qreg wesson
a quorum of one
As any child of the '70s knows, inflation hits
everything Still, the proposal to increase the fine
for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana
from $100 to $250 rings discordant A 250-percent
increase in the punishment for a crime that
shouldn’t be a crime seems unfair.
But, that jump is only one part of the plan The
second is to decrease possession of more than an
ounce but less than eight to a Class A mis
demeanor and more than eight ounces to a Class
C felony Currently, both are Class B felonies
The House Judiciary Committee will discuss
the issue this week, and committee head Tom
Mason heralds the new scheme as an attempt to
put some rationality in the state's marijuana laws
Aside from the argument that anything short
of legalization is by definition irrational, Mason is
to be lauded for proposing a reduction in some of
the marijuana penalties The laws are graphic
demonstrations of attempts by those in power to
eradicate a lifestyle they disagree with
So, like most things formed by committee, the
idea contains sweeteners for each side The
marijuana lobby gets a decrease and the hard
liners get a jump But, in the process, much of the
public gets the shaft To understand that com
promise doesn’t always work, consider Angus' trip
to the big city
Not having any excess of bucks, Angus rode
in to town on his thumb. As a result, he ended up in
a neighborhood he shouldn't be in As his ride
disappeared aroung the corner, Angus found
himself accosted by two large ruffians
Impatiently demanding his wallet, the two
emptied it and one took the cash and the other the
credit cards A compromise was reached, but it's
hard to see how Angus benefited
When the committee begins work on the bill
this week, it should work hard to see that Oregon s
marijuana users don't end up feeling like Angus
As a famous Roman senator once said Citizens,
render unto me a break!
• • •
Actually, the bill has two more notable provi
sions One removes any distinction between pos
session of dried, packaged marijuana and pot still
in the ground The second creates a new crime,
possession with intent to distribute
Explanations for the new category are that the
man still needs some way to go after dealers
Smugglers caught with a shipload are obviously
not planning to use it all themselves and should be
persecuted more intensely
Skeptics, like Rep Margie Hendriksen, D
Eugene, respond that we re suddenly going to see
a number of simple possession charges become
possession with intent to distribute, as those fine
people down at the District Attorney's office wage
their never-ending battle for truth, justice and the
American way
vars
Devastation
In recent weeks ! have become more
and more alarmed at the deliberations
taking place in the state Capitol regard
ing the budget for higher education
The options being discussed are all
grim Consideration of total closure of
one of the three major universities is
unconscionable A 10-percent reduction
in the operating budget of the University
would be devastating particularly on top
of the 3-percent reduction in the Gover
nor's budget
While I am keenly aware of projected
declines of state revenues because of
the debilitating economic climate we
must not compound our problem
The City of Eugene indeed all of Lane
County regards the University as a major
industry It is one of the few in our area
that provides needed diversification from
a timber-dependent economy Thescove
of the potential economic impact on the
Eugene-Springfield area is staggering
Projections indicate that the effect on
our local economy of such a budget
reduction would be in excess of S26 3
million annually To put the scope of
such an impact in perspective it would
be equivalent to eliminating from the
Eugene-Springfield economy the com
bined payrolls of Spectra Physics
Agripac. Citizens Bank, and Strech &
Sew We can all surely appreciate the
serious effects of such a loss as that
reduction further multiplies throughout
our entire economy
I also value the University for the sig
nificant cultural social and recreational
contribution it makes to our community
HEED*).
0'N£lLL. WIGHT, AND QTH0C1 HADING ttwoCRATS.Have M white hDjSE AKER having CON
MltJCED VI RESIDENT THEY MEAN BUSINESS ON THE W CUTE
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I
Eugene would not offer the unique busi
ness and living environment that exists
here without the University This com
munity cannot afford the debilitating
budget reductions now being contem
plated
I therefore urge you and your readers
to join with me in writing and calling the
Revenue Committees of the House and
the Senate and the Joint Legislative
Committee on Ways and Means in Salem
to ask them to reject this contemplated
proposal
Cynthia Wooten
City Councilor, Ward 7
Protect student’s health center investment
As your representative on the Student
Health Center Advisory Committee for
the past two years. I have consistently
supported keeping the infirmary open
because we the committee and admin
istration did not have enough accurate
information to assess the use of the
health center facilities However that
situation changed last fall with the use of
specific illness and injury diagnosis
computer forms which will allow an ac
curate assessment of when a patient was
seen and the treatment required Based
on this type of information, it is true the
infirmary and 24-hour service has
become a victim of the statistics The
committee voted to close the infirmary
and reduce 24-hour service to service 8
a m to 8 p.m Monday through Saturday
and 12 noon to 8 p m Sunday Was this
decision justified9
The statistical information showed that
the infirmary averages three patients per
Page 4
day that 96 3 percent of the current
patient load is seen during regular office
hours and that 98 1 percent of the patient
load would continue to be seen during
the proposed service hours The infor
mation also showed that out of the
remaining 1 9 percent of the patient load
only 27 out of 203 patients over a 90-day
term required some form of immediate
care (fractures to abrasions) This means
that you are paying expensive physicians
and nurses wages for them to see one
patient who really needs immediate care
every third night
As your representative. I asked myself
these questions Is this the proper way to
spend your money7 Are you getting your
money s worth from 24-hour service and
the infirmary7 Is it fair to ask the majority
to fund this type of service for such a very
small minority (three patients per day out
of 15,000 students for the infirmary and
25 percent of the total patient load out
side the proposed service hours) when
other good facilities are available? My
answer to all questions was no and I
voted for the infirmary closure and
reduced service
The result of this decision is that the
health center will save more than
$200,000 by releasing about 10 staff
members which will result in a savings of
$3 per student per term Some students
will need insurance but most won't Of
the five insurance companies I called —
Allstate Farmers Insurance Group Blue
Cross. Kemper and State Farm — you
are covered as a full-time single student,
under your parents policy until age 23
23, 23, 22 and 21 respectively Check
your family s policy to be sure
In conclusion the committee made a
decision that they felt best represented
the student's interests but this decision is
not cast in stone; the hours of service are
especially open to change This decision
does leave you with the problem of what
to do with the empty infirmary, the
second floor of the health center When
facing this problem, if you view your
selves as stockholders in the health
center, consider that there is a maior
investment in quality medical facilities A
wise use of that space might be to en
courage medical use from the private
sector — perhaps a lease that would
result in even lower student health fees
and perhaps additional student care
Watch for and guard your investment
against conversion to non-productive
and non-paying uses such as office
space or housing It is your investment
and through your participation or pres
sure on the health center Advisory Com
mittee, it is your decision
Bill Vandermolen
Senior, general acience
Student representative
Health center advisory committee
Monday, June 8, 1981