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janinsalem's comments:

on Unpacking Heat

I would not "run out the door screaming" if I went into a Starbucks and saw someone carrying a gun. But I would leave. Your commentator would likely not know why I left.

If I knew of business that banned weapons, I would be more likely to patronize them instead of places like Starbucks. Unfortunately, Peets is not in Salem.

I see no legitimate reason for carrying a gun in a public place. I know those who believe in guns will think I'm silly, but seeing a gun makes me afraid, and that's just how it is, and I have no real desire to change.

posted 3 years, 1 month ago
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on Changing the Kicker

The kicker is one of the stupidest ideas Oregon ever came up with. It is not based on the present or future needs of the state, only on a forecast. If you get more income as a family than you planned on, do you give away all the extra, or do you save it for a time when the income is short?

We don't want the economists to be too optimistic and predict revenue that won't happen. But when they are conservative, we think we should punish everyone by sending the money away. I believe the last kicker was the largest in history, and look where we are now. This is no way to run a state!

As for the people who feel that the kicker is their money: by that argument, so is all the money you pay in taxes. If you don't believe that we should pay any taxes, I guess your kicker "belongs" to you, but I certainly don't want to live in the kind of state you would have.

posted 4 years, 2 months ago
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on The Art of Hard Times

I think I just heard Rep Nolan say that donors were notified of this decision. I am a donor, and I was not notified, and I'm not happy. Maybe she meant that only those who bought the license plates were notified, but that is not satisfactory. That distinction is completely artificial; as far as I can tell, it's only usefulness was in deciding how much money to take. To say that there is some difference in the money is the same logic as the CEOs who claim that their bonuses are OK because they weren't paid directly out of the federal bailout.

There are two things I would like to hear in the on-air discussion:

Were other "reserve funds" used? If not, why not?

Is this a loan or can the trust just kiss this money good-by?

If there are not satisfactory answers to these questions, I must say that I will be less likely to donate to the Trust in the future, and I am sure I'm not the only one.

posted 4 years, 2 months ago
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on Measures 56 and 59: Tax Policy

"ajreuland" is entitled to his/her opinion, although I think it's uninformed on many levels. It will be an improvement if the "no" voters have to work as hard as the "yes" voters to win an election. With the "double majority", all the antis have to do is promote apathy. Great democratic principle!

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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on Measures 56 and 59: Tax Policy

It's hard to know where to start to disagree with Don MacIntyre (and the previous comment). The thing that jumped out the farthest to me was his assertion that those who benefit from property taxes are the politicians. How stupid!!! Do only the politicians benefit from reducing overcrowding in schools, from fixing potholes in the streets, or from insuring adequate fire and police protection? I don't enjoy paying taxes any more than anyone else, but I am SICK of the whole "taxes=evil" argument! I believe in doing certain things for the common good, but I fear I'm in a diminishing minority. If I am, then those people in the majority should at least have to vote their principals. The idea that they can outvote me by not voting is totally undemocratic!!

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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on Banking In the Bailout Days

For years I felt kind of dumb and unsophisticated by having almost all my business with my credit union. But I have gotten great rates and great service. And I don't feel so dumb now!

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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on Banking In the Bailout Days

It seems to me that this has a lot of parallels to the war in Iraq: it was a lot easier to get in than to get out, and now that we're here there are no good options. I can follow the basics of it, but I really can't evaluate all the options in detail. I am convinced that there is a real problem that needs to be dealt with in the short term, and I have no illusions that whatever is done now is going to fix things for good. I have little or no faith in the Bush administration to act in the best interests of middle-class people like me, but I think my only option is to hope that between the administration and the Congress, they will step up and show some leadership. Put together something that is going to clear up some of the immediate problems, take a deep breath, and pass it! Then we all need to demand that the next Congress will tackle the underlying problems and do something to solve some of those.

posted 4 years, 7 months ago
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on Where Bikes and Cars Intersect

There is no such thing as a perfect system of bike lanes. Where I live in Salem, the main route from the south into downtown is Commercial Street. There is a nice bike lane on the right side of the street, so I can get onto Commercial easily from my neighborhood. However, if I want to turn left off of Commercial, I have to cross to the other side, where there is no bike lane and little space between the traffic and parked cars. It seems too much to expect to put bike lanes on both sides of all major streets. It is also unrealistic to expect bikes to stop and cross the street like a pedestrian when we need to make a turn. The bottom line for me is that we all have to be careful, not make assumptions, and treat everyone else on the road as we would like to be treated.

posted 5 years ago
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