Politicians get an earful

Senator Chris Telfer, Representative Gene Whisnant and Treasurer Ben Westlund got an earful from Sisters Country residents on Friday during a "meet and greet" session, hosted by the City of Sisters and the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce.

Some 25 people turned out to pepper the government representatives with questions and opinions at a reception held at the Chamber Visitors Center. Issues ranged from the Metolius River to renewable energy to the economy, but the most intense discussion revolved around the fight over destination resorts in the Metolius River Basin.

Linda Davis, of Sisters, and several other people buttonholed Whisnant, a Republican representing District 53, early in the social hour and presented him with a Save the Metolius button, which he donned to cheers.

Whisnant would not commit to support of or opposition to any particular piece of legislation, but he assured Davis and onlookers repeatedly that he believes the area needs protection.

"I will not vote for any bills that I think will damage or destroy the Metolius," he said.

Westlund was adamant that action would be taken.

"At the end of the day, the Metolius Basin will be protected out of this session," he said. "Period, end of story. You heard it here."

The statement drew applause.

Preserving the treasured natural assets of the Sisters Country while promoting a healthy economy was at the forefront of discussion.

Frank Deggendorfer will soon be looking at a tall AT&T tower in his mountain view. He believes that "visual blight" will damage the beauty - and economy the natural beauty drives - in Sisters.

"Soon the goose that laid the golden egg is going to be plucked," he said.

Deggendorfer told Senator Telfer that Deschutes County says that the state sets the parameters. Telfer was skeptical, noting that when she served on the Bend City Council, the council had considerable authority over where and how towers were sited.

"I think it's a county thing," she said. "I'll look into it."

Jerry Norquist, of Sisters, asked about action on alternative energy. Whisnant and Telfer said that several bills on the subject died in this legislative session.

Telfer said there need to be some incentive programs to promote alternative energy development that can be a good source of jobs.

Whisnant said that only one sector is getting sufficient attention.

"Solar power is getting all the dollars and the push," he said. "We need to be looking at other sources, and it's not happening."

Westlund qualified that statement, noting that wind power is coming on strong in northeastern Oregon.

Norquist urged action.

"We need public policy that's directed ... at retrofitting houses to be energy efficient," he said.

Westlund said that Oregon is poised to lead the nation in creating clean energy, and the jobs that go with it.

"Dream in technicolor," he said. "We're going to get there faster than you can possibly imagine."

One step along the way that nobody seems to like is the requirement for ethanol in gasoline. One man said he'd just done $175 in repairs on a new lawn mower whose engine was ruined by ethanol in his gasoline. Asked when the requirement would be repealed, Telfer said, "When we have another governor."

Whisnant apologized for his support of ethanol legislation.

"I'm sorry," he said. "It was a mistake."

Telfer spoke forcefully on what she believes is an antibusiness climate in the Democrat-controlled legislature.

"Every day we stifle business more," she said.

Telfer said construction must remain a vital part of the economy, along with energy, high-tech, tourism and hospitality and other sectors.

"You really want a very diversified economic base," she said. "When I moved here 32 years ago it was timber, and look what happened."

School funding was a topic on many minds as the Sisters School District starts work on its 2009-2010 budget while facing $1.5 million in cuts.

Westlund said that serious reform is needed to stabilize funding, not just for schools, but for all state programs and services.

"We've got to take on a ridiculously volatile tax system," he said.

He also noted that initiatives have created many constitutionally mandated areas of spending.

"We've got to return the initiative process to what it was intended to be... the voice of the people," he said. "And we've got to reform the kicker."

The current system creates massive plunges in revenue during economic downturns.

"It's not a way to run a railroad if you want - as most of the people in this room do - stable and adequate funding."

Senator Telfer told the audience that she would roll out a proposal this week to set school funding for the biennium at $6.25 billion. The school district is currently working on the basis of a forecasted $5.9 billion. The higher number would eliminate the need for many cuts.

However, Telfer acknowledged that she has no idea whether there are votes to give such a proposal life. Westlund told The Nugget he has no idea where the education budget will end up, but that the picture should become more clear in the wake of a new revenue forecast, due at the end of the week.

Mike Morgan urged action to overturn the use of full faith and credit obligations by school districts without a vote of the people. Whisnant has proposed legislation that would have that effect, but he said it is not clear whether anything will happen in this session.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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