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558 N. Main St.,
Prineville, OR 97754
Phone: 541.447.6205 |
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| Don't let the State gut the Extension Service |
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 | | Editorial cartoon by Ron Raasch | | If Gov. Kitzhaber's budget is the final word, the OSU Extension Service stands to lose half its funding ... |
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For the last few years the interior needles on the big Blue Spruce trees we had planted around our house 10 years ago have started to turn a beautiful golden color. Something was wrong. Because my thumb tends to be more flesh colored than green I've consulted books, nurserymen and other experts about how I can turn those needles blue again. The answer was always the same -- more or less water, stop fertilizing or a half a dozen other solutions. In short, no one was able to diagnose the problem and they only speculated about solutions.
Last fall, as more of the golden needles dropped from our beautiful blue trees, I thought of the Oregon State University Extension Service office and stopped by their office with a small branch from a tree. They did some research, sent out an expert from the Redmond office and checked the trees and pronounced that I had some disease (I can't remember what they called it) and needed to spray a certain chemical this year to cure the problem. We'll see how it works. They gave me facts and a solution, not rhetoric.
I bring this up because we are on the verge of losing this valuable resource. When Governor Kitzhaber vetoed portions of the budget passed by the second special session of the Legislature earlier this year he targeted certain areas for cuts. One of those areas was a 25 percent reduction in the funding of the OSU Extension Service per year - effectively, a 50 percent reduction in services due to the fact that the first year of the biennium is already half over.
Since 1914 the Extension Service has been a valuable asset to the citizens, farmers and ranchers in Crook County supplying services and important information on a wide variety of agricultural and household topics.
The organization is also involved in strengthening families in Crook County through the various 4H programs they offer. This program annually services more than 400 youth from our community.
This is a program that has a major impact on Crook County and should not be gutted by the Governor's misplaced priorities. Perhaps he should look in Salem for areas to cut rather than rural areas.
If the Governor would simply accept the Legislature's budget proposal calling for an equitable 5 percent budget reduction, instead of slashing 25 percent, the programs could continue with little change.
The OSU Extension Service needs your help. It's amazing how effective a few letters can be in influencing the decisions of government officials. I encourage you to take a few minutes and send a quick letter to any or all of the following politicians encouraging them to withdraw the cuts to the OSU Extension Service.
Here are the addresses for the Governor and our Legislators. Remind them that Crook County has had enough problems already and we don't need them creating more.
Governor John Kitzhaber
State Capital Building
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301-4047
Senator Steve Harper
7121 Sierra Place
Klamath Falls, OR 97603
Representative Phil Barnhart
P.O. Box 12181
Eugene, OR 97440
The Reader's Poll is back ...:
It's back and it is bigger and better than ever. The popular Central Oregonian's Readers Poll has been reworked, redesigned and it is now more questionable than ever.
To kick start the return of the weekly balloting, this week's question is all about your favorite community newspaper. Simply go to our website, www.centraloregonian.com/ and click the poll at the top of the page. Take a minute to consider the question and "mark your ballot."
Next week we'll report the results and present a new question. Thank you for your patience. |
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