Gov. Tina Kotek has endorsed a version of State Sen. Jeff Golden’s proposal to withhold $1 billion of next year’s expected $1.64 billion kicker tax rebate to support firefighting efforts in Oregon, (“ Divert $1 billion of kicker rebates from taxpayers to wildfire efforts, Gov. Tina Kotek urges lawmakers, ” May 20). The $1 billion one-time withholding represents the piece of the kicker slated for “high income earners” and could be put into an interest-bearing fund that would support firefighting efforts for years to come.

Two things are certain: fires will come to Oregon, and federal assistance from the current administration will not. I encourage support of Golden’s proposal as endorsed by Kotek. Oregon needs a plan to cover wildfire costs, and this sounds like a good one.

Robert Owen,

See Full Page