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June 28, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels May 8, 2004 Heritage initiative spelled out By Steve Zimmerman Ashland Daily Tidings Telling attendees at the Oregon Heritage Conference that the money they received from the state was probably gone for good, Gov. Ted Kulongoski outlined initiatives to make up for that loss of funding. "Let me put it this way," he explained. "Is everybody going to get the money they want? The answer is probably not. And the reason is this next biennium 2005-07 is going to be a difficult time, probably more difficult than this last session on finding." What Kulongoski recommended was better marketing of the Oregon Cultural Trust. "We need to tell them the value of the cultural trust," he said. "And actually get more Oregonians to invest in the cultural trust. This is one of the best things we have going. If you give to a nonprofit cultural institution (a 501(3c)) you get that credit and then if you contribute the same amount to the cultural trust, you get a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. "It is a great investment. If you do that and people will take advantage of it, I think it would be a great opportunity to produce more cultural events and bring more stability. But the good part is it is also a good investment for the individual in regard to taxes." Among the other items Kulongoski brought to the conference for attendees to think about was a new initiative regarding state parks. "The new mission, which I am here to announce today, is my plan to create one new state park per year for the next 10 years,' he said. "Do you realize the last full-service park was opened in Oregon in 1972? My commitment to you is that among the new parks we open, some will involve upgrading sites that have deteriorated over the years." Kulongoski used Fort Yam Hill as an example of how this restoration will take place. Right now, only a small house sits on the site. But Kulongoski said his plans call for developing the site into an interpretive center to teach the history of both the Army and the Confederated Tribes, who fought on the land. Kulongoski said he is also taking Oregon into a new phase in its state parks plan, one that will foster cooperation between the federal government and the state. Kulongoski noted his three greatest accomplishments regarding preserving Oregon's fabled history. "First, in the 2003 Legislative session, we passed legislation protecting Oregon's Historic Cemeteries," he noted. "Second, we more than doubled the money for the Preserving Oregon Grant Program. And third, we set aside $400,000 for the Oregon Historical Commission to be used by cities planning to commemorate Lewis and Clark's Expedition in 2005." In that vein, Kulongoski said he had received the final recommendation from the Oregon Water Commission on the design for the new state coin. "I will make my decision probably in the next week," he said. "When you talk about the heritage and history of this state, try putting that on a coin." He then talked about how he felt about the Missouri state coin, which shows Lewis and Clark passing under the St. Louis Arch. "It made me think that Lewis and Clark were going to eat at McDonald's," he joked. The three-day conference ends Saturday with a dinner at the Ashland Springs Hotel. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams