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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 12, 1982)
Tuesday, January 12, 1982 Eugana, Oregon Oregon daily Volume 83 Number 76 University funding a top priority Mayor vows to keep city livable Gut Keller Photo bv David Coray By Marian Green Ot the Emerald The notion of keeping Eugene a livable and economically viable community kept popping up in Mayor Gus Keller's State of the City address Monday night "Throughout our history we have made on going commitments to livability in this communi ty," Keller told the sparse audience of about 50 at City Hall Keller said treatment of community issues such as land use, local services and intergovern mental relationships will determine "how many strides we re able to take in the direction of making Eugene a prosperous and pleasant place to live " Calling his address an agenda for action,” Keller said Eugene also will be "profoundly in fluenced this year and in the years ahead by the state of the State " He pledged that the council will monitor the Legislature's effects on the city's goais The top three goals noted are • Stabilizing funding for the University, which Keller called our number one priority ” • Encouraging economic diversification and development efforts • Planning strategies to boost the cultural arts and tourist industry Keller said the state's planning ability is critical because the federal government policies are "setting off chains of economic dominoes that are falling across the country.” The uncompleted Metropolitan Wastewater System, which may end up costing the cities of Eugene and Springfield $20 million over the next 20 years, is one of the "big dominoes," Keiier said "We can no longer take one step and let the federal government cover the rest of the distance We have got to plan to cover the costs of keeping this city running both now and in the future " After outlining some of the problems facing the city, Keller noted several positive steps taken in 1981. An economic diversification plan to help "in putting Eugenians to work and bolstering our economy" is one noteworthy stride, he said Related to the plan is the 1978 bond issue that is making the Performing Arts Center a reality, as it nears completion set for September, he said That center, he said, will be a boon to the city’s employment "So far, the project has created almost 300 construction-related jobs, and’the Hilton has just hired some 225 personnel to run the hotel," he said Major crimes declined by almost 5 percent in 1981, chiefly because of cooperation between citizens, neighborhoods and the police depart Continued on Page 3 Groups signal reawakening of ‘politicking’ By Mike Anderson Ot tttt E mar aid Somewhere between radicalism and apathy lies a brand of campus politics that has been dormant for more than a decade But the reorganization of both the University Democrats and the College Republicans indicates mainstream politics are reactivating on campus as an alternative to both of those extremes According to representatives from both groups, a new type of political activism is surfacing and pumping lifeblood back into groups like their own The College Republicans disappeared from the University in 1964, and the University Democrats faded away shortly after the last presidential election At present, there are approximately 15 active University Democrats and about 20 active College Republicans Both groups say many other students are involved and associated with their group, and both claim to be diverse, moderate groups appealing to many types of students We are not committed to one theory or one policy,' says David Ridenour, chairer of the College Republicans "You can belong to a party and be diverse We Republicans just believe that the principles of democracy can be accomplished in a better way ” Trish Frolander, a senior journalism student and chairer of the University Democrats, says the club was designed to get students involved with politics. "We re an educational group as much as a poli tical group," Frolander says "We re not here to dictate dogma but to provide information " The new bloomers . .. Getting people involved is the first step, she says "The political party comes later " The University Democrats are associated with the party at county and state levels, and the University group reflects the ideology of the party as a whole. Frolander says Because the club is new, University Democrats will concentrate on registering voters, distributing pamphlets, sponsoring speakers and other activities to promote student awareness The environment, the economy, the Equal Rights Amendment, civil rights, higher education, and human services are among the prime concerns of the group, she says The University Democrats believe that Reagan’s Graphic by Max DaRungs economic policies have failed the country, Frolander says Democrats are not necessarily against big busi ness, but they believe business must operate in the best interest of the people, member Lonny Johnson says "The problem is not big business," says Johnson, a senior business major, "but big people, or big pockets of power Business must be controlled for the benefit of the people ” Politics is an ongoing process, and the University Democrats will continually campaign, not just every four years, Frolander says "Politics isn't formed around the candidates Continued on Page 2
