No to Coquille Indian Tribe casino

If you care about the Rogue Valley, please write the Biden administration by Dec. 23 to say no to a Coquille Indian Tribe casino in Medford.

Comments may be submitted by email to Tobiah Mogavero, NEPA Coordinator, Bureau of Indian Affairs, at tobiah.mogavero@bia.gov, using “FEIS Comments, Coquille Indian Tribe Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project” in the subject line.

They may be mailed or hand delivered to Rudy Peone, Acting Northwest Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Northwest Region, 911 N.E. 11th Ave. Portland, OR 97232. Comments should include the commenter’s name, return address, and “FEIS Comments, Coquille Indian Tribe Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project” on the first page of the comments.

Gamblers have plenty of options for casinos within driving distance of Medford, casinos that are spread out to share the wealth among multiple tribes. That is not good enough for one of the tribes.

Gambling was restricted by past generations because it harms lives. But baby boomers don’t like rules, so now gambling is everywhere. Add a casino and people who can’t afford to lose will lose. Losing leads to desperation, which leads to crime and bad behavior.

If this goes through, welcome to Pottersville. We have enough challenges in this community already. Fight the casino.

Dan Van Dyke / Ashland

State task force votes right on alcohol producers

After 16 meetings and a year of deliberation, the HB 3610 Task Force on Alcohol Pricing and Addiction Services appropriately declined to recommend raising taxes on Oregon’s alcohol producers.

Local breweries, wineries, cider makers, and hospitality businesses continue to face immense challenges, including inflation, high taxes, and workforce shortages. Public feedback was strongly opposed to new taxes, with 87.5% of over 400 letters urging the task force to reject the idea, according to the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission.

At the same time, the task force revealed troubling issues within the Oregon Health Authority. OHA has failed to account for $72 million in spending, according to the task force’s final report, lacks effective metrics to measure outcomes and suppressed findings showing extreme tax increases would not reduce harmful drinking.

With more than $1 billion in new funding already allocated to addiction services, according to reporting by Oregon Capital Chronicle, lawmakers should focus on holding OHA accountable, not burdening local businesses further.

Lee Walton / Medford

Eco groups spend money to protect ecology

With regards to the Capital Press Editorial Board’s editorial (Other Views, RVT,) about environmental organizations’ financials, I was amazed what was not presented: the multiple ways these organizations spend their moneys received. In the nearly 55 years since the first Earth Day, there still remain a number of people and businesses who don’t regard as very important keeping the environment livable for future generations. Sad.

There was no EPA, no Clean Water Act or Clean Air Act in 1970, and very few people considered the Earth’s ecology as being something worth paying attention to. Pollution was the norm. Over the intervening years, I’ve witnessed occasional opinion hit pieces like this most recent whine about environmental groups largess. I had to read it more than once to try to understand just what the point the Capital Press Editorial Board was trying to make. “… taxpayers bear the burden off subsidizing these rich groups.” Really. And just how, exactly? Is it on the same scale as the annual subsidies to the oil companies that are making obscene profits and could surely afford to do without them?

The essay seems to imply that unless there are boots on the ground cleaning up the land, these groups are not really doing the work they raise money for. It is a fact that the legal system is the most useful tool to curb polluting industries and the air and water in the USA is substantially less polluted today because of it.

Terry Moore / Jacksonville

Thank you for annual Christmas light display

Every year, I have wanted to put this seasonal “Thanks” out in the paper.

We are blessed in the Christmas season with the beautiful Christmas lights from the family on the south hill east of Phoenix. It can be seen throughout our extended area and from I-5. What a pleasure to see every season.

Does anyone know who they are? Thank you, whoever you are, for the expense and trouble each year. The display is large, joyful and heart-warming. They are especially welcoming, as we rebuild our homes and lives after the fire.

Robbin Webb / Phoenix