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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW For employers, marijuana still a fireable offense ... Stubborn muddy waters flowing out of Emigrant Lake ... Medford man jailed after alleged bat attack ... For employers, marijuana still a fireable offense ... Stubborn muddy waters flowing out of Emigrant Lake ... Medford man jailed after alleged bat attack ... LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor, June 9 Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 9, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Jun. 9, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Follow the money The Medford City Council's 6-2 vote to fire City Manager Eric Swanson hardly comes as a surprise considering the high level of influence and involvement in local politics by the Medford/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and its Travel Medford subsidiary. Swanson was in the process of negotiating a new contract with the Chamber pertaining to the level of future allocations of municipal hotel tax revenue. As Swanson discovered, challenging Medford's sacred cow is not good for job security. According to the state's campaign finance database, the Chamber's political action committee provided substantial campaign support to five current city councilors — all of whom voted to terminate Swanson's contract. In fact, Dick Gordon ($2,000) and Chris Corcoran ($2,500), who introduced and seconded the motion to terminate Swanson last Thursday, received the richest donations. The Chamber's overweening involvement in local government affairs is a Medford tradition that may not change anytime soon. However, for the sake of objectivity and integrity, current and aspiring city councilors would be wise to refuse campaign contributions from an agency the city subsidizes with substantial amounts of local tax revenue. Richard Scott Medford Thanks to Centennial On behalf of P.E.O Chapter CP, I want to thank the pros and management at Centennial Golf Course for their generous donation of time and facilities to conduct our annual fundraising golf clinic. Each year our P.E.O. Chapter of less than 80 members endeavors to raise funds to help young women of our valley to earn a college or graduate degree. In 2014, five young women received our local scholarships through a rigorous interview process and four women we sponsored won state and/or international scholarships. The total amount received by these women was in excess of $12,000. We may be small in active numbers, but we are mighty. The golf clinic provides a solid base for additional smaller fundraising events during the year. Kudos to all who helped to make the clinic possible and a huge success. Chrystine Van Zee Medford Join anti-LNG protest On May 26, abound 600 people gathered at the capitol in Salem to protest the proposed building of two liquefied natural gas export terminals in Oregon. We protested in front of the Department of State Lands, 503-986-5200, which has the power to block these terminals and pipelines. The Canadian Veresen Co. proposes to build a terminal in Coos Bay and ship gas to Asia. Stateside, that's 235 miles of 4-foot-wide pipe. It would cut though the private property of 700 Oregon residents and 400 bodies of water in four counties, threaten public safety, destroy land, water, animals, trees and plants, and try our souls. In Asia, gas costs $17 a gallon. In the U.S., gas averages $2 a gallon The involved companies seek to sell our $2/galllon gas for $17/gallon, making a tidy profit. There are already enough existing state and federal laws to deny permits to these projects. What we need now is critical-mass, grassroots support to stand up to our vulnerable legislators. We elected them to serve us, not those whose goal is tremendous profit at our expense. Please take action by contacting organizer [email protected], 541-531-8735. Carola Lacy Ashland A pivotal event June 6, 1944, D-Day. The largest seaborne invasion in the history of the world. There were an estimated 10,000 casualties for the allied forces. It was likely the pivotal event that set the stage for the Liberation of Europe in World War II, and led to the end of the war. Saturday's Mail Tribune (June 6) contained absolutely no reference to this historic event and its 71st anniversary. Oh, wait — the Peanuts cartoon paid tribute as it never fails to do. The caption read" June 6, 1944 "To Remember". Did the staff at the Mail Tribune remember? God bless all those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and liberty. Michael Thomas Ashland MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 9, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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