I appreciate State Sen. Rick Metsger's willingness to come to Hood River County last week to ask us how the legislature should handle an enormous shortfall in the state's budget. I don't envy Senator Metsger's task of deciding which important program will be cut. A number of others from Cascade Locks joined me in attending the meeting to express our concern that funding for K through 12 education should be sacred during the special session. We don't want to see any more cuts in education.

We also don't want any changes made in the formula for state funding that gives our school district a "bump" in the money received for students in Cascade Locks. The schools, especially the high school, are the heart and soul of a small, rural, and isolated community like ours. Sen. Metsger seemed to understand our concern. As an aside, the story about the meeting in Saturday's paper says that Sen. Metsger supports the sales tax as a solution to the funding problem of schools. Actually, it was someone in the audience that suggested this to the Senator. He explained that there wouldn't be time in a special session to overhaul the state's tax system. He also said that he believes that a permanent solution to school funding must be developed in the next regular session. I didn't hear him say that he is convinced that a sales tax is that solution. We need to keep the pressure on the legislature to find that answer in the next three years. I also appreciate State Rep. Patti Smith's willingness to attend a meeting in Cascade Locks last week to discuss our concern about keeping our high school open. It is good to know that we have the ear of both of our state representatives and that they care about this important issue.