FRIDAY January 25,2013
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TODAY'S READERBOARD
BEND
Hote taX
What makes a dognota WOlf? —Why your dog goes for biscuits
ma e
andnota
chunk of your leg may come down to its digestive
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system. Or so a new study suggests.A3
Rethinking chocolate
— New research indicates chocolat emay haveamuch richer history in Mesoameri-
They meanbusinessStudents at a Redmond ele-
mentary school showwhat they learned about business.B1
List for life —AMadras woman has 60 things she
The Bulletin
Bend's tourism bureau wants to attractmore visitors from Northern California and Seattle to help fill vacant rooms during the off-season. To do so, the tourism bureau, Visit Bend, wants to raise the hotel tax by 2 percentage points in order to increase its market-
By Lauren Dake» The Bulletin
can civilizations than previously thought.A6
By Hillary Borrud
• Central Oregonofficials soundoff before the upcoming legislative session
SALEM — The 20D session of the Oregon Legislature is still a week away from kicking off in earnest, but it's evident local officials will be watching as lawrnakers tackle the state's public pension system. Gov. John Kitzhaber has made clear — in the budget he proposed to
ing budget. The tax increase would require voter approval and at a Wednesday meeting, the Bend City Council will discuss whether to put the issue on the May ballot, said City Manager Eric King. A tax increase might help the city, which would receive 30 percent of the revenue generated by any increase in the tax rate. State law mandates that 70 percent of the increase must be spent on tourism promotion. According to a projection prepared byVisitBend, increasing the city hotel tax rate from 9 percent to 11 percent would raise an additional $590,000 for tourism marketing and $250,000 for the city general fund in the first year. King said a lodging tax hike would not solve funding shortfalls in the budgets for streets, police and firefighting. More tourists would also increase demand onthese city services, and the hotel tax is meant to offset this impact. "I wouldn't say it solves any kind of revenue issue for the city," King said. However, King said he "would support something like this." SeeHotel tax/A4
the Legislature and in his State of the State address — that without changes to the state Public Employees Retirement System, school class sizes will continue to increase, lost school days
wants to do before sheturns
won't be restored, and cities and counties will struggle financially. When local officials were
60 — and she's working her way through the list.D1
asked about their priorities for the 2013 session, a theme quickly emerged. "Of course, PERS," said Deschutes County Commissioner Tammy Baney."Any reform we can get in relief of PERS is going to be of importance to the county."
ln national news —Sen. John Kerry, President Barack Obama's nomineefor secretary of state, appearedThursday before the SenateForeign Relations Committee — the
very panel Kerry chairs.A2
For Bend-La Pine Superintendent Ron Wilkinson,pushing for changes to PERS is not new. He's pleased to see the governor take a stand on the issue but said, "I'm on the record that we like the proposals the governor's made, but we don't think they go far enough."
By Richard W. Stevenson
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Bend Mayor Jim Clintonanswered this way: "I would say the biggest concern around the city
EDITOR'5CHOICE
GOP opens new front in debate overtaxes
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is the situation with PERS and how much it takes out of our budget."
The governor has proposed capping a cost-of-living adjustment for PERS members and curbing a tax benefit some retirees receive. He hopes his reforms in the 2013-15 proposed budget
In Colorado,
would generate up to $865 million in savings. The pension system is facing an unfunded liability of $16 billion. School districts in general are expected to see a greater increase than other public
drought keeps skiers away
employers in contributions imposed by the PERS board of directors. Public employers, such as
New York Times News Service
WASHINGTON — Republican governors are moving aggressively to cut personal and corporate income taxes, including proposals that would increase reliance on state sales taxes, setting up ambitious experiments in tax reform that could shape what is possible on a national level. Even as Washington continues to discuss, if not act, on ideas for making the federal tax system simpler and more efficient, governors, some with an eye on the next presidential race, are taking advantage of the improving economy and a gradual rebound in revenues to act. In Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal is pushing to repeal the state's personal and corporateincome taxes and make up the lost revenue through higher sales taxes. Gov. Dave Heineman of Nebraska is calling for much the same thing. Gov. Sam Brownback of Kansas wants to keep in place what was supposed to be a temporary increase in the state sales tax to help pay for his plan to lower and eventually end his state's income tax. Along the way, these governors are taking small first steps into a debate over what kind of tax system most encourages growth in a 21st-century economy. SeeStates /A4
school districts, pay into the system to fund pensions for their retirees.
By Jennifer Oldham
Gov. John Kitzhabersaid the proposals aren't about "the value of teachers" or the "value of public employees." Instead, they're about the ability to "strike a
Bloomberg News
DENVER — Jagged peaks
ringing Colorado's Copper
balance between the cost of our retirement system and our ability to put dollars
Mountain turned indigo in the rising sun as Jamie Baker knelt to measure the ski resort's latest snowfall. The total came to what it's been too often this season:zero. "This is our basic ruler you used in elementary school," the ski patrol employee said, poking the wooden stick into the space around a stake used to gauge overnight snow. "It's really important, so guests have the correct information and know much snow we got." Colorado ski resorts, which bring about $3 billion into the state economy each year, are hurting. After the driest winter in two decades decimated resorts from Maine to California last season, the drought in Colorado continues, leading to fewer skierson the slopes for a second year. As ski enthusiasts monitor snowfall to decide which resorts to visit, reports about new precipitation are taking on greater importance. SeeSnow/A6
in the classroom today to ensure our students are successful tomorrow."
House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland,told reporters she was "cautious" about PERS reform. Some worry that means she's not going to tackle reforms, but the governor commended her, pointing out that she only recently received the gavel.
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Rep. Jason Conger, R-Bend,and Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, said they will both once again work on legislation that would bring changes to the retirement plan.
Other issues Central Oregon's public officials will be eyeing vary from a hope for a resurrection of the plastic-bag ban debate (from Mayor Clinton) to an increase in shovelready industrial lands. Like every legislative session, local officials will also be watching to ensure that legislation that could stymie their efforts isn't introduced. See Legislature/A4 Photos from TheAssociated Press and The Bulletin file
TODAY'S WEATHER Showers High 47, Low 27
Page B6
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