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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 18, 1987)
Editorial Measure 1 seeks to thwart Hanford The easiest vote facing Oregonians on Tuesday's special election will la; the one they cast in support of Ballot Measure t — the measure opposing the federal govern ment’s selection of Hanford as the national high-level radioactive waste dump. If Measure 1 passes, the state will focus lobby efforts at tbe federal level against the selection of Hanford as the waste site. This action is needed for two reasons. first, it will prevent the nation's nuclear waste from las ing transported across the country and dumped in our backyard. Second it will pursue legal action against the federal government for not complying with the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982. For reasons of expediency, several important factors were overlooked when the government examined Hanford as a possible site. The Department of Knergy, responsible for selecting several safe sites, did not use independent scien tists to examine the areas. According to Oregon Hanford Oversite Committee geologists. Hanford is inadequate. It is too close to the Col umbia River, ami the land has a fractured basalt base. Both of these qualities present a risk for unsafe disposal of nuclear waste. Hanford was one of three finalists chosen by the Depart ment of Knergy*s own research team; however, the Hanford site is regarded widely by independent geologists, en vironmentalists and scientists as the least suitable of the three. Aside from the geographical inadequacies, the govern ment also has suspended the search for a second location outside the Northwest. It has focused its attention on the Hanford site even though it knows Hanford is an inadequate dumping ground for high-level waste. The drive to establish Hanford as the national nuclear dumpsite is politically, not logically, motivated. En vironmental concerns should outway greatly the political implications. Evan though the site is in Washington, the state is our neighbor and the same dangers apply. Washington already has passed a similar referendum. We should show our sup port and vote for Ballot Measure I. Measure 2 gives options to school budget problems The so-called ‘‘safety net" proposal for school funding will he on the special election ballot on Tuesday. Although Measure 2 is not a cure-all for our state's school district’s financial woes, it will help alleviate some of the pressures. The measure would guarantee minimum funding to school districts based on a previous year’s budget. It would help prevent school closures due to lack of funds. Currently, schools do not have a bottom-line figure on which to fix their budgets. This proposal would offer then) a flat figure accepted previously by voters in prior budget elections, and hopefully would provide enough funding to keep schools open. Under the current system, school districts place their budget proposals on the primary and general elections every other year. Measure 2 would require schools to hold proper ty tax levies every year. One problem with school funding now is the districts often run out of money before the next election. They then hold special elections that not only cost the city extra money, but uro frequently rejected by voters reluctant to in crease property taxes. With elections scheduled every year, the chances for needing special elections will be reduced. Opponents claim the new funding system would l>e tax ation without representation because the public cannot vote to lower a district's budget below previous levels. The elec torate will only have the option of increasing the school budget or keeping it the same. It could not be reduced. But this arguement neglects the fact that the voters already had approved the first increase. Measure 2 is not a full-proof safety net. Problems will still exist in school funding and districts will still have to rely on property taxes. Nonetheless, it is a start to solving problems inherent in the system. Oregon is the only state forced to close schools because of inadequate funding. Sup porting Measure 2 will help prevent this trend. 1 In© mu. Hitt A WINNER RKYO# AS ^OON NS THE SMOKE ClEttS../ " Letters Preservation Accord inn to Ronnie Dug ger'* book. "On Reagan: The Man and His Presidency,” President Reagan considers homosexuality a "tragic ill ness" and feels laws against it should be preserved. Opinion polls show that homosexuality is not something most Americans approve of So why an; some people so com mitted to shoving it down our throats? If the people don't want homosexuality presented as just some "alternative lifestyle" to their children, then keep sodomy out of the nation's classrooms! If they don't want some open homosexual teaching in the schools then so be it. The Supreme Court of the Uniter! States says it is fully constitutional for states to make sodomy illegal. Sounds good to me. Benjamin Davis Biology Coke war This letter is in response to the anonymous writer (Gerard Harr\'| of "Cola angst” (ODE, May 12). Have you ever stopped to think the reason the campus machines all vend Coca-Cola and the University Housing Dept, serves Coke in the cafeteria is that's what everybody (and by everybody I mean the majority) prefers? This is NOT the Pepsi Generation Coca-Cola and Pepsi were taste-tested and most pimple did prefer Coca-Cola here in the Eugene/Springfieid area. That's why we have Coke here on campus. If you need further convinc ing. Coca-Cola still owns the largest share of the soft drink pie. Pepsi majority? Hardly. As for your petty little com ment alxmt a communist plot to take over America with the "Catch the 'red' wave. ..." I'uh-ieez.e. Dan timber Classic (kike fan High-brows Please, if the Oregon Daily Emerald wants to convey some sort of high-brow attitude and use a foreign language, at least get it right. I refer to the article about row ing in the May 11 ODE. The cor rect French for "Are you ready? Go!" is not “Etes-vu bous prepez. . parjw!" It is: "Etes-vous pres? Partez!" What the former phrase means is beyund me, as it also was beyond associate professor of French. Elisabeth Marlow when I asked her about it. Don't butcher foreign languages. It's hard enough for us low-brows to learn them without the folks at the Emerald bastardizing them. 1 guess the moral here is: If you don't know the correct usage for it. don't put it in print. Craig I.oughridge journalism 'Manizer' I wish the media (Emerald in cluded) would use a different word than "womanizer” to describe Gary Mart. Webster d e li n e s “womanizer” as a man who pursues or associates illicitly with women." What can that possibly mean? What's wrong with "pursuing or associating" with women? I do it all the time. Men do it all the time in professional and social contexts. loot's be exact: A man can commit adultery, be unfaithful to his spouse, or flirt a lot — all things a woman can do. Yet we have no term "manizer.” The word "womanizer" im plies a social context in which frequent interaction with women is necessairly sexual. If that’s what you intend to imply, fine. Otherwise pick a different word. Jina I.aMear English/I.inguistics alumna Oregon Daily Emerald The Oregon Daily Emerald la published Monday through Friday except during exam week and vacations by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co. at the University of Oregon. Eugene. Oregon. 97403 The Emerald operates independently ot the University with offices on the third floor ot the Erb Memorial Union and is a member ot the Associated Press The Emerald is private property The unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable by law General Staff Advertising Director Susan Thelen Advertising Sales: Peter LaFleur I Sales Manager Teresa Acosta. Janelle Heitmann. Catherine Ulia Rick Mart/. Joseph Men/el Joan Wildermuth Advertising Apprentices: Ten Boring. Heather Mull. Bai bars Rogers. Julie Paul News and Editorial 666 5511 Display Advertising and Business 686-3712 Classified Advertising 646 4343 Letter Perfect Graphics 666-5511 Production 686-4381 Circulation 666-551 f Production Manager Classified Manager Assistant to the Publ 'ublisher Wayne Michael Lottinville Alyson Simmons Jean Ownbey Editor Managing Editor News Editor Spectrum Editor Spectrum Assistant Editor Editorial Page Editors Sports Editor Photo Editor Spectrum Photo Editor Graphics Editor Night Editor Associate Editors Community Politics Higher Education / Administration University Attairs Student Government Student Activities General Assignment General Assignment Michelle Brence Lucinda Dillon Michael Rivers Stephen Maher Tim Chauran Michael Drummond Angela Mum; Dennis Fernandes Maria Corvallis John Giustina Lorraine Rath Stanley Nelson Janet Paulson B J Thomsen Chris Norred Laurie Schwarts Carolyn Lamberson Sarah Kitchen Alicia Gano Scott Maben Reporters Jackie Barry. Mary Courtis, Gary Henley Will Hot ben Photographers Shertyn Biorkgren, Shu Shmg Chen, Der rei Hewitt. Tim Jones Bobbie Lo. Dan Wheeler Production: Michele Ross i Ad Coordinator Supervisors Sandra Bevans ShuShmg Chen. Eliot Knight Angela Muniz. Ingrid White Technicians: Kelly Alexandre Ronwin Nicole Ashton. Virginia Baniaga. Samantha Barbitta. Sara Briscoe. Janet Emery. Judith Gat; Lisa Haggerty. Linda Jones. Jung Lee. Donna Leslie Bobbie Lo. Kelli Mason. Mike McGraw. Rob Miles. Diana Moy. Julie Paul. Serena Williams
