Notice: Undefined index: HTTP_REFERER in /home/stparch/public_html/headmid_temp_main.php on line 4394
Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
May 8, 1975     Shelton Mason County Journal
PAGE 4     (4 of 40 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
 
PAGE 4     (4 of 40 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
May 8, 1975
 
Newspaper Archive of Shelton Mason County Journal produced by SmallTownPapers, Inc.
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information
Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader




.i NCq'~llkl& ~t.W..C..Eff-O.~ L| E F IL.U E The banks are getting smarter. Several years ago when the management of Lockheed ran the business into the swamp, a clutch of banks was left holding a $250 million bag. Tile moneylenders took their problem to Richard Nixon and the Congress of the United States. These representatives of the people arranged a $250 million loan to Lockheed which saved both the banks and the mismanaged corporation from their own bad judgment. But the Lockheed welfare bill barely passed, which caused much sweat on the brows of the bankers and their kept officeholders. Thanks to a 1974 amendment to the Public Works and Economic Development Act, the banks need do no more after-the-fact sweating. They may now loan money to mismanaged companies with a government guarantee provided in advance. A news release from Senator Warren G. Magnuson reveals that Todd Shipyard Corporation, "which runs a shipyard in Seattle." will receive a government-guaranteed $22.5 million working capital loan that will enable it to "continue in operation arid save the jobs of 10,000 workers." The Senator is telling you that he has just saved 10,000 jobs. "[he five-year loan to Todd is being made by a consortium of 13 banks headed by Chase Manhattan Bank of New York." Magnuson said. "The loan will be at a rate of three percent over the New York prime and will be secured by substantial Todd assets. In non-l flitician talk, "substantial Todd assets" means no assets on which banks will loan money. "A series of unfortunate, unpredictable and uncontrollable events converged in late 1973 and early 1974 to cause Todd Shipyards unprecedented problems and a serious drain in its working capital," Magnuson continued• '"lhe embargo by oil exporting nations, combined with the accelerating costs of construction, had an adverse financial effect upon Todd's cash flow." Translation: Todd Shipyards can't compete in today's marketplace. What Senator Magnuson's news release reveals is that your government has arranged for 13 banks to divvy up a high interest rate on a no-risk $22.5 million loan with a failing business as middleman. This is Senator Magnuson's idea of a dandy way to save jobs and is one more reason why he and his colleagues are now working on a $70-billion budget deficit. It's another rip-off of the first magnusonitude. Dermis Kelley of Shelton thinks a raise in the sales tax would be the most equitable solution to the problem of financing the schools. "When kids buy candy and soft drinks they will pay the sales tax, thus assuming their share of the cost of their education," he says. "What could be fairer?" With tongue planted not half as far in cheek as Kelley's, we suggest a similar proposition: a tax on hot air so that legislators can agsume their fair share of the cost of their protracted stay in Olympia at $55,000 per day. What could be fairer? ~~~~~i~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~m~~~~~~~~~~~~~~m~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~l Mack McGinnis' ~u~H~i~H~~u~H~~~ My wife says she knows how to move all those unsold cars. Have a garage sale. (Herin Albright in Chicago Tribune) A man wrote the Wall Street Journal: "My wife tells me the definition of a true gentleman is one who knows how to play the bagpipe, but doesn't." (Herin Albright in Perry Township Weekly) It seems the big idea is to take all the lead out of the gasoline and replace it with taxes. (Clyde Moore in Columbus Dispatch) From Harriet Shull: "Congressmen do not spend money like drunken sailors. Saiims spend their own money." (Bob Goddard in St. Louis Globe Democrat) Leo Aikman of the Atlanta Constitution says a farmer was trying to sell a coon dog. The dog started out hot on the trail, barking constantly in his excitement. Then came a sudden silence from the dog. The prospective buyer almost lost interest. But moments later the dog started barking again. "He was just going through some posted land," the farmer-owner explained. (Troy Gordon in Tulsa World) Ed Seguin heard someone say that inflation has us behind the iO-ball. (Robert J. Herguth in Chicago Daily News) Mailing Address: Box 430, Shelton, Wa. 98584 Phone 426-44 12 Published at 227 West Cota Street, 5helton Mason County, Washington 98584, weekly. Second-class postage paid at Shelton, Washington. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $6.00 per year in Mason County, in advance -Outside Mason County $7.50 EDITOR AND PUBLISHER ...................... Henry G. Gay Page 4 - Shetton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, May 8, 1975 ..... • moneuverlnq envlronmel By ROBERT C. CUMMINGS Two measures modifying e xisting environmental-related legislation made progress through the Legislature this week. If enacted into law, they could throw sizeable monkey wrenches into the machinery to repeal two existing laws. A bill to modify the shoreline management act, SubSB 2734, was reported out of the Senate State Government Committee on a "do pass" recommendation with only one dissenting vote. ..... Sidetracking Derailed An attempt to sidetrack it by referring it to the Senate Ecology Committee failed when the motion could muster only 17 votes in its favor. Meanwhile the House passed SubHB 1078 to modify the forest practices act. The Senate previously had passed a bill repealing the entire act, but an attempt to amend the House bill to do the same thing was beaten down by an overwhelming margin. Negotiations between House Natural Resources Committee chairman John Martinis, Everett, and his Senate counterpart, Lowell Peterson, Concrete, are expected to result in enactment of a modification measure similar to that passed by the House. Initiatives to repeal both the shorelines management and forest practices act are now on file with the Secretary of State, but efforts to put them on the ballot could be seriously frustrated by enactment of the two bills to modify the acts. Water On The Shelf Governor Dan Evans' bill to limit water rights permits to 50 years for users of large volumes of water, and to impose fees for the permits, has been put on the shelf until January. With Governor Evans' consent, the issue will be studied by legislative committees during the interim. But also during the interim, a moratorium will be declared on permits for water rights involving 2,000 or more gallons. The Department of Ecology already had been withholding action on applications for permits involving in excess of 5,000 gallons. Some 20 applications now pending will be affected by the moratorium, which is being imposed by joint resolution of the House and Senate. Breathing Time For Aerosol Consumerites and ecologists who seek to ban the use of aerosol products will have to wait a little longer. There is a bill in the House Commerce Committee, HB 1055, which would prohibit the sale or manufacture~ of any aerosol spray-type product in this state after January l, 1977. It is sponsored by Georgette Valle, Seattle; Donn Charnley, Seattle; Edward P. Smith, Aberdeen; John R. Hawkins, Tacoma; Pat Cochrane, Richland; William J. S. May, Spokane; Marion Kyle Sherman, Maple Valley; Charles Moon, Snohomish; Charles D. Kilbury, Pasco; and John Eng, Seattle. But the measure is being held in committee in favor of another bill, HB 1081, sponsored by Edward T. Luders, Spokane, and Charnley, which is in the House Ecology Committee. It would create a special task force within the Department of Ecology to compile and analyze data on aerosols and, their chemical propellants, and monitor their effects on the e~nvironment, public health and welfare. The task force would be directed to present an interim report and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature by January 10, 1977. Austerity For The Arts The uncertain-state of the economy appears to be spelling austerity for the State Arts Commission. Governor Evans had requested a budget of more than $2.35 million for the Arts Commission, of which more than $1.5 million would be state Editor, The Journal: The Pioneer School levy has been an issue of much concern, debate and misunderstanding. We are active citizens who love our community and our school and who were somewhat skeptical about theneed for a special levy at Pioneer, so we attended the meetings in which the budget was carefully scrutinized for possible cutbacks. The committee made considerable reductions in the budget and the Editor, The Journal: As a teacher for District 309, 1 feel professionally obligated to take exception to the comment in your letter column in your May 1 issue that teachers do not provide proper instruction on assignments. I say the help is there. Many teachers do provide time for youngsters to ask questions in class, and many of us Editor, The Journal: Regarding the letter: "Fund Gets Low and Here Comes the Narcs," we would certainly like the people of Sheiton to know that the J. Westlund who wrote that article WAS NOT Jerry Westlund; it was written by Jay Westlund. We've had a lot of comments concerning that article given to us. They should be going to her: We by no means want to be associated with this article. Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Westlund Shelton Editor, The Journal: 1 would like to inake it clear that J Westlund, authoress of last week's anti-hare letter, is not to be confused with Jerry Westlund, who is a different person with different thoughts. J Westlund Shelton welcome questions which students have in that part of the "period which we set aside for study. Sometimes, however, a young person will fail to take advantage of this provided time, will not have needed materials, and, therefore, not get launched into the work until class is over. He will therefore lose the time when he could be taking his problems to us. The school law is also very definite in stating that teachers should be available in their classrooms half an hour before school starts and half an hour after it ends, Fridays excepted. If a student really has a problem, what better time could he come in than in the morning when the mind is alert and able to better cope with problems from the day before? If a parent is really concerned about a son or daughter's problems, a conference can be slated at any time. It is as close as your telephone! Regular conference days are slated in November, and many fruitful discussions have occurred during these days. Strangely, we do not see everyone we wish, but the days still are worthwhile. We teachers are also required to set up goals; we say, for example, that we expect 70% of our students to learn at least 7 out of 10 parts of speech, long division problems or do 20 sit-ups. 'If we do not reach that goal, 'we reteach. We teachers learn a lot about ourselves and our methods this way, too. How can we not do our jobs? Dell Abelein Shelton Editor, The Journal: In Pioneer School District 402 a second special levy election is to be held on May 20 for a surrbof money that has not as yet been officially announced by the school officials, but which is believed will be about $96,000. Thanks to the efforts of a Citizens Advisory Group which outlined reductions totaling $29,435 in expenditures, this levy is less than that proposed the first time. One might think acceptance by the school officials of these reductions was a real concession. However, they had set the advisory group to work on expenditures which totaled 27% higher than this year's expenses. After much labor the total was reduced to a figure which is still higher by 16% than this year's expenditures. There was no effort by the school officials nor by the advisory group to build a budget on" the revenues which will be available to the district. Their own estimates indicate that their revennes next year will be only about 6% lower than the revenues they estimate for this year. Many of us feel that the quality of education at Pioneer School money from the general fund. This compares with a budget of $1.1.4 million for the present biennium, which includes only $343,570 in state money. The Senate Ways and Means Committee is cutting the proposed budget substantially closer to that for the present biennium, as far as state money is concerned. As for the commission's proposed capital budget, it calls for an appropriation totaling $10 million in two equal portions of $5 million to be expended in each year of the biennium. would not suffer at all if the school officials were to bring expenditures into line with revenues. Then if the Shelton School levy proposals pass, Pioneer School's payment to Shelton for its junior and senior high school students would- increase by a known amount. There would be taxpayer support for a special lev~ fcr a real need y was the election scheduled Shelton's rather there another here? l say let's control once voting no on the special levy. R0ULe Editor, The Journal: Why is Pioneer faced with a levy? Because of the equalization law, Pioneer lost approximately previously received. Even before that, Pioneer was per-pupil support was just at the statewide average. But Pioneer to operate without a levy. The Pioneer School levy committee did make budget in three meetings open to everyone. Every was scrutinized rigorously! The adjusted budget for (75/76) is less than it is for this school year (74/75). how deeply the programs at Pioneer were cut by the levY~ TABLE I Budgeted Expenditures ............................ Anticipated Revenue ......................... Total Projected Deficit*l ........................... '! Levy Committee Cuts: Title I & Office Aides ...................... '" "~ Sweeper, P.E., Tests ........................... Heat System ................................. V2 Music & Band*2 ............................ All After School Sports*3 ...................... TOTAL BUDGET CUTS ............ ............. Maximum Projected Deficit ($86,473-29,435) = Shelton Levy Contingency ..................... "" Minimum Projected Deficit ........................ '! Required Levy- "1, *5 a - $1.60/$1000 Assessed Evaluation ($96,000) b - $0.90/$1000 Assessed Evaluation ($54,000) "1 - Includes a $13,000 cash balance which ~he to as a minimum amount to cover unforeseen expenseS. *2 - These are shared teachers through the Intermedi and they volunteered to cut their time and salaries in *3 - All after-school sports were eliminated, championship football team and undefeated bas *4 - The Shelton Contingency is included in ant passing a levy. If they do, Pioneer, as a non-high additional payment for our junior and high sc Pioneer School Board has promised that if the whole or in part), they will certify to the Monday in October, 1975, the lesser amount, $32,038 ($0.90/$1000) should no levy pass in S this, by law! *5 - Because the school year and tax year are six Pioneer must ask for an amount which will fu $57,038 or $32,038 level, whichever is needed. : .. ~"'~ TABLE II ~' Comparison of 1974/75 vs. ]975/76 Pioneer ."~ Reduced Budget Expenditures .................. Less Shelton Levy Contingency ................... Less Shelton High Requirement ................... , Equivalent 1975/76 Budget .................... Compared to 1974/75 Budget ...... ............ ,, .,! NET BUDGET DECREASE ..................... levy amount and only after some very thorough explanations at public meetings of several questionable items did we realize how essential it is to support the second levy. The extent of changes brought about by the equalization formula and other factors became increasingly clear and we realized that the only way to keep our school and pay least taxes is to support the levy. We urge our fellow voters in the district to really study the facts, comparing costs and alternatives, and vote yes May 20 to maintain our school. A yes vote will benefit all of us. Saadra Yeager Codg Brooks Alice Raymond Edwin Montoya Ann Nelson Carmen Yates Boyd O. Yeager The Pioneer budget went up because of the new that payments to Shelton for high and junior high come out of our budget. Formerly these were shown as income or outgo. Had' this been school budget, it would have been about $272,400, $257,400 quoted in an earlier letter to the Journal. Apart from this change, over which we is lower despite 12% inflation over the past year. gasoline, heating oil and food affect schools as individual households. Teacher raises are not large: same range as Social Security increases (8-12%)- below the rate of inflation. Do we really want to close or emasculate the school in the state and consolidate with Shelton? Do lose local control of Pioneer and a vital focus for Is $0.90 to $1.60/$1000 of assessed valuation once so we can hold out until the massive levy elsewhere force the "marble zoo" (to quote adequately fund the educational needs of our levies? Do we want to run the risk of paying a we fail, be forced to consolidate, and Shelton levies? Do we really want our children, especially and Agate, to spend more hours per day on scla already do? 1 don't! Our budget isn't fat, it is lean! We are asking previous levy. If we fail, we forfeit a tremendoUS Please consider! Editor, The Journal: In reply to the negative letter which appeared April 24 from Mrs. Bunnell I would say, let us all concentrate our efforts on the real culprits responsible for the financial dilemma we find ourselves in, the do-nothing legislators whom we re-elect over and over! They have stated they are unable (unwilling) to take speedy action on this "sudden" crisis. (This is indeed something new to school finance. The M&O levy has only been a problem for 15 or 20 years.) Let us all concentrate on positive action to help our kids now. 1 will vote yes tO our children, our future now. I will work hard on the problems which are causing this crisis statewide, but in the meantime, please don't make the children pay the price for our lack of action in the past. Join those of us who believe in positive action! Vote yes. All levy committee meetings are open to the public. We cannot issue invitations to each person in the district, but we do want very much for you to come. Please come, Monday, 8 p.m. We welcome all your suggestions and are glad to hear anything you have to say. Please don't allow yourself to be influenced to vote against our future by what has happened in the past, but rather look forward to the future our children can have with a high quality education. Let's show the kids we really care about them. The only vote we can afford is yes! Join us in positive action .... vote yes, then let's all work like the holy bejebers to eliminate the need and expense for making this an annual event. Please urge your relatives and friends everywhere to~.~vrite their legislators. If our representatives won't represent us, then don't vote for them again. Carla Meacham Rt. 2, Shelton P.S. - I~ ~ Bunnell's clUeS can't just cut $4,000 from answer is we. expenditureS approxirnat Shelton. The amount. It contributiOn" within last ye~ we would h" not $4,000. do it if all would take a then theY W food stamps of them as is employee I solutioll problemS. employee recently about to bring somewhere