Anti tax measures headed for ballot; Florence heart pioneer to be honored; Reedsport police chief steps down; and household hazardous waste rounded up

Legislative tax increases headed for ballot…

Backers of a plan challenging two tax increases approved by the Oregon Legislature this year say they’ve collected more than twice the signatures they need to force a January 26th vote on the matter. Russ Walker, the Oregon director for the anti-tax group FreedomWorks says they have more than 126-thousand signatures in their effort to repeal an increase in the corporate minimum tax from $10 per year to $150. According to Walker they’ve also gathered more than 129-thousand signatures to repeal an increase in the personal income tax for Oregonians making more than $125-thousand a year. Backers of the repeals say the answer lies in cutting the state budget rather than increasing taxes. Otto Schell with the Oregon PTA disagrees. The PTA supports the tax increases and Schell says it’s a matter of those who can afford it digging a little deeper to help the state get back on its feet.
212 – “Spread out over, you know, big companies and folks who are doing okay in this economiy, we can actually raise enough money to make a difference for the Oregonians who are all struggling. And to kind of keep the lights on in our schools, not lay off everybody from state troopers to teachers to the bus drivers.”

Even if the corporate increase is backed by voters, Oregon would still be among the states with the lowest corporate taxes.

A Florence woman who paved the way for thousands of cardiac patients will be honored this afternoon during a special reception in Florence. Colleen Armstrong was among the first group of patients to have an implanted heart defibrillator in 1984.
210 – “She’s a pioneer in this technology. The first device… she was one of the first 15 to have it implanted in humans.”

Donna Cash with Oregon Cardiology says Armstrong has had a total of nine defibrillators in the past quarter century. The Oregon Coast Specialty Clinic will host the reception this afternoon from two to four pm. They’ve recently opened a new office at 4480 Highway 101 in the former Forest Service building.

Reedsport Police Chief Shawn Essex has resigned. The move came last week following a meeting with city manager Scot Somers who admits to intervening in police department management issues since taking the Reedsport job earlier this year. Somers said while he and Essex had differing management styles he did not ask for the resignation. Essex started his Oregon law enforcement career in Bandon before taking the top-cop job in Reedsport 3 ½ years ago.

Lane County Waste Management will be holding another in a series of household waste roundups in the Florence area this weekend. Chad Ficek says they’ll be accepting up to 35-gallons of total waste per customer from noon to five Friday and then again from eight to two pm Saturday at the Florence Transfer Site on Rhododendron Drive. Ficek says check labels for words like ‘flammable, corrosive, poison, caution or danger’. Those are the types of items that should not be discarded in the trash, but brought for proper disposal during this event.

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

Prep Football:
The Siuslaw Vikings got off to a first half lead for the second week in a row, but for the second week in a row they fell by one point, this time 29-28 to the Newport Cubs at home. The Cubs kicked a ‘point-after’ to win the game in overtime Friday night in Florence. Sonny Tupua carried 41 times for 222 yards for the Vikings. // The Reedsport Braves hosted the Myrtle Point Bobcats for a Sunset League contest Friday night, losing 17 – 8. // In Mapleton, the Mohawk Indians cruised to a 46 – 14 victory over the Mapleton Sailors.

College Football:
Some might say the wrong team was ranked number six as the Oregon Ducks opened up their Pac Ten schedule with a 42-3 drubbing of the ‘then-top-ten-ranked’ Cal Bears at Autzen Stadium Saturday. Jeremiah Masoli completed 21-of-25 passes and three touchdown passes. 11 of those completions and all three TDs went to tight end Ed Dickson. // Up the road in Corvallis, Beavers quarterback Sean Canfield was sacked five times, including three straight in the final seconds as Oregon State was fighting to come back. The Beavers ultimately lost 37 – 32 to the Arizona Wildcats.