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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
February 22, 1973     Shelton Mason County Journal
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February 22, 1973
 
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If you are paying off a mortgage through a bank or savings and loan association, it is probable an extra chunk of money is being pried out of you each month to serve as a reserve fund for the payment of taxes and interest. Have you ever wondered why the f'mancial institution, rather than you, gets to invest and collect interest on your money? So did two Oregon legislators, who have introduced a bill which would require that state's money-lenders to pay the mortgagee five percent interest on reserve funds. This is a bill so sensible it will undoubtedly meet a quick death. By the time the banking and savings and loan lobbies get through with it, it will be buried so deep in committee Ralph Nader couldn't find it. Be that as it may, it would be a pleasant surprise for Washington consumers if one of this state's legislators introduced such a bill the next time the lawmakers gather at Olympia's marble zoo. The line forms at the right. The corruption of our language for the purpose of misleading the public is not limited to the federal bureaucracy. The man in the street must surely be aware by now that in presidential parlance "'war" becomes "peace," "'defeat" is described as "victory" and "inflation and unemployment" are merged into that lovely word "prosperity." He may not realize, however, that the same deceptive game is being played closer to home. For instance, let's take a look at the word game played by our state's highway lobby, that coalition of pubhc-spirited tax-eaters whose interpretation of the American Dream is a solid asphalt and concrete crust on the Evergreen State from Metaline Falls to La Push and from Blaine to Cathlamet. You would assume that if these dedicated paving pushers decided to hire a rack and grind out self-serving publicity releases they would form an organization named "Paving Is Better Than Saving, Inc.•'' or possibly "Washington State Highway Freaks, Ltd." or maybe "United Front Against Public Transportation And Other Subversive Plots." nff2, The IRt~,ister and Tribune S~mdiext~ " 0 / "Son!" But, no - the state's news disseminators are receiving propaganda from something called the "Washington Highway Users Conference." What a delightful substitution of the word "users" for "builders." And who are these highway users? A partial list of the affiliations of the officers and directors includes: General Construction Co., Associated General Cbntractors, The Asphalt Institute, Asphalt Paving Association of Washington, West Coast Oil Companies, Portland Cement Company, Outdoor Advertising Association of Washington, and Concrete Products Association. A group such as this definitely needs a theme song. As a concrete contribution to the continued rape of the landscape, we offer the following, free of charge, to the Washington Highway Users Conference: AMERICA, THE PAVEABLE Oh beautiful for gaseous skies, For endless waves of cars; For borrowing the mountainside To build the valley's scars. America, America, We'll spread asphalt on thee. And cover every living thing From sea to shining sea. ,years If George Gallup's figures mean anything, the majority of America's citizens have finally caught up with the peaceniks. A recent Gallup Poll says that 80 percent of Americans are satisfied with the Vietnam peace settlement. Only 35 percent, however, think it will last and 54 percent think South Vietnam will be unable to maintain a government strong enough to withstand Communist political pressures once United States troops are withdrawn. In other words, the majority of Americans are satisfied with a peace settlement they doubt will last. President Nixon has assured us that the reason 45,000 Americans died in Vietnam, more than a million Asians died and a nation was devastated was our determination that the government of South Vietnam be protected from a takeover by North Vietnam. He thanked the majority of the American people for backing him in this determination. If this were the case, it would seem obvious that the majority of Americans, since they believe the peace will not last, would favor new American involvement if the peace agreement breaks down. By ROBERT C. CUMMINGS A head-on collision between divergent plans for the gasoline tax appears to be shaping up in the Senate. As Governor Dan Evans pushes for a 2-cent reduction in the tax - in order to levy a sales tax for public transportation - the Senate Transportation Committee chairman is pushing for a 1-cent increase. SB 2639, sponsored by Gordon Walgren, Bremerton, would boost the tax on motor vehicle fuels from 9 to 10 cents per gallon. The extra cent would be used to finance continuation of the urban arterial program. Revenue from a previous increase is pledged to serve the bond issue which financed the current program, and the bond issue proceeds are just about depleted. Many Cities Want It Several weeks before the present legislature convened, representatives of various small and medium sized cities throughout the state told the arterial board they would support a gasoline tax increase to keep the program going. Another bill in the legislature would remove some restrictions in the present law and authorize cities and towns to use the money for improvement of arty street, regardless of whether it is an arterial. By Any Other Name The purpose of the governor's bills is to levy a 5 per cent retail sales tax on gasoline sales to help subsidize public transportation. The proposed gasoline tax reduction is an effort to keep gasoline prices at their present level, despite the sales tax. It is a means of getting around the constitutional provision which restricts use of gasoline tax funds for other than "highway purposes." It is perfectly legal. But regardless of what it is called, it constitutes a diversion. Its effect would be to take an estimated $33 million a year from highway maintenance and construction and spend it on public transportation. Stalemate Possible Walgren probably has the votes to get his bill out of Transportation Committee, and possibly through the Senate. In the House, it would bump into Representative Robert Perry, who heads the Transportation Committee in the lower chamber. Perry has had difficulty controlling his committee, but even if the Walgren bill passed the House, the Governor has said he wouldn't approve it. On the other hand, the governor's bills face trouble, in the Senate. Though redistricting increased the legislative representation of the urban areas, it didn't affect the Senate Transportation Committee. It is loaded with highway-oriented Senators. The fact that the lion's share of the sales tax revenue would go to Seattle's Metro Transit system won't help the governor's proposal. From Waves To Ripples Despite the waves caused by shoreline managment legislation in the past few sessions, a bill to Not so. A majority say they would oppose sending war materials to help South Vietnam in the event North Vietnam in the years ahead were to try to take over South Vietnam, 71 percent oppose bombing North Vietnam in that event, and 79 percent oppose sending United States troops to Vietnam. What these figures show is that the majority of Americans believe the United States should get out of Vietnam and let the Vietnamese settle their own civil war. That's what the peaceniks have been saying for a decade. By HARRIETE BARNETTE Stylish drink (and good): Pernod and water. A must: yearly Pap for ladies,• yearly serum acid phosphatase fi)r men (prostate test). What's in a name? Try introducing yourself as Arbutus and Adolphus - (names are a rut department). Great listening (long hair): FOUR SEASONS, Vivaldi. Scrambled eggs: add chunks of avocado. Yum. Pretty tips: Break the habit of 'making laces' by concentrating on holding your eyes open. Or the tip of your nose steady. Mark Twain said: "Man is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to." Page 4 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, February 22, 1973 ,, II,, scarcely more than a ripple so far. A bill sponsored by Representatives AlaB Thornpson, Castle Rock; John blartinis, Everett; and Edward Luders, Spokane, would cover most wetlands in the state. It would require a permit from the Department of Ecology to alter any pond, marsh, swamp or similar wetland, regardless whether it were privately or publicly owned. Only exceptions would be artificially developed wetlands which have been in existence lessthan 20 years. Permits would be allowed expand existing law. ha* caused would add 10 cents to the fee for each hunting or ftshing license, the extra money to finance search and rescue operations. The sponsor, Joe Haussler, Omak, said various counties expend money through the sheriff office every year in search and rescue operations, and it is money most of them can't afford to spend. The money would be used to relmbut counties for any search operation, whether the lost person were a hunter, a hiker, a mountain climber, fisherman or just a nature lover. only if the proposed alteration would serve an essential public Opposition is expected from purpose and there wam't any those who argue that hunters and reasonable atternaUve;. if the: fishermen shouldn't be singled wetland involved mB without out to pay for everybody who value as a food sotlr~, lresting gets lost. But on the other side of place or habitat for Itny fish ot the isSue, it will be argued that an wildlife, or if the Idling or other additional 10 cents wouldn't hurt alteration were neeettary to anybody, and it is a simple way to protect the publichealtlL', ease the drain on county tax Another measure intheHouse revenues which everybody pays. Editor, The Journal: The Washington State Unemployment Compensation is meant to be adequate compensation for an unemployed person, but it is neither adequate nor compensating when you've been uneniployed for four weeks, have been back to work for two weeks and have as yet received only one check! I can understand the one week waiting period but it seems to me the compensation checks Editor, The Journal: Have been reading the items in the paper about the county rural library service and would like to offer a few comments. We spend many thousands of property tax dollars on the fire districts, hospital district, and sheriff's department, and we as individual taxpayers hope we never need their services for ourselves. Only those faced with serious emergencies get their tax dollar's worth. On the other hand, the library services are there to be used, and the more we use the services the less the cost per book and the greater benefit to the individual user. The facts show Timberland has half a million books and our county residents could check out a great many more than they do, also magazines, records, and films, without raising their taxes. The service by mail is especially good here. All you have to do is write to Timberland Library, Olympia, or phone the Belfair Branch Library, CR5-3232, and explain what information you want. They will send you by mail a book or pamphlet or paper with the information, usually within a week. You need not give the name of a book and its author, but if you do request a particular book it will be mailed to you from whichever library in the district has it on its shelves. This service is available for students who need resource material for school work, when other students in class have already checked out the school library materials on a certain subject. The regional library also has a good deal of material on various crafts and hobbies, and on money-raising projects, useful for youth groups and adult organizations. Timberland has books for Editor, The Journal: In answer to the letter by the Shelton Library Board in last week's Journal, some inaccuracies were noted. The North Mason Friends of the Library were somewhat surprised to see the Timberland Branch Library at Belfair characterized as a bookdrop and our much-appreciated librarian, Elizabeth Gatlin, as volunteer labor. This so-called drop circulated ' ' 12,374 books in 1972 and Illllllllllllllllllllllmlllll " " HIHIHIIIfllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII handled 693 requests which were innis' filled from headquarters. Rotating new books average 26 per week. The services, including a paid librarian and access to Timberland"s book collection, are paid by Timberland. No doubt many county residents living in the Shelton area do feel they would be better Ray Fine was visiting a friend tl -uthor day while a seven-year-old boy was showing a playmate through the Imme. When they came to the bar, he heard the youngster atmotmcc ~, "And this is my father's chemistry set." • {Red l t fieH in Nashville Banner) served if Shelton Library services were free to them. However, other county residents living outside the Shelton area would be poorly served if it were not for the services of a regional library. It was through the petitioning of just such county residents that The teacher of a dance class had just taught the boys the proper way to ask a girl for a dance. A few minutes after tilt dance had begun one boy danced along side the teacher and whispered: "Now how do ! get rid of her?" (Baltimore Sun) Economics is amazing. You buy a "IV set that was made in Japan, shipped to a distributor in the UaRed States, who sold it to a wholesaler, who sold it to the store that soM it to you. Think of it: All those people enjoying a high standard of living on your $10 down payment. (Alex Thien in Milwaukee Sentinel) A retired school teacher was helping her 8-year-old grandson with his homework recently. "Cdandma," he asked, "did you teach for only five years? .... No," she asked, "1 rtaUght lots longer than that." "Well," he asked, "how mate you only got to the fifth 1Fade?" (Minneapolis Tribune) Overheard: "Today's news is too true to be good." (Mort Edelstein in Chicago Daily News) should be received thereafter each week. as heck don't, however,! doesn't seem to explanation for the Possibl be replaced by something, rather some humans who some humans who-do; and some computers always work right! A home owners projects, sewing, management, decorating, and a manuals. If one intends reference book of example an enc cookbook it makes sense to library's collection check out one or two sure of the one you from a bookstore. than buying well-advertised volume/ which may have between its bri covers. Also from our services we are information, pro political issues. magazines are background tax system, state governments, welfare, drug abuse, protection, and concerns. Those who paperbacks, read thtntt' throw them away can by using the of paperbacks. They out and read for free for someone else to tl~ are worn out. Our county try to maintain good all the children. the most benefit are who attend regularly learn. The same to our libraries. The public library1 this county are s e I f-education, cultural enrichment regardless of race, size of pocketbook. to do is use them. thc reg The only way serve the whole to become a regional l as the Kitsap Bremerton, which is both city and small county, such could not possibly service com rendered by a regional l rary. As rural most of us are our excellent certainly the Shelton to refrain from service with the library tc non-resident fee For those who to pay the fee, services of and bookmobiles money supports. stops can be branch welcomes all open four days a Margaret county" Founded 1886 by Grant C. Angle Mailing Address: Box 430, Shelton, Wa. 98584 Published at 227 West Cota Street, Shelton, Washington 98584, weekly. Second-class postage paid at Shelton, Member of National Editorial Association Member of Washington Newspaper SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $5.50 per year in in advance -- Outside Mason Court EDITOR AND PUBLISHER .....................