Contributor: Julie Cox-Lambright
So, I had a conversation yesterday (written 10/23/24) at the Recall John West booth in front of the Post Office. My question to them was simple: why should I sign the petition to recall John West?
What I got in return was a bunch of lies. I came armed with facts—they didn’t. Let’s break down the conversation, shall we?
Here are the “reasons” they gave for why I should sign, followed by the actual facts, just like I did when I called them out in person.
1. “Because John West kicked mothers off the WIC program.”
(Me) Seriously? You’re telling me the county single-handedly kicked people off a federally funded program just because they wanted to? Here’s a reality check: John West suggested that the Health Department and programs like WIC should be turned back over to the state, which is not the same as defunding it. He had to make tough budget decisions. If there’s no money coming in, how exactly are you supposed to fund programs?
Let me hit you with the facts:
“If WIC faces a $1 billion funding shortfall, states would have to make deep cuts… forcing deeper cuts over the remaining months of the year.”
(Source: CBPP)
“Oregon served nearly 115,000 women and children in 2023. The USDA oversees the program and says some of these families could be waitlisted if the budget is cut.”
(Source: KGW)
2. “We’re the only county in Oregon without a 4-H program.”
(Me) Wrong. That’s an outright lie. Multnomah County defunded 4-H in 2003 due to budget issues with extension services. They even told me Curry and Douglas counties are recalling their commissioners over 4-H defunding, which is another ridiculous claim. Yes, these counties face budget issues, but again, John West had to make tough decisions based on fiscal realities.
Let’s look at the facts:
“Every county in Oregon has OSU extension programming except for Multnomah County, which ended its partnership… due to a tightening county budget.”
(Source: OPB)
“OSU Extension provides services directly to 34 of Oregon’s 36 counties. If you live in Josephine or Multnomah County, you may still be able to participate in 4-H through your nearest program.”
(Source: OSU Extension)
I couldn’t take any more of their blatant lies, so I stopped them right there.
People, do your research before jumping on some political bandwagon. I did, and there’s so much more that can be debunked. Even the Ethics Committee found no unethical behavior on John West’s part. But people love to parrot what they’re told, no matter how wrong it is.
Some folks are so gullible it’s unreal. We have the internet at our fingertips, yet they just roll over and believe everything they hear. This recall is nothing but a political circus. Our County Commissioners are doing their jobs, and some people just can’t handle it.
The Reality of Enforcement in the County
Let’s also point out this inconvenient truth: do you see homeless people in the county? No. You see them in the cities of Grants Pass and Cave Junction. Why? Because the county enforces its laws. As a camp and park host, I see what goes on behind the scenes, and we work hard to uphold county rules about vagrancy.
And who spearheaded that effort? John West.
So before you go signing a recall petition, ask yourself: what would you have done in his situation?