Home Opinion Letters Letters to the Editor for Jan. 8, 2010

Letters to the Editor for Jan. 8, 2010

Written by Baker City Herald Readers January 08, 2010 01:05 am

Roads aren’t the real forest problem

To the editor:

The recent letter, “Forest has too many roads now,” is baloney and supported by false assumptions and personal opinions, not based on any facts. The letter states that the reason for the decline in elk numbers is too many roads. The true reason is too many predators. This is a proven fact support by a recent study revealed in the La Grande Observer and partially done by ODFW.

ODFW claims there are 5,700 or more cougars in Oregon. The study shows that as few as 25 percent of elk calves survive due to predators. It’s the do-gooder environmentalists that are killing the elk by supporting the predators.

The letter also states that what the management plan does is determine what we will find in the forest when we get there. In reality, those too old or unable to walk 10 miles or more will not get there at all.
The letter also claims that too many roads drive the elk to private land, causing chronic problems for ranchers. Although this may be true to some extent, the truth is that elk go to private land because that is where the alfalfa is and the other crops they like to eat. I personally know ranchers who were driven out of business by the elk. But it’s hard to feel sorry for a rancher who posts his land “no hunting” and complains about the elk and deer eating his crops.
The same so-called environmentalists who want to keep you out of the woods don’t mind the cougars and wolves killing 100,000 or more animals a year. Their statistics come from thin air.
Wise up.
Jerry Huddleston
Baker City

Elk don’t care about roads
To the editor:
I have worked on the forest for 15 years taking care of two grazing allotments for two different owners and helping with a third. In doing my job I have ridden many miles on the back of a horse, moving the cattle. I have also spent my share of time using a 4-wheeler, putting out salt, fencing, working on water developments and all the many chores required on a grazing allotment.
The letter of Jan. 4 by David Mildrexler states that the WWNF has 9,111 miles of roads. Not all of the roads are open. A lot of those miles are old roads that have been closed by Mother Nature and haven’t been used in many years. And every year she closes more.
Mr. Mildrexler says elk numbers are dwindling, and blames this on roads and human activity. I just do not believe this to be true.
Elk just are not that bothered by roads or anything else that I can see. In the last few years I see more elk than ever. They cross roads, big or small. The elk in Sumpter Valley cross the highway every day of the year all up and down the valley, coming and going from around Phillips Lake. I cannot count the number of times I have sat either on my horse or 4-wheeler to wait for herds to cross roads in front of me. When elk want to be somewhere or go somewhere they do it. Nothing stops them if they have a mind to go. And don’t let them tell you that grazing upsets them either. Elk graze right along with the cattle if it is where they want to be. I’ve even seen them calve and then hide their young amongst a herd of cattle.
I believe in being a good steward of the land, and I care about it and all that need it. But if we allow environmentalists to close even one mile, they will not stop until they have locked us out.
Valerie Omann
Baker City

Defeating tax measures hurts all
To the editor:
Did you know there are only 93 tax filers in Baker County who will be paying the slight increase in taxes under Measures 66 and 67? That’s not a very big number.
Did you know the increase only applies to income/profit over $250,000 (household) or $125,000 (individual)? For example, if the profit/income is $260,000, the tax increase is only calculated on the $10,000 over $250,000. The facts are 89 percent of Baker County tax filers will not pay a penny more than they’re already paying and 9.6 percent will get a tax break if they received an unemployment check in 2009.
However, 100 percent of Baker County residents will be adversely affected by “no” votes on Measures 66 and 67 either through funding cuts to schools, people cut from the Oregon Health Plan, or seniors and people with disabilities cut from assistance with long-term care needs. There is even the possibility of Powder River Correctional Facility being closed (loss of 98 jobs). These are not job killing taxes — they are tax fairness measures to help the middle class.
At this time, Oregon has the third-lowest corporate tax rate in the nation and Measures 66 and 67 raise that to the fifth-lowest in the nation. Get all the facts in your voters’ pamphlet or at www.voteyesfororegon.org and “love thy neighbor as thyself” by voting yes on Measures 66 and 67.
Marilyn Dudek
Baker City