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
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