City's proposed business license fee the wrong way

As a small-business owner in Corvallis and someone who tries to stay involved in the community, I am very concerned with the direction that the business license fee is going.

Economic vitality is great, but at what cost to businesses that already exist? Here are just three points that should or could sink a ship that has already sailed (Bill York's comment in the Aug. 8 edition).

* One business, 2 locations, 50 employees $1,000 fee or 1 business, 2 locations, 49 employees $275 fee. Let me see … tough times means I fire one employee and I just saved $725. Now that's economic vitality!

* How will Oregon State University catering, printing and bookstore be effected? Can they still compete for jobs in the city without paying the fee? Would that would be fair?

* Corvallis continues to nickle and dime us, a couple of hundred dollars at a time, until we have to raise our fees to cover our costs. Then when the city puts things out to bid, local businesses have to charge more and then they don't get the bid. Non-local businesses that don't have to play by our rules win the bid. Where is the economic vitality/equality?

This is a bad plan, and is going to have a very negative impact and impression on existing and prospective businesses to our city. If this ship truly has sailed, then turn it around. Good captains know how to navigate their ships back to the dock so they don't sink.

Todd Washington, Corvallis

Local economy, energy, food production key to survival

To promote national and regional security, we need decentralization of critical energy infrastructure, food production and communication networks.

Rather than highly centralized nuclear power plants (what about the waste?) or Liquefied Natural Gas liabilities, retrofit and/or build homes with passive South-facing solar atriums with dark rock heat sink floors and solar hot water heaters.

Decentralizing local economies creates money and jobs. Farmers markets thrive, local salmon runs support fishermen, create local fish markets and restaurants serve delicious fresh fish. Restoring near-shore kelp forests benefits everyone. Intelligent land use laws favoring orchards over subdivisions improve food security. From local resources for local needs. Expanding local mass transit options with high speed mag-lev train lines from Eugene to Vancouver will create thousands of engineering/construction jobs not to mention regional pride, cohesiveness and tourism revenue. More bike paths, better bus service, wind farms, wave energy, local turbine manufacturing, instream low-head hydro energy production indicate a greener civilization emerging-with less dependence on foreign oil, LNG or questionable nuclear facilities.

From local resources for local needs - decentralize to be strong and safe.

Reed Behrens, Corvallis

Revise our strategy on fighting wildland fires

It seems at the end of every fire season, the total dollars spent - and lives sacrificed - to fight forest fires outweighs the cost of replacing houses and possessions. And there's talk that firefighting efforts have minimal impact on how fires generally run their course.

A forest fire put out this year may burn worse next year. Next comes talk of discouraging new housing in the suburban-woodland interface. Yet, the following year, when fire season comes, we again spent unlimited funds and some young lives to save some houses. It would be good to see a better plan. Or any plan.

Sue Hirsch, Corvallis

We're stuck in Iraq for now, no matter who's president

Because the Bush administration has been mighty careless with the truth on the whole Iraq debacle, I would have thought it a golden opportunity for you both Senators McCain and Obama to re-visit the objectives of our Mideast civil and military presence, tidy up the alternatives and time frames, and put it all to a clear vote in November.

I'm dreaming, am I not? This isn't going to happen, is it?

Too much is at stake at the voting booth. Confusing platitudes are best at this stage, I'm sure, and deniable later. That's what the presidential play book says.

But if courage did take a hand, they would have to concede there is little or nothing they can personally do to increase the oil supply worldwide in the 10-year short term.

Their four-year objective surely must be focused on protecting current suppliers, coercing and otherwise encouraging producers to maximize pumping capacity, while ensuring their ability to do so. That includes the volatile, corrupt and alienated Middle East, of which Iraq is now our increasingly functional center of operations.

We are there to protect oil and those who invest in it. Iraq will remain the key center for control and protection of that oil neighborhood for many years to come. It will involve a few erstwhile friends, and many enemies. Let's get used to it.

Mike Colling, Corvallis

Arc of Benton County has made a difference to many

Thank you, Arc of Benton County, for what you gave my son. Adam now lives happily in a home with other special-needs adults, and there is no question that the socialization program made possible by The Arc is part of the reason he made this huge step so successfully.

With like-challenged peers, Adam was supervised and guided by trained and caring leaders who opened up a variety of new opportunities for him - opportunities that I myself wouldn't have considered. Bowling? An October trip to a pumpkin patch? Sitting still long enough to enjoy a movie and a snack with the group? He did those things and much more, thanks to The Arc.

Each day when I picked him up, my young man, though unable to verbalize a word, gave me the clear message that it had been a good day. He was happy, safe, and learning. The Arc program offered a framework of care and support, the chance (sometimes "push") to try new things. No, he didn't master each one - maybe he didn't fully master even one - but he was there, involved and meeting the challenge.

As I look back on Adam's development into adulthood, the Arc program stands out as invaluable to him. Without question, that is part of what helped him come to experience and enjoy life as fully as he does today. The Arc of Benton County is a critical resource to special members of our community, deserving recognition and support.

Nancy Hoffman, Corvallis