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PAGE 16
FEBRUARY
HEALTH ,
increasing other retirees'
share of their premiums
(including some Goldendale-
area non-salafied union
employees) to reducing
deferred compensation and
incentive programs for cur-
rent managers.
Despite Knotts' statement,
the retirees who were salaried
employees appear to have
received the short end of the
stick.
Don Henning, the local
Steelworkers' union president
in Goldendale, showed a copy
of a similar letter some of his
members who'd also retired
from Commonwealth
received in November. They
would
have to ~
pay 75
percent of
their pre-
mium
until age
65, then
35 percent
of a
reduced
premium
after
Medicare
kicked in.
"They
were dis-
appoint-
ed. It's not what they were
told," said Henning.
But at least the union
retirees would still have
group coverage, instead of
being left to fend for them-
selves.
Said
They don't
really have
any leverage,
except to pub-
licly shame
the company.
-- David Groves,
AFL-CIO benefits
panics are doing it in desper-
ation. "I'm sure some compa-
nies feel they have no
choice," he said.
But Groves thinks it's
short-sighted. "The collective
impact will just make the
problem worse."
The companies can, how-
ever, get away with it.
The retirees "probably
don't have much legal
recourse," said Lauren
Moughon, advocacy director
for the American Association
of Retired Persons (AARP) in
Seattle. So many companies,
she said, wouldn't have dis-
continued retiree benefits if
there'd been lawsuits stop-
ping
them.
L e s
Dewey,
regret in
his voice,
agreed.
Dewey,
who lives
in White
Salmon,
was the
manager
Commonwealth personnel
administrator who discussed
the retirement package with
retirees in 1985. "The details
would have-been in the book-
let distributed at that time,"
he said. "Questions about the
Commonwealth's lifetime benefit would have
June 28 letter to the salaried been in the fine print. They
retirees, "The company corn- probably could change it at
mitted significant time to anytime."
reviewing possible alterna- Not one of the retirees The
fives... [and] concluded that Sentinel spoke with still had
this decision was required." a copy of the booklet. "There
It is no secret that the may have been 50 to lOO
American aluminum industry [retirees]. Most probably felt
is in rough shape. Golden they were getting the benefit
Northwest, current owner of for life," said Dewey.
the plant that was once Of the lost survivor bene-
Commonwealth's, is now in fit, if it is true, said Groves,
Chapter 11 bankruptcy pro- "It makes the company's
tection as it reorganizes debt move more despicable, but
in hopes of reopening the without a binding agreement
plant one more time. Last it makes no difference. It is
month, 2o,ooo Kaiser sad when people learn [this]
Aluminum retirees wereway. My heart goes out to
within days of losing medical them."
and life insurance benefits as Groves and Moghon assign
the company sought to ultimate blame to the health
emerge from reorganization; care industry, and some to
the Kaiser retirees managed business and government.
to salvage a portion. "There is a fiver of money
How dire were the circum- in the health care system,"
stances that ledsaid Moghon. "The pharma-
Commonwealth to cut costs? eeutieal companies are
For the six months ending among the most egregious
June, 2o03, sales had fallen offenders. They are three and
lO percent to $427.1 million, a half times more profitable
resulting in net losses of $8.4 than the average for other
million, according to compa- industries."
ny documents. After reaching Groves faults large and
$14 per share in 2ooo, the wealthy employers such as
company's stock bottomed Wal-Mart that do not offer
out at $4.20 in May 2003. affordable health care. "We
Commonwealth hoped to are publicly subsidizing Wal-
III
a
Final results from local
Feb. 3 school levy elections,
released Friday by the
Klickitat County Auditor's
office, make it official: Levies
in four east-county towns
passed, while Goldendale's
proposed two-year replace-
ment levy was defeated.
The Auditor's final vote tal-
lies are as follows:
Centerville School District
Registered voters 338
IN THE FIRE-ING LINE
Total votes cast 158
Yes 117
No 41
Glenwood School District
Registered voters 304
Total votes cast 13o
Yes 1Ol
No '-'9
Klickitat School District
Registered voters 314
Total votes cast 19o
Yes 12o
Photo by Sam Lowry
One thing is certain: Firefighters like to have a good time when they're not risking their
necks. At the Goldendale Volunteer Fire Department's annual awards banquet on Monday
evening, Chief Howard Scartozzi managed to raise a chuckle or a guffaw at the expense
of practically everyone in the room, Sentinel reporters not excluded. Between laughs,
though, the assembled crew and their families honored the commitment and volunteerism
of members present and retired, old and new - here Junior Firefighters (those in training)
receive their parents' and the department's good wishes. (LEFT TO RIGHT) Chief Howard
Scartozzi, Janet Scartozzi, Ashley Scartozzi, Ellen Lund, Cassie Lund, Wes Lund,
Cameron Howell, Will Hudson, Pastor Greg Howell (partially hidden), Robin Hudson, and
Assistant Chief Marty Hudson.
IRS: $68M waiting for W;
Deadline is April
15 for refunds
averaging $551
The Internal Revenue
Service is giving taxpayers
nationwide one last chance
to claim refunds from the
year 2000 that total more
'than $2.5 billion.
Of the total, Washington
taxpayers who failed to file a
2000 income tax return
stand to claim up to $68
million in tardy refunds, the
IRS said in a Feb. 9 news
release.
To do so, however, they
must file a 2000 late return
no later than April 15 - this
with a three-year window
for claiming a refund.
The bureau estimates that
half of those who could
claim refunds would receive
more than $529. In some
cases, individuals had taxes
withheld from their wages,
or made payments against
their taxes out of self-
employed earnings, but had
too little income to require
filing a tax return.
"People who aren't
required to file sometimes
overlook that they had tax
withheld," said Everson.
Some taxpayers may also
be eligible for the refund-
able Earned Income Tax
Credit.
The IRS reminds taxpay-
year. "The clock is running if ers seeking a 2ooo refund
you want to get your refund; that their checks will be held
don't wait until it's too late," if they have not filed tax
said IRS Commissioner returns for 2OOlOr 2002. In
Mark W. Everson. The law addition, the refund will be
provides most taxpayers applied to any amounts still
save $6.5 million in 2003 and Mart's health care," he said.
$8.4. million in 2004 due to Groves also blames govern-
the benefit plan changes, sent, for not dealing with !t
their press release said. in a more aggressive way. It s
Commonweath was near a trend we re all going to pay
the edge, but not tipping over for. . ,
it. Asked if Commonwealth s
As it happened, a third- decision was irrevocable,
quarter 2003 announcement Knotts hesitated. "If someone
heralded the company s can make the right ease ... if
"return to profitability" and they have something that
"resurgence of sales.' supports their ease, she said.
Commonwealth stock rocket- "I can understand their pain."
ed to $11 per share in The ideasthatbeneficiaries
January; it has since fallen to whose company has cut bene-
$6. Meanwhile, the compa- fits could convince it to Come chec zt out.
Open Wed• - Sat. from 10 to 5
541 Bickleton Hwy,
5 1/2 miles east of Goldendale.
change course leaves Groves
skeptical.. "They dort'I-really
have any leverage, except to
publicly shame the compa-
ny•"
;hingtonians
ny's top four officers contin-
ued drawing a combined
annual salary of $2.78 mil-
lion, company documents
show.
How justfied is it for a
company to cut retiree bene-
fits in order to avoid bank-
ruptcy?
Apparently many
American companies have
concluded it is at least an
acceptable practice. A Feb• 3
article in the New York Times
cited a "growing number of
companies saying retirees
can retain coverage only if
they are willing to bear the
full cost themselves." A Feb.
5 Associated Press story said
that three quarters of
employers in a survey had
either reduced retirement
benefits or planned to.
Assistant U.S. Labor
Secretary Ann Combs issued
a statement on Feb. 11
addressing the problem.
"It is a disturbing trend,"
said Jack Zurlini, an attorney
with the Washington State
Attorney General's office in
Spokane•
David Groves, who handles
benefits issues for the AFL-
CIO in Olympia, thinks corn-
owed to the IRS and may be
used to satisfy unpaid child
support or past due federal
debts such as student loans.
Current and prior years'
tax forms are available on
the IRS Web site at
www.irs.gov, or by calling 1-
8oo-TAX-FORM (1-8oo-
829-3676). Taxpayers who
need help also can call the
IRS help line at 1-8oo-829-
1040.
No 7o
Goldendale
Registered voters
Total votes
Yes 830
No 659
Lyle School
Registered voters
Total votes
Yes 404
No 211
"Food
101"
will be
in The
Anyone
ing a food
quite sure how to
is invited to
mative Saturday
March 6 from 8:3oi
p.m. at
Community
Dalles.
The workshop,
the college's
will help local
learn the basics
ness
include technical
processing,
aging, business
gie and
ties and
business.
Participants will
local and regional
are available, and
college's
Business Incubator
to help support
development locally.
Cost is $30
which includes a
ness resource
Registration is
according to the
ment. Thorn
ter should call
3118.
The workshop
sored by the
Oregon State
Additional
available by
Tuck at OSU's
Extension Office,
5494, or Mary
college's business
ment center, (54
Reimche -
Dental Office
We can meet all your
dental needs.
New Patients Welcome.
773-5866 • 615 E. Collins Drive *
Elsie G. Tupper, M.D.
Office Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9:00-5:00
Appoinmaents available after
hours by request
400 S. Roosevelt
Goldendale, WA 98620
(509) 773-4014
Ev~ Wedneid~, at lhe Finally Pr~¢Ik~ Cllnk
Carola Stepper,
RN, LAc, CST
Acuptmclm~ is a complete medical system that
can treat many different health concerns
Some insura~ acc~.cd.
711 E. Collins, Goldendale
(509) 773-4017
For info: (503) 913-5191
Cascade Eye
• Comprehensive eye health
• Eye surgery, including
no-stitch, no-patch
• Laser Vision
(On-site in
• Lov~vision
O~
John D• Wmer,
(
Mitch Martin,
Chris Barbour,
1805 E. 19th
The Dalles, OR!
(541)
2025 Cascade Ave. :
OR
(541)
or
Columbia River
Women's Clinic, LLC
/:l+//J' cert(fied in Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Low risk and high-rlsk obstetrical care
• Registered Nurses credentialed in
Ambulatory Womens Health Care
• State of the art diagnostic ultrasound equipment
• Pelvic floor therapy services.
James C. Faherty, MD. FACOG
David A. Mack, DO,, FACOG
Diane E. Ellis, MD., FACOG
1810 E. 19th Suite 209
The Dalles, OR 97058
541-296-5657 • Fax: 541-298-5199
Famh3
Physicians &
Anil Rajani,
Willial
Judy Richardson,
Annie Stone
Carolyn
Michael Garnett,
Lance Petersen,
711 E. Collins
Goldendale WA
(509)
Office
8:30 a.m