Letters

Letters

, Feb 4, 2010, Updated Feb 4, 2010

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

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