LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

[June 1st, 2005] Raise the Floor

Unfortunately, the article "The Minimum Gauge" in last week's WW is very, very misleading in regard to the Oregon Business Association's position on the Minimum Corporate Tax. While it is true that we recognize many small corporations oppose changing the Minimum Corporate Tax, OBA has proposed an increase in both the 2003 and the 2005 legislative sessions.

There are two main reasons for a person or company to incorporate-to save taxes by incorporating and/or protect other assets (house, stocks, etc.) from financial claimants. It seems reasonable to our organization that even if a corporation does not have any net income in a given year, the value of protecting personal or other business assets is worth much more than $10 per year.

Raising the Minimum Corporate Tax on a graduated scale based on gross revenues of a corporation is good policy. It may face unlikely odds this session because it appears that politics will trump policy on many reasonable proposals that could provide more funding for Oregon schools, our association's top priority. If this issue dies as predicted, OBA will be back next session, hoping the third time will be the charm.

Lynn Lundquist, President
Oregon Business Association
Beaverton

Editor's note: WW regrets the error.

Hennessee Hard to STomach

The PDC is LAME!

After reading the May 4 Nose column, I just about blew my top, having followed this story since its inception, and now learning about the inexcusable behavior of [Portland Development Commission chairman] Matt Hennessee. The overwhelming public support for the [Burnside Bridgehead] job to go to Brad Malsin clearly meant nothing to Mr. Hennessee and the equally lame commission board, and coupled with the shady relationship to [Nathaniel] Clevenger, this is just so foul-smelling.

Why even HAVE public hearings if the decision-making is predetermined behind closed doors? This is embarrassing and self-serving political bullshit, and it makes Portland look bad.

And this guy wants to run for elected office? For shame!!

Pissed off in Portland,

Brett Warnock
Northeast Everett Street

Cuvée Makes Us Giddy!

No need for canard on the menu at Cuvée, Roger Porter has a corner on the market with his review ["Nothing Toulouse," May 25, 2005]. Either Roger or the restaurant must have been having a spectacularly bad day. My money is on the former.

Coincidentally my husband and I stopped for dinner last night at Cuvée in Carlton and had a spectacular meal. We felt we had finally found our re-entry restaurant! (You know...when you return from several weeks in France and lose 5 pounds because you cannot bear to eat the food here. That is when we usually venture out to Tina's, which is nice, but I wouldn't say spectacular-ditto with the mushroom place. Higgins works best of all, especially when Greg is around.)

We only found out about this "I so much wanted to..." WW review during dessert-I had gone outside between dinner and dessert to phone some friends about this great restaurant! We were giddy! Plus I got to practice my tourist French! I want to bring all my friends there! That is when [chef/owner] Gilbert [Henry] brought out a copy of the review, just published that day! Having just finished the cassoulet (fabulous) and the cod (equally fab), we were amazed. Did we just eat at the same restaurant? I think so....

Anyway, I so much want to say, "Roger, you may want to stay out of Cuvée because we taught Gilbert the best of the words from Deadwood." I so much want to say, please-stay in Multnomah County. We already have enough problems attracting decent restaurants within decent driving range of Hillsboro. As for us, we're already planning to go back next week.

Mike and Melody Seabold
Hillsboro

Pissed On, Pissed Off

I feel that the residents of the Everett Station Lofts were misrepresented in the Rogue of the Week column regarding Our Peaceful Place [WW, April 27, 2005] and now potentially other media outlets. The Rogue Desk neglects the fact that the Everett Station Lofts are our homes. We eat and sleep and live in those spaces just inside the doors that line the blocks next to Our Peaceful Place.

Initially we were excited when Our Peaceful Place opened. We are not strangers to the homeless population, or any of the programs set up to help them. We have active and working relationships with them. And we are not unsympathetic to their causes and plights. And living downtown, we certainly recognize the need for the services that Our Peaceful Place provides.

The Everett Station residents' concerns about Our Peaceful Place have nothing to do with selling art or the homeless. Our Peaceful Place's cause is a valid and good one, but it is not successfully facilitated. And that is having negative effects for those living in the immediate vicinity. To date, we have witnessed sexual acts, drug abuse and dealing, fighting, camping, urinating and defecating, all in the doorways of our homes. One Everett Station resident was actually urinated on when opening the door to go to work in the morning. And it is very intimidating to have to ask a group of people to move so you can enter your home. Given these occurrences, we have become concerned for the health and safety of those who live in those spaces sharing walls and sidewalks with Our Peaceful Place.

If successfully facilitated, Our Peaceful Place is a thoughtful and necessary service to those who simply need a place to sit, be warm or go to the bathroom. But realistically, the limited size and facilities of the current location make it a poor fit for even their own goals, and it is having negative rather than positive effects for every one.

Daniyel Hicks
Northwest Broadway

Corrections

A story last week ("In Deep

S**t") misidentified a Bureau of Environmental Services employee who wrote a memo about the "Big Pipe'' project. His correct name is Patrick Darby.

Also, a May 25 Murmur incorrectly reported that Portland Communique blogger One True b!X identified the sender of posts under the name "thinkbigPDX.''

WW regrets the errors.