Today's quiz question regarding Clark County Prop 12 and 13.

During a discussion I was involved in concerning these propositions, an idea was floated by someone smarter than I.

Why not ask the state to turn over Larch Mountain Correctional, apparently no longer in use, instead of requesting the already crushingly overtaxed people of Clark County to fork over even more of their hard-earned cash?

I don't know the current condition of Larch. But it would seem to me (and the person suggesting this alternative) that it would be a great deal cheaper to update a closed prison than it would to pay for the cost of massive new construction.

The reality? The jail expansion as envisioned will only result in an increase of 220 beds. And when this project goes way over budget (as the vast majority of government projects inevitably will) then what?

The idea that $366 million, before the inevitable cost overruns, will only result in an additional 220 beds?

That's $1.66 MILLION PER BED at current spending levels, a number bound to increase on a per-bed basis.

And that is insane.

An attempt to have the state donate Larch Mountain to Clark County would save most of the money the county is trying to get from an already over-burdened tax paying populace, a burden that will be substantially worse after the next democrat-controlled legislative session.

Thoughts?

Where's the Columbian on this? Former State Representative Candidate Anthony Bittner is in jail.

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So, what's the deal? Sources tell me that among other charges looming is an "Armed Home Invasion." The charge showing here if I can decode it properly, is delivery of a controlled substance 40 grams pot with other charges showing... and no bail set. Where's the Columbian coverage? Don't tell me this mere blogger has scooped the rag AGAIN!

Fascinating. More later.
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Is anyone really surprised by the Ducks newly developed prison football team?

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None of this can be surprising to anyone given the mishandling of the Blount situation, a not altogether subtle message to members of the team with like minds that this kind of conduct is just swell.

A the time of the moronic handling of the Blount melodrama, I wrote this:

Yes, I do agree... this IS a "teachable moment." And in this case, what he's being taught is that there are few consequences for engaging in felony assault if you're a major college football player.

Where he SHOULD be getting his "teachable moments" are in a prison cell with Bubba.

Meanwhile, this clown keeps the benefits of being a member of a major college football team, keeps his multi-thousand dollar per month scholarship, and continues to get a FREE education while being required to do even LESS to earn it.

Yeah. THAT'LL teach him.

I had little respect for the Ducks BEFORE this happened. Now, I have none at all.

They COULD have sent a message that would have reverberated across this country when it comes to accountability and college athletics, a message that when you act like an animal, you can feel free to do it some place else.

Unfortunately, the message they sent will have the opposite effect... sending the opposite message.

Had Oregon rightfully hammered Blount, would the conduct of this cabal of juvenile delinquents been different? I cannot guarantee that with a certainty. But I CAN say that such conduct would have been LESS likely than the conduct we've seen... conduct reminiscent of the ol' jailblazer days.

Accountability is a critical element. Conduct that casts a football program, or any program in a bad light must not be tolerated OR encouraged, and the utter absurdity of the Blount scam; where the player who struck another team's player after the game had ended SHOULD have been arrested on the spot and imprisoned was allowed to not only remain in school, but remain on the team, made it clear to the other players that it could be extremely difficult to do anything that would result in actually, truly and finally getting kicked off.

As a result, it can be no shock to anyone that so many of this team's players face prison or jail from charges ranging from burglary to assault. This fish has rotted from the head down, and those who allowed Blount to remain, both on the team and in the University of Oregon at all is the responsibility of the Administration.

To countenance this kind of thing in the name of wins and losses is despicable. And that is, unfortunately, what the Ducks have become:

Despicable.
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