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Election Letters, Nov. 6 Sunday Nov 6, 2016 at 12:01 AM No on school bond We support our schools. We don’t support mismanaging our tax dollars. That will not stop until you say no more! You have paid the Rogue River School District bond since 2000, plus the significant share of your property taxes that goes to our schools. They want six more years because poor management could not accomplish basic objectives. Good management would. Tell them to cut overhead, excess staff, aides and wasteful programs. They claim you won’t pay more than you are paying now. That’s already too much. In six years they will request another extension! Where does it stop? They want $3.3 million more for things they should have already accomplished. Should you bail them out again? As a corporate CEO for 20 years and your former School Board chairman, my recommendation is: Don't support another failure. Vote no to extend the school bond. Vote no on Measure 15-167. Howard Wand Rogue River Left-slanted bias I have subscribed to your newspaper for years now and become even more disappointed on the left-slanted bias going on with this election, only printing bad opinions on Mr. Trump and nothing on the scandals of Mrs. Clinton. Newspapers and journalists are supposed to print the truth, not their own agenda; every day I see awful cartoons put out by other left-leaning news agencies. Don't you have someone in that office who has any moral character to view and be honest about the content and maybe not print it? We the public who are supposed to be making a fair judgment are being distrusted to do that; we are adults with an education and don't need to be led by you. I am sure this won't be printed and I am sure I will probably cancel my subscription also. Joan Thompson White City Chose Gary Johnson After the childish debates I will not vote for Trump nor Clinton for president. Like the movie The Matrix, red pill, blue pill: both bad but you have the illusion of a choice. I considered not voting, but that's a wasted vote. Instead I'm voting for Gary Johnson, former governor of New Mexico. Johnson believes in fiscally responsible, smaller government, social tolerance and practical, fair immigration. I choose to vote for a man with integrity. Some say that Gary's chances of winning are slim; I disagree. The polls are grossly out of touch with reality, sample those with landline only, close to zero people under 35. Trump and Clinton are the most disliked candidates in history; this will be the lowest election turnout in 40-plus years. Neither Clinton-Trump have a comfortable path to the 270 electoral votes, anything could happen in this bizarre election, even President Gary Johnson! Choose wisely. Bill Barrios Medford Voting for Stein Are we to believe and be bound by the choice for president between the only two people given any mainstream media attention? How many will vote for one because they don't want the other? What about a complete 360 and vote for a green new "precedent"? Dr. Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka have intelligent, well-informed answers to the difficult questions facing us! Please take some time to listen to her on YouTube or Facebook. There is still hope for intelligent choices and peace on Earth. Spread the word. She has my vote and support for sure, slam dunk, no doubts and confidence! Daniel Gregg Ashland Support heritage Last month I helped with the Scarecrow Festival at the Historic Hanley Farm. What a pleasure to watch parents and young children stuffing scarecrows with straw, and engaging in other traditional activities reminiscent of our rural past. If you live in Jackson County, you are heir to a rich and fascinating local history. On Tuesday, each of us has a special opportunity to support our local heritage by voting yes on a measure that will provide stable funding for 15 historical and genealogical societies throughout the county. This support will assure that our community’s history is preserved through the collection and proper storage of irreplaceable artifact, documents, and oral histories and allow these organizations to share this history through exhibits, children’s educational activities, Living History presentations and other public programs and events. Please vote yes on Measure 15-164 so that activities at Hanley Farm and elsewhere can continue. Dawna Curler Medford Moro for young families As a young family with a new baby, my husband and I are worried about affordable housing in this area. We are both educated and work full-time, and are disappointed and angry that we need to wonder if we will be able to afford to stay here. I am voting for Tonia Moro because she has shown by her record that when she gets to Salem she will be working hard for families like mine to ensure that the Rogue Valley is a place where someone can afford to raise a family. I know she will be thinking about how those decisions impact new families that are renters and need affordable housing, or young people with student debt. She will be fighting for us. Stephanie Langhorne Ashland Corporate money, local campaigns Any voter can look at the lists of who has donated money to each of the two candidates for State Senate, Tonia Moro and Alan DeBoer. The candidates are required to report it, available to the public on the website of the Oregon secretary of state. DeBoer has reported getting major contributions from political action committees from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association, American Insurance Association, Alliance of Automobile Manufactures, Anheuser Busch, Property Casualty Insurers Association, Regence, Sid DeBoer's donation ($25,000), Lithia Auto Sales, and AG-PAC, which represents giant agribusiness conglomerates like Monsanto and Syngenta. Tonia Moro did not and will not get a penny from any of those huge corporate special interests. Her donations represent nurses, small business owners, working families, family farmers, retirees, and many other small contributions. I’m voting for Tonia Moro she represents people, not out-of-state corporate money. Robert Campbell Jacksonville Vote for Tonia As someone who works in Medford, I am proud to support candidates who stand with workers. As our next state senator, Tonia Moro will stand with working people and advocate for affordable housing, health care and education. She’s the only candidate for Senate District 3 that we can trust to defend the minimum wage and paid sick leave. Tonia has earned the endorsement of all of the major unions in the state because she understands that our economy does better when working families are paid a living wage. I care about having a voice in Salem for regular working people, not just the biggest corporations, and if you do, too, then you should vote for Tonia. Christy O'Neill Medford Vote for Wallan Kim Wallan has spent years volunteering in our community, always in a leadership role. Over the past 10 years that I have known her, she has demonstrated the confidence and determination to get things done, even when the going got tough. She will bring a wealth of experience to the City Council. We are fortunate that she is willing to serve our city and fight for what needs to get done. Kim has the common sense to make good decisions for the betterment of our community. Please join me in voting for Kim Wallan for City Council, Ward 4. Leanne Wood Medford Clinton must not be president If any one thing is clear this election cycle, it is that Hillary Clinton is for myriad reasons not a qualified candidate. Her history of deception, misrepresentation, willingness to say anything to obtain the office she feels she has an entitlement to hold, not to mention the criminal investigations, and now over 650,000 emails from various sources including her server, in possession of a person totally unrelated to the State Department verify that. Donald Trump is certainly not a perfect candidate, but his heart is in the right place. He doesn't seek for himself power and money, nor is he willing, nor does he have any motivation to sell his office as Clinton has so obviously done with the State Department. Raymond Smith Central Point Supporting Thomas The state report cards are in: the Medford School District is now moving in a positive direction, boosting achievement for all students and closing the gap between student populations. Graduation rates, freshmen credit accumulation rates and academic performance in all subject areas are up across the board for all students. Suspensions and expulsions are down, and more reflective of the population of the district as a whole, rather than disproportionately affecting students of color. Under difficult circumstances, Jeff Thomas pulled together a divided board and moved the district forward with new leadership that is directly responsible for these changes. We could use that kind of collaborative leadership on the Board of Commissioners to solve the problems that our county faces. Please join me in voting for Jeff Thomas for county commissioner. Kathy Keesee-Morales Medford Supporting Measure 97 The third-lowest graduation rates in the nation, $7.6 billion in deferred maintenance for school buildings, 29,734 students without access to a school nurse. That's the current state of K-12 schools in Oregon. And it's fundamentally letting down our students. It's time we ask some of the largest corporations to pay their fair share in taxes so we can adequately fund schools. Measure 97 will only affect large C-corporations, not small businesses or consumers. Investing in kids' education is a smart economic investment. Taxpayers like you and me know that and pay our fair share in taxes. It's time for big corporations to do the same. We can't keep waiting because every year that we do, more and more kids drop out of school and don't get the attention they deserve. Please join me in voting yes on Measure 97 Nov. 8. Emily Pfeiffer Ashland Trump! Where is the "Mr." in it? How can he lead and shape our future? The only policy statement he has such clarity about (degrading a wide swath of people, primarily women) can't change or fix our problems. Please, America, show your children through your actions, their worth! That's our future. Mark Satter Medford Choice is clear The choice for residents of state representative, District 6, is a clear one. You can vote for a proven leader. Sal Esquivel has represented District 6 very well. He has always listened to the concerns of the residents of the district and acted in our best interest. He holds several positions of power in Salem, including being the ranking Republican on the Natural Resources Committee. He has turned into a powerful voice for Southern Oregon. With the death of Sen. Alan Bates, leadership positions by those from Southern Oregon are rare. Sal is one of those. I recommend a vote for him to continue to allow him to do the work he has been doing for us. Greg Roberts Medford Support DeBoer I have served on the Mt. Ashland board for the past two years with Alan DeBoer. Our goal is to preserve this community asset for our grandchildren. Our approach is to ensure financial stability and operational sustainability though responsible management and community involvement. Alan has been the leader in turning the association’s financial position around. He is also a doer, pitching in wherever needed. He is a good listener and he is capable of developing sound, compromised solutions to tough situations. When Alan told me he was running for office I had to ask him “which party”? All the time we have worked together he has made decisions based on the merits of information, without a political bias. He is primarily concerned with the welfare of Southern Oregon and the state of Oregon. He has my vote in this election. Please join me. Hank O’Dougherty Ashland Think of your daughters How could any one who has a daughter, a sister, a mother, endorse someone who, for his own ego, gropes women, and then with unbridled arrogance goes on to brag about it as if were perfectly acceptable to violate women? No matter what your political affiliation, wrong is wrong. Think about your daughters when voting. Linda Zigich Medford Re-elect Dick Gordon I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with Dick Gordon on a number of projects facing Medford and our City Council in recent years. His leadership as council president has shown him to be patient, insightful and willing to find a win-win solution. With a number of new faces set to join our council, re-electing Dick will lend stability to the group. I believe Medford needs Dick Gordon on the City Council. Rich Hansen Medford A question A question to ask yourself before making the tough choice: When Putin pushes too far, when Iran obliterates Israel, when Kim Jong-un nukes Seattle or San Francisco, who do you want to be your commander in chief? Bill Riggert Medford Misogyny defined I wanted to offer this definition: “Misogyny is when the male candidate (Trump) has a fraud trial date in November, a child rape trial date in December and 73 other pending lawsuits, but the campaign focus is on emails the female candidate did not send.” In fact, Trump is involved with 75 legal battles currently. Where is the media coverage of these facts? Eileen Chieco Ashland Trump has a plan There will be no improvement in our economy until we reform our unfair tax system. In Hillary Clinton's first statement in the voter's pamphlet, she didn't even mention taxes. Now she claims "We'll pay for our plans by making Wall Street businesses and the super-wealthy pay their fair share in taxes." Those friends of hers will hire the best attorneys and get around the tax code. Donald Trump says "We must reduce the burden by lowering rates, eliminating loopholes and simplifying the tax code. We must pay particular attention to fixing our corporate tax structure so capital and jobs will come back to America." Donald Trump has a real plan and he knows how to implement it. Claire Heil Grants Pass Honesty for assessor I currently have a case filed against Jackson County concerning my property tax valuations for 2010-2016. Angela Stuhr, the lead county appraiser, represents the county as my appeal progresses. She has exhibited knowledge, expertise and most important, she has treated me as an equal. She has also been very honest and transparent throughout the process. Angela Stuhr has my vote for Jackson County assessor. James Work Central Point Voting for Sal Sal Esquivel understands our community. He grew up here, he was an outstanding Medford City Council member, our state senator and representative, and has spent his life trying to make our community a better place to live. He cares about his family, his country and Southern Oregon. There is no one better to represent us in Salem. Join me and vote for Sal Esquivel. John Zupan Medford Yes on 97 Please for Ballot Measure 97. Oregon's schools and public health care system, starved and carved for years, need relief. The Legislature has proven incapable of fixing our outdated tax system. The people must step in and make a statement. If it's such a simple matter of "passing the tax along to the consumer," why have most out-of-state corporations already poured $18 million into campaigns to stop 97? Why not just wait and "pass it on? Obviously, estimates of what 97 may cost Oregon residents are just estimates. It's true we are on uncharted ground with the measure. Yes, there's no guarantee the Legislature will spend the money as specified, but those are the biggest current budgetary needs. Since it's not a constitutional amendment, the Legislature can also fix any issues that Measure 97 might create. Send a message to our Oregon House and Senate: Please vote yes on Measure 97. Righard Strahm Medford The best option Trump has declared there is a "global conspiracy" against him. Trump is not important enough for a global conspiracy to care about him. He is a narcissistic megalomaniac who thinks he's a celebrity and that he's God's gift to women. Never mind that many women have come forward complaining about his sexualabuse toward them. "They're all lying!" Bill Clinton, to be sure, has had the same complaints, but this time around, Bill is not running for president. Not all women are wary of Trump. Recently on ABS it was reported that some women have come forward calling themselves the "Trumpettes." One declared that Trump is an "alpha male."  She understands alpha males because her dog is one. Hillary certainly has her share of warts, but she has far more political experience and foreign policy understanding than Trump has. Of the two, voting for Hillary is the best option. Mary E. Scott Medford Do not vote Hillary! Are you happy with Obama? We are trillions in debt, Obamacare is a mess, we have no jobs, the police are in fear of their lives. And, of course, our military, our precious military, is being mistreated. Can Trump help? He is worth a chance. We are going to have another Obama if you vote for Hillary. God Bless America. Gloria Ruth Central Point Backing Esquivel I'm backing Sal Esquivel because he gets things done. In today's partisan politics it is difficult to find a candidate to vote for that can stand by their record and really reach across the aisle and be a statesman. When you look at Sal's record, you fond such a person. He was part of the bipartisan delegation that created the SOU/RCC Higher Education Center. Sal aided i the protection of our local environment by helping with preservation efforts to guard the wooded hillsides around Jacksonville. He has helped with our air quality issues and with the Highway 62 expressway project. He worked to acquire funding of $1 million toward the building renovation of the historic Holly Theatre. Sal makes himself available to respectfully listen to his constituents' concerns. I think it is important to send Sal back to Salem to continue to work for us. Carol Samuelson Medford Get the whole truth Let's get the whole truth on all bills and measures. What is really in it. Who are the real beneficiaries, like PERS. If all money requests are voted in, what will the cost be, added to what we already pay, property owners and renters? Remember the library vote? They said only 30 cents per $1,000 of value. When it passed, they jumped to 60 cents per $1,000. Caught, they settled on 50 cents per $1,000. Never the 30 cents. Let's have honest information on all, not incomplete oversight to control the full story. To not do so hurts the bottom half of people who are struggling with increasing costs. Antone Pedersen Medford Yes on 99 Oregon voters in this election have an opportunity to do a great thing for the kids in our community. Measure 99 would provide quality outdoor education for every Oregon student. When I taught school in Medford, I made sure my students made some connection with the astounding natural gifts of this state, but Outdoor School for All would allow our kids to have a much richer outdoor experience than a single teacher could provide. Measure 99 would not raise taxes; it would be funded with Oregon Lottery dollars. Of all 50 states, Oregon can excel in connecting our kids with the great natural riches we have here. This grass-roots measure deserves our support. Please join me in voting yes for Measure 99. John Letz Grants Pass Voting yes on 97 Under the initiative, taxes will increase for only the very largest corporations doing business in Oregon. Most of these are out-of-state firms, and because Oregon is dead last when it comes to corporate taxes, they are not paying their fair share on the profits they reap in our state. The result is that students, seniors and families in Oregon are left in need. As a retired teacher and life-long resident of Southern Oregon, I've seen it first-hand. The Measure 97 ballot title spells out exactly how the new revenue will be used. It reads, "funds education, health care and senior services." It is a fair proposal that protects small businesses. It is endorsed by dozens of community organizations including the Oregon PTA, the Oregon State Council of Retired Citizens and the League of Women Voters. Please join me in voting yes on Measure 97. Judy Richards Talent