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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 23, 1978)
< — editorial endorsements -> Ballot measures Today’s ballot carries a number of measures that cover everything from creating a new gas tax to amending the Eugene human rights ordinance to make it illegal to discriminate on the basis of "sexual orientation.” Here is how the Emerald feels about the proposed measures: #51: Without hesitation, the Emerald believes measure 51 should be rejected. We have argued continuously on this page that gay people are entitled to the same human rights as anyone else, and we adhere to that stand. Contrary to the distorting reasoning of the pro-51 people, the measure will not create a “San Francisco” north, and we don’t think it will do anything more than give some people the right to take discrimination complaints to a legal authority. That is a good goal for any ordinance or city, and sexual orientation should be included in the human rights ordinances. Please remember that a “no” vote indicates you be lieve the phrase should be included. A “yes” vote means you don’t think gays should be protected under the law. #1: A “yes” vote on measure 1 will mean home rule counties, of which Lane County is one, must allow a specific amount of time for voters to gather petitions for referendum and initiatives. We endorse the measure. This means that voters will be assured of having enough time to gather as many signatures as necessary. Currently, County Commissioners set the length of time allowed for signature gathering, and that needs revision because the commissioners may set a time too short for voters to over turn an ordinance the commissioners themselves have approved. i ms measure, wnicn essentially requires me state Legislature to adopt rules by which it will obey the Oregon open meetings law, also deserves a yes vote. The legisla ture is not currently bound by the provisions of the open law meetings, and it should be. Committee meetings are espe cially in need of being opened. Voting in favor of this measure will help, and it certainly won’t do any harm. #3: Housing for low income elderly people has long been a problem not only for Oregon, but for the nation. This measure gives bonding authority to the state to allow the financing of multi-family housing units for the low-income elderly. It easily warrants a “yes" vote. During times of inflation, which we are now so accus tomed to, the elderly, who are often on fixed incomes, are the hardest his by rising housing, food, energy and other costs. Any help for the elderly is a good idea. #4: We don’t think measure 4 should be passed for two reasons. First, the measure would create funding for areas needing water supplies, but paid for by all the resi dents of the state. Since some areas have already de veloped water piping systems through local property taxes, these people would be paying the tax and getting no ben efit from it. Second, the measure is open-ended, some thing of a blank check for the next legislature. The enabling legislation would have to be passed, and we think the voters should know exactly how this bonding mechanism will work before the constitution is amended. #5: A new gas tax for Oregon highway improvement is good idea, so this measure should pass. Voting yes for this measure will mean road repairs will be made, making roads safer. The tax will increase by two cents; not a high price to pay for making the roads safe. We are troubled by one provision, which says that the increase will not be used for bikeways, parks or anything else other than road repair and maintenance. But we feel that these necessities will be provided by other means, perhaps by legislative allocations. #6: This measure calls for abolishing decompression chambers for the killing of unwanted animals. Instead, injections of sodium pentobarbitol will be used. We think the decompression chamber has been adequately shown to be a bad method of killing unwanted pets. Killing animals systematically is a grisly affair no matter what the method, but injections are a more humane way to do it. This meas ure deserves a yes vote. #7: We have some problems with the proposed income tax for the support of the Lane Transit District, primarily because this tax will shift the burden of LTD support toward the citizens and away from the business who benefit from LTD ridership. But we also think LTD is a fine transit system that deserves the support of area people. We urge — a bit reluctantly — a yes vote on measure 7. We base our support for measure 7 on the supposition that the businesses in the area will still be supporting LTD at a fair ratio, which is essential since businesses benefit from the transit system. J Letters— No on Measure Homosexual women and men are frequently the victims of fears and prejudice in our society. Last fall, the Eugene City Council re cognized this and adopted a “sexual orientation’’ clause to Eugene's anti-discrimination or dinance. The clause is designed to protect Eugene citizens from discrimination in public accomo dations, housing and employment on the basis of their sexual prefer ences. Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the last few weeks, you know that voters face a very im portant referendum Tuesday, May 23 — the outcome of which could see the repeal of our gay rights ordinance. You can vote no to dis crimination in Eugene; you can vote NO on ballot measure 51. Gays and gay rights supporters do not seek special privileges for gays through the proposed city ordinance. The ordinance merely attempts to ensure that all Eugene citizens enjoy the same basic rights to housing, employment, and public accomodations. This ordinance is important and necessary because gays do en counter unfair discrimination. Those who doubt this can study a 1975 OSPIRG report, “Homosex uality, Employment and Discrimi nation,'’ that is available at OS PIRG and ASUO. Even more con vincing, though, are the incidents of discrimination lesbian women and gay men recount so easily. An individual’s sexual prefer ence should not be a criterion for employment. It also should not af fect one’s access to housing and public accomodations. Sexual preference is a personal charac teristic that has nothing to do with ability. The ordinance will not end dis crimination. Despite many laws and statutes, women, blacks, Chicanos and other minorities still live with discrimination and in equality. But the ordinance will provide legal support for those who suffer discrimination. And, it will become part of our ongoing struggle for equality. We urge all students to vote in this most important upcoming election. If you are a Eugene resi dent and not registered to vote, come by Suite 4, EMU and pick up a voter's registration form. Vote against the repeal of Eugene s gay rights ordinance; vote no on 51. rveii usuuin ASUO Vice-President, 1977-78 with 9 co-signers For Bylund The Emerald editorial staff ap parently does not understand the difference between non-partisan and apolitical. Lane County voters know that the Assessor’s job is inherently political and have more than once voted to keep the office responsible to the people by turn ing back attempts to make it ap pointive. Ken Bylund certainly is political, and he knows who he’s working for. He’s working for the vast ma jority of the people of Lane Coun ty, not for the developers and wealthy individuals who support his opponents, and not for the County Commissioners or their appointees on the Board of Equalization. The Emerald ought to be more than “a bit concerned" about the supporters of the former bank manager they endorse. Bain’s rich contributors are trying to regain the privileges they enjoyed before Ken Bylund took office. Many of his contributors are people like the developer who built Valley River Center who want to carry less than their share of the tax burden. The t ~" Endorsements in brief Democratic Governor.Emily Ashworth Republican Governor.Tom McCall Democratic U.S. Senator.no endorsement Republican U.S. Senator.Mark Hatfield Democratic Congressman.Jim Weaver Republican Congressman.no endorsement County Commissioner (Springfield).Bill Morrisette County Assessor .William Bain Euqene City Council: Ward 1.Jim Johnston Ward 4.Gretchen Miller Ward 5.Liz Heath Ward 6 .Eric Haws Eugene Water and Electric Board: At large.no endorsement Wards 4 and 5.John Bartels Ballot measures: #1 .yes #2 .yes #3.yes #4.no #5 .yes #6 .yes #7 .yes #51 ..no i^ developers want anyone but Bylund, and so some of them are also backing Dwyer. It’s politics — the politics of vested interests. Ken Bylund’s effort ever since he took office has been to distri bute the taxes fairly by valuing property fairly. He has always been on the side of working people and of human rights. He has a long history in Eugene of support ing striking workers and farmwork ers. He was active against the Vietnam War back in 1966, long before that was a popular stance. We should keep Ken Bylund work ing for us. Susan Joyce, Senior, CSPA For Craig Jack Craig, candidate for Eugene Water and Electric Board, was endorsed by the Oregon League of Environmental Voters. Last week he was endorsed by the Westside News, a neighborhood paper. Therefore, I was disap pointed with the Emerald’s non endorsement between Jack, a proven leader and his opponent with a lack-luster, pro-nudear re cord. Jack received the endorsement of City Councilmen Jack Delay and Scott Lieuallen; Commis sioner Jerry Rust; State Rep resentatives Grattan Kerans and Nancie Fadeley; former EWEB member John Reynolds; Marion Frank, member of the state Energy Facility Siting Council; Mike McCellan and Bruce Walker former Directors of the Survival Center and Jane Novick and Chris Attneave active members of Eugene Future Power Commit tee. Jack served as a State Rep resentative from Lane County, as President of South University Neighborhood Association and Jack is currently a member of Lane County Transit Board. Jack has been Administrative Assistant to the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives and Administrative Assistant for the Oregon Senate Committee on Aging. He has worked extensively as a reporter for local TV and newspaper. Therefore, the comment Jack lacks ‘‘political savvy” seems naive to me. With Jade's strong support for solar and alternative energy, his commitment to strong conservation measures, his stand against nudear expansion, his past support for Measure 9 (the Nuclear Safeguards Act) and his promise to involve the public in planning it seems an endorse ment would have been in order. Mike Ryan 830 S. Bertel son Rd, Eugene For Miller If you live in Ward 4, you have a chance to make a lot of difference in city government by voting for Gretchen Miller for city council next Tuesday. She’s independent of narrow interests, she’s worked for her neighborhood for years, she’s concerned about and dis posed to learn ways of dealing with growth so that we don’t lose “Eugene,” she’s committed both to a strong economy and en vironmental enhancement. If you live in Laural Hill, the Fairmount area north of 19th and east of Agate, or across the river east of Coburg Road, you can vote for Gretchen. Her vote on the council will very likely make a lot of differ ence. Dan Goldrich Prof., Political Science No on 51 As Jews, members of the Jewish Student Union steering committee feel particularly sensi tive to the issues at stake in ballot measure 51. We hope people don't forget one of the lessons of Nazi Germany, that denial of civil rights is the first step toward a bridgement of human rights. Discrimination against a selec tive group of people has no place anywhere. That we are even de ciding how others can live their personal lives is not our right. Whether we approve or disap prove of homosexuaity is not real ly the question. The Jewish Student Union steering committee is firmly op posed to ballot measure 51 and strongly encourages the Univer sity community and the people of Eugene to vote NO on measure 51. Jerry Forse Jewish Student Union For Haws I would like to urge members of the university community living in Ward 6 (Bethel) to cast their vote for Eric Haws for City Council. Eric Haws is an experienced, respon sible member of the Council who has stuck Ns neck out in voting for the Human Rights Amendment, reaffirmation of the ERA in Oregon, and other important measures. He is being challenged by conservative candidates who would vote quite differently on such issues. He deserves — and needs — the votes of those who want a voice like his to be heard on the Council. Vote for Eric Haws on May 23. Steven Rendall Assoc. Prof. Ronance Languages
