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Guest forum: It's time for a state sales tax B y Christine Amorelli Ashland Nobody likes to pay taxes. If the tax fairy could wave her magic wand and abolish all taxes for all time, we'd be overjoyed, wouldn't we? Of course we would, but it's not going to happen so we might as well get used to the fact that taxes are here to stay. What is hard to get used to is the fact that the tax system is so unfair, with the burden falling on the middle class more often than not. The rich, who can afford to pay more taxes, will always find ways to avoid that obligation. They have the luxury of being able to employ skilled tax attorneys who can find the loopholes needed. Having said all that, it does no good to whine and moan about it while our kids � who are the innocents in all this � are forced to suffer for our inability to do something about the inequities. Recently I heard someone on the radio say that a state tax system should be like a three-legged stool; one leg is for property taxes, the second leg is for income taxes and the third leg for sales taxes. Oregon has only a two-legged stool � no wonder it's falling over! I hate to say it, but the time has come to seriously consider a sales tax. Forget that tired old phrase "the people of Oregon have soundly rejected a sales tax nine times." The state has never been in such dire trouble before. Make no mistake, with the school funding and social programs in such disarray, manufacturers with those jobs we so desperately need won't come to Oregon. Why should they? Why would anyone want to invest money in a state that can't educate its children, feed its poor or care for its sick and elderly? We are regularly vilified on national radio and TV as being the state with the most inefficient and unfair tax system. It is the absolute worst in the entire nation. We should be ashamed of ourselves for permitting this state of affairs to happen in the first place and more ashamed for allowing it to continue. We have got to start electing people who will do the job, no matter what party they belong to. Right now, the Oregon Legislature is strangling itself to death on the "no new taxes" mantra. State Representative Alan Bates and State Senator Lenn Hannon are on the right track, in a model of bipartisanship, trying to get the legislature off its collective duff to start taking responsibility for its criminal lack of action over tax reform. I urge you to forget partisan politics and get onto the dolts in Salem to do something and do it now. And while you're in the mood to do something proactive, vote for the Ashland Youth Activities Levy. That's one thing the politicians can't mess with, it's ours to do with as we will. They won't support our kids, but we sure can. *** Election letters: Levy fosters personal growth It's very important for Ashland's young people that residents vote "yes" on the Youth Activities Levy. The levy not only frees up money needed to retain teachers, course offerings, and effective class sizes - the group activities it supports are crucial opportunities for personal development. Social psychologist Roger Barker found years ago that initiative, interpersonal skills, competence, and global personal development are best fostered by activities that suffer if some student doesn't show up - activities such as teams, music groups, publications, etc. (In contrast, classroom activities are less damaged by absences; academic roles are often fairly passive). Research by the two companies that produce the major scholastic aptitude tests has demonstrated that the best predictor of post-school success are a person's independent, self-sustained ventures - such as those the levy supports. Teamwork, commitment, time management, and decision-making are important products of those experiences. College officials give considerable weight in admission decisions to achievements in the group activities the levy supports. Please vote "yes" on the Youth Activities Levy, to keep these important activities available to Ashland's young people. Hal Cloer SOU emeritus professor Ashland *** One more for levy I would like to invite the members of this fair city who are of voting age to model good citizenship by casting their ballot. There is an urgent issue before us that will impact everyone who lives in Ashland. Please vote for the Youth Activities Levy and show that you have a vested interest in your community. Brenda Paustian Ashland *** Letters: Health care funding and the ripple effect I'm a licensed care provider for RVCOG's Senior Services and Disability Services. My clients rely on the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) to get support services to survive. I bring my clients food, bring them to doctors, and try to ease my clients' lives, only to have the state step on them by cutting OHP. One client had services completely cut, and another, who has multiple sclerosis, had her hours slashed from 90 to 20 hours a month. Not only do OHP cuts hurt my clients, but my work has been cut and I had to go on unemployment. We're in a crisis, and that's why we need an increase in federal funding to OHP. For every $1 million cut in OHP, the state loses $3.2 million in business activity and $1.1 million in wages.* (* According to a 2003 Families USA report.) Health care is not only for our seniors, but for our communities and our economy. Karla Singh Medford *** Open records to protect Bush "Students oppose Patriot Act" is very good news. Thanks Mc Neill and Quick! Here's hoping that (the) Faculty Senate and workers unions follow suit. Preferring to believe in being good, and non-threatening, I understand Honse's rationale. But the provider of my long-term care insurance (bought to relieve my kids and grandkids of elder care) alarms me with the information that my medical records are open "for the protection of the President." My record is boring. I'd like access to his! Mardy Carson, Ashland *** Another jewel in Ashland's crown As a member of the Board of The Friendship Force of Southern Oregon (www.ffso.us), I have the pleasure of sharing our enthusiasm for the excellent Independent Film Festival presented in April. We were pleased to have sponsored travel for the filmmaker of "OT: Our Town" and encouraged by the quality of the whole program and its presentation. The volunteers and businesses of the community who supported the Board of the Film Society in the success of the Independent Film Festival are to be commended for their generous spirit in adding another jewel to Ashland's crown. Jeanene O'Brien Ashland *** Thanks Tidings, thanks ASF Thank you so much for the wonderful coverage of our music therapy workshop at Willow Wind Community Learning Center. I am so pleased with your support of our work at Willow Wind. In addition to the gratitude I express here to you, I must also profusely thank the Ashland Schools Foundation for awarding the grant money necessary to bring this special project to life. Without the funds we received from the ASF this workshop could not have happened. As a result, the groups we visited in the community (Head Start and Linda Vista) were able to experience the therapeutic value of music - as brought to them by the students from Willow Wind. Jenifer Carstensen Talent *** LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. 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