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County's Republican Party: No, no and no on taxes Monday May 1, 2017 at 12:01 AM By Shaun Hall Grants Pass Daily Courier The leadership of the Josephine County Republican Party is opposing all tax measures on the May 16 ballot, even the Animal Control levy. Local GOP precinct committee person Paul Walter told the Daily Courier of the decision, saying about 40 party leaders and precinct committee persons formally voted to oppose tax measures for public safety, a library district, and Animal Control services. Walter, a longtime anti-tax crusader and office-seeker, said the bottomline issue is the economy. "Groceries are doubling. People on Social Security are struggling," he said. "We want accountability and we never get nothing." Local party Chairman Joshua Robinson explained that while party leaders support the various services, he believes people just don't have the money to spare on new taxes. "The Republican Party is not against these services, especially the sheriff," he said. "I think what we're getting from Republicans from around the county is the tax burden is high. They believe there's other ways to do things." The party's decision to take a stance on local tax measures raised eyebrows among some former party leaders. Keith Trahern, Robinson's predecessor as chairman of the Josephine County Central Committee, noted support for law enforcement is the first plank in the state party's platform and said he doesn't believe the party should take sides on tax measures. "I think the levy is a very divisive issue," he said of the public safety levy. "Some Republicans are for it. Some are against it." Helen Scott, another former central committee chairperson, issued a statement saying she supports that state plank, which calls for laws that protect society. "Our Josephine County funding for 'protection of society' is being drastically reduced July 1," Scott said. "As far as we can see, we will have no funding in Josephine County for the sparse sheriff's patrols that we have today. Therefore, I have chosen to support the sheriff's levy in May." Walter said last Sunday's vote to oppose the tax measures included just a single dissenter, who supported renewing the Animal Control levy, which passed easily with 62 percent of the vote in 2014. State Rep. Carl Wilson, R-Grants Pass, said he sympathizes with Republican frustration with taxes. "At the state level, the Democrats want to tax anything that moves or makes a profit," Wilson said by telephone from Salem, where the Legislature is in session. "The Republicans don't want to do that." However, Wilson added that it was his recollection that the local party traditionally has stayed away from taking a position on local tax measures. "I think it's a recent phenomenon," he said. Gordon Anderson, a former Republican state representative and former Grants Pass mayor, said he's not planning to vote for the library district but does support both the Animal Control levy and the public safety levy despite the fact it will cost him an estimated $500 a year for his two riverfront properties. "For the safety of the community, we need good sheriffs, and I hope it passes," Anderson said. In contrast to the Republican Party, the local Democratic Party has come out in support of the three tax measures, as it has for previous proposals in the last decade, according to Howard Owens, local Democratic chairman. "We've been pushing for money for improving the county for a long time," Owens said.