howser and Virginia Branstetter, Cornelius
H1N1 flu immunizations are still needed
Your article “Finally, flu shots readily available in western Washington Country” (Dec. 23, 2009) was very informative and reopened the eyes of several Oregonians.
We believed the flu epidemic had ended months ago when we stopped seeing it on the daily news, when in fact it continued to affect our community.
As much as we believe to be well-informed about worldly events and politics, we often forget about our own health, when it is our health we should be primarily concerned about.
In September, the swine flu was presented as a deadly virus and was said to be slowly reaching the United States from surrounding countries. My family was very shocked but not worried, despite the fact that we had recently returned from a trip in Mexico, completely unaware of the possibility of being infected and spreading it to others.
We lived in no real fear until the first cases of H1N1 were announced in our community. Surprisingly, we weren’t one of the many who immediately rushed to receive the vaccine.
Since there had been a shortfall of the shot for a period of time it was obvious to us that the vaccine was not needed. The point of this anecdote is clear, people can very often be misinformed of important health issues.
After reading your article we realize the importance of the vaccine.
In addition to protecting ourselves it will protect our fellow Oregonians from the swine flu. I know others will go out to their local clinics and finally receive the vaccination thanks to this article.
So once again, thank you for announcing the availability of the shot and letting other Oregonians know the importance of getting this vaccination.
Elizabeth Santana
Southwest Portland