Editorial
Stamping out hunger
A change in food stamp rules will help people who are struggling to make
ends meet.
More low-income Oregonians will be eligible to receive food stamps for their families as a
result of citizen efforts to open up the food stamp program.
That's good news for people who are struggling to make ends meet.
As of Dec. 1, food stamps will be available to all Oregonians at or below 185 percent of
the federal poverty level up from 130 percent. This means all families who receive free or
reduced-price school meals, and all families in the Women, Infants, and Children program,
will now qualify for at least $10 worth of food stamps per month.
A family of four now qualifies if their income is less than $2,628 per month. In addition
to the income limit change, household assets such as cars, bank accounts and other
resources will no longer be counted.
"One out of eight Oregon households struggles to put food on the table. In nearly
two-thirds of those households, the head of the household is working," said Mike
Leachman, policy analyst at the Oregon Center for Public Policy. "By increasing the
amount of income families can earn before losing their eligibility for food stamps, and by
allowing the working families with vehicles to maintain eligibility, Oregon has helped
ensure that low-income, working parents can keep themselves and their children adequately
fed."
"Prior to this change, if a family in Oregon owned a car valued at more than $4,650,
they were ineligible for food stamps," said Lorey Freeman of the Oregon Law Center.
"A reliable, well-running car can make the difference between work and unemployment.
Now families won't have to choose between food stamps and owning a vehicle to get to
work."
The state's welfare agency, the Adult and Family Services of the Department of Human
Services, is making these changes based on a provision in federal law that allows states
to create their own eligibility levels for food stamps. Food bank advocates say these
changes will help ease the pressures facing many who visit their local food pantries for
emergency food relief.
Last year, 515,000 people received emergency food boxes from the Oregon Food Bank, a 30
percent increase from 1996. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 12.6 percent
of all Oregon households struggle to put food on the table.
Momentum for this latest change in the food stamp rules has been developing for months
thanks to the efforts of a variety of advocacy and community organizations. These groups,
including the Oregon Food Bank, Oregon Action, the Rural Organizing Project, CAUSA (an
immigrant rights group), and the Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force, will now be leading an
outreach effort to ensure that low-income families facing high energy costs this winter
benefit from the changes as soon as possible.
People interested in applying for food stamps can call the Oregon Food Stamp Toll-Free
Hotline at 1-800-SAFENET (1-800-723-3638; 503-723-3638 in Portland).
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Letters
to the editor
Measure 88 not a
vote against schools
This letter is in response to the Nov. 25, 2000, article, "Measure threatens
school funding."
With the median household in come in the Canby area at almost $52,000 (Canby Herald, Nov.
22, 2000), the majority of taxpayers in our area are currently facing double taxation on a
portion of their income.
Measure 88 is not a tax break for the wealthy. It simply reduces the number of taxpayers
who face the penalty of double taxation.
Passage of Measure 88 should not be viewed as a vote against schools. Instead, it should
be viewed as a vote against a punitive and discriminatory tax system.
Measure 91, which would have completely eliminated the double taxation penalty only failed
by about four percent of the vote. I would guess that similar measures will appear in
future elections.
Perhaps it is time to look for alternative means for school funding. Perhaps we should
look to new development to cover a larger share of the community infrastructure costs,
including schools.
A county planning official recently told me that development fees cover only a fraction of
the infrastructure costs required to support that same new development. Who makes up the
shortage?
Area growth is regularly cited as the reason for overcrowded schools, underfunded services
and inadequate roads. Why not place more of the burden for funding on the major cause of
the shortfalls?
Ralph Luchterhand
Carus-area resident
District program
hits close to home
Canby's best-kept secret is the Home-Bound Teaching Program, which is part of the Special
Services Department of the Canby School District. Ms. Creigo, my boss, mentioned the
continuum of services in your Nov. 29 article on "dropouts" that we have
available to students who are at-risk.
Sometimes through special circumstances, a student is unable to attend school for an
extended period of time. Once they have been out of school for more than a week, the
student's parents may request a Home-Bound teacher (tutor) to come to their home so that
an entire trimester of school credits is not lost. Illnesses, injuries, pregnancy or even
expulsion usually leads to the rescue operation to prepare the student, as efficiently as
possible, to blend back into the classroom upon their return.
One alternative is that the student grows discouraged and becomes unable to complete the
missed work on their own and dropping out of school permanently.
The Herald has done such a great job of covering the Alternative program and the GED
preparation aspects of Special Services, that I just wanted you to know about another
piece of the pie that I, and others like me at all school levels, have taught for many
years.
Heather Wechter
Aurora
Help the Canby Adult
Center help others
With the Christmas season upon us, many organizations are relying on the giving
spirit of others. This is true of the Canby Adult Center. Recently, we sent out our annual
appeal through the Canby Herald and North Willamette Classifieds.
I am dismayed to find that Loaves & Fishes are soliciting donations in the Canby
community as well. The problem is that many people think they provide home-delivered meals
in the Canby area. They do not.
The Canby Adult Center supplies those meals with government funding and generous donations
from folks in our community.
I would hope that you keep our Center in mind when you consider your charitable giving
this holiday season. Many homebound folks depend on it.
Anna Phillips, director
Canby Adult Center
Debate presidency
on back bumpers
This election battle for the White House is not going to be settled by the United
States Supreme Court anymore than Roe versus Wade settled the abortion issue. After the
Supreme Court makes a ruling we need to move this debate from the court room to the bumper
stickers of automobiles all across this great land.
Can you think of anything more American than a brand new, gas guzzling Chevy Suburban
stuck in rush hour traffic, the rear bumper plastered with political bumper stickers and
cars behind it creeping up to read the fine print? Bumpers are not about auto safety. They
are mini billboards, and the very foundation of freedom of expression and lively political
debate.
The bumper sticker debate is not about winning with high priced media consultants and
corporate America PAC money. The beat up Geo Metro is on equal footing with the high
priced Lexus.
For me, there is no greater pleasure than to be in rush hour traffic, intoxicated on
exhaust fumes, reading the short, to-the-point, in-your-face and sometimes humorous
political commentary found on the bumpers of every make and model automobile in America.
Don McLeod
Wilsonville |
