‘Letters to the editor: Move to the center; Bailey for sheriff; Go after expired registrations

The times they are a-changin’’

Bob Dylan wrote this song in 1963, ushering in a period of widespread social unrest: from civil rights to Vietnam war protests. I look upon our contemporary world and wonder… are we again entering some new period of unrest?

Until a deadly virus blew in from the east I assumed America was mostly secured to the deck; safe, understandable and sane. With the virus, our daily patterns were disrupted, leaving Americans feeling more stressed and vulnerable than I can recall. Civil voices became raised, less likely to be polite; as political, social and economic divisions grew deeper and culture wars widened. It seems we are no longer “all in the same boat.”

So the seas remain rough, even frightening. Extremism (from either side) seems our collective enemy. The prescription? Could this be a good time to all move to the center of the deck, in order to increase the ship’s ballast, its stability? In other words; to remain calm and balanced, avoiding extremism at all cost. This might be our smallest but greatest contribution to our democracy; to keeping our ship upright.

When I am out and about in my community, I find the vast majority of people I encounter as very kind, respectful and law abiding. So where is this “End of Democracy” the media proclaims? I wonder, can we embrace our local reality, and not the distortions of the media? A media often telling “half truths” or “turning mole hills into mountains?” Can we see and believe with our own eyes and not through the eyes of others? I believe we can.

— Jeff Walkup, Bend

William Bailey for sheriff

If you described your ideal candidate for the next sheriff of Deschutes County, what attributes would be included?

• Possessing a breadth of experience and proven leadership abilities in law enforcement?

• Very honest, respectful, and extremely hard working?

• True to his word with strong morals and integrity?

• Committed to innovative crime prevention techniques?

• A track record of fostering positive relationships with community members, local organizations, and other agencies?

These descriptors — direct quotes from people who know or have worked with him — epitomize William Bailey, who has dedicated himself to serving and protecting others. In his words, “it’s ingrained in my DNA, and what I’ve always wanted to do with my life.”

From serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, to spending 24+ years with the DCSO, and working his way up through the organization in positions of increasing responsibility, Bailey has stayed true to his principles and promises, and worked tirelessly for the people of Deschutes County to keep all of us safe.

If elected, Bailey plans to focus on achievable but ambitious priorities that include working with community partners to move homeless encampments off public lands in Deschutes County; aggressively enforcing drug laws; ensuring that our roads and highways are safer for everyone; and establishing personal connections between deputies and those living in outlying areas.

Bailey has continually demonstrated that he possesses the knowledge and abilities to address the diverse needs of our ever-evolving community

— Andrea Hine and Marvin Pugh, La Pine

For road money, look to expired registrations

In the Sept. 17 issue of The Bulletin, a front page story claimed that ODOT needs more money to maintain roads, and plow them during the winter.

Here’s a suggestion to anyone stopped at a traffic signal, or just walking through a parking lot. Take a look at the license plates you see. How many of these have expired tabs? In my unofficial counts, it’s more than just a few.

It seems to me, if the state and law enforcement took a more active interest in pursuing these scofflaws, ODOT and the state of Oregon coffers could be increased substantially.

Oregon has a little over 3 million registered passenger vehicles. If 10% of these have expired tabs, at around $126 per vehicle, that’s over $37 million in lost revenue. That’s not including any fees from the traffic ticket.

Seems like that would be more than enough to fill many potholes and keep fleets of snow plows on the road and fueled up.

— Richard Williams, Redmond

Do you have a point you’d like to make or an issue you feel strongly about? Submit a letter to the editor.