Poise
One Medford-based rock band has left its
mark in Eugene and across the Northwest.
PapS
Sports
Five freshmen are giving the women’s
basketball team a new look—and game.
rlfjg W
http://www.dailyeinerald.com
Thursday, January 24,2002
Since 1 900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 103, Issue 81
Governor releases new plan to balance budget
Extensive program cuts
to accompany tax hikes
By John Liebhardt
Oregon Daily Emerald
Gov. John Kitzhaber announced Wednesday that sin is “in”
— at least when it comes to covering Oregon’s expected
budget shortfall.
Kitzhaber released a plan Wednesday to attack the project
ed 2001-03 state budget deficit by cutting $414 million worth
of state programs and increasing beer and wine taxes by 5
cents per drink and cigarette taxes by 30 cents per pack.
He also called for repealing Ballot Measure 88, passed by
Oregon voters in 2000, which allows residents to deduct fed
eral tax payments that exceed $5,000 from their Oregon taxes.
Mindful of a faltering economy and the highest unemploy
ment rate in the United States, Kitzhaber combined his long
awaited plan with an economic stimulus package that in
cluded $750 million in road and bridge projects and a new
state lottery fund for public schools.
Turn to Budget, page 3
overnor’s budget cuts
for selected programs
Budget plan for OUS calls
for 5.5 percent reduction
By Leon Tovey
Oregon Daily Emerald
Oregon higher education officials breathed a sigh of relief
Wednesday after Gov. John Kitzhaber announced a new plan
to re-balance the state’s 2001-03 budget.
As part of his proposed plan, Kitzhaber recommended a
$44.5 million cut to the Oregon University System’s operat
ing budget. The 5.5 percent OUS reduction is less than what
Kitzhaber asked the State Board of Higher Education to con
sider in October.
Tim Young, a student representative with the board, said
Kitzhaber had asked the board to consider budget cuts as high
as 10 percent. Young, a University political science major, ex
pressed relief at the news of the governor’s proposal.
“My gut reaction is that it is a dramatic improvement,”
Young said. “There’s only so far you can stretch a rubber band
before it breaks. This is still tough for everybody, but at least
Turn to OUS Budget, page 3
Adam Amato Emerald
Christina Stubbs (left) says Martin Luther King Jr. “just wanted everyone to be friends,” as she stands with her father, Chris, at the Open Mic & Candelight Vigil in the EMU
Amphitheater on Wednesday night. The vigil, part of this year’s “Redefining the Dream” King celebration on campus, drew nearly 75 people to speak and sing.
Staying
0 0
■ Speakers at a candlelight vigil
urge people to honor Martin
Luther King Jr by bringing his
message to present-day issues
By Robin Weber
Oregon Daily Emerald
Keynote speaker Mark Tracy en
couraged people Wednesday night
to follow Martin Luther King Jr.’s ex
ample of looking within and finding
their own motivation. Tracy spoke
to a crowd of nearly 75 students,
faculty and community members
honoring King at an open mic and
candlelight vigil in the EMU
Amphitheater in King’s honor.
“Find the battle Dr. King
fought for us, and fight it today,”
said Tracy, assistant dean of
diversity programs.
The open mic and vigil comes
after more than a week of events
put on by student organizations
commemorating King’s life, death
and legacy, all following the
theme, “Redefining the Dream.”
The activities this year aimed at
appealing to people of all ages,
races and creeds through guest
speakers, dancers and actors
wanting to relay King’s message
of motivation and acceptance.
“Many people don’t think be
yond King’s ‘I Have a Dream’
speech,” Black Student Union co
director Kawezya Hutchinson
said about this year’s theme. “We
wanted people to look at his life
in a different aspect and at his
role in other areas of the civil
rights movement.”
The crowd followed Hutchin
son’s co-director, Haben Woldu,
on a candlelight procession
through the amphitheater while
united in song.
Many guests echoed Tracy’s
words, relaying accounts of
King’s impact on their lives and
opinions.
“A lot of people can talk about
King and relate his life to present
day issues,” returning student Dot
Cogdell said.
Jack Radey, a member of the
Eugene Peace Choir, said that the
immense trust people had in King
was one of King’s greatest accom
plishments.
“In my lifetime, I have seen no
other political leader who was
such a spokesperson for the Unit
ed States’ ideals and for courage,”
Radey said.
Radey and other singers led
and performed songs throughout
the service, and the vigil came to
a close with the Eugene Peace
Choir once again taking the stage.
The choir led the audience —
joined hand in hand — in singing
“We Shall Overcome.”
E-mail reporter Robin Weber at
robinweber@dailyemerald.com.
commentator,
PFC to battle
over funding
■ Staff at the student publication say
their mission statement doesn’t show
“an alliance with a political party”
By Kara Cogswell
Oregon Daily Emerald
Members of the Oregon Commenta
tor staff said they will file a grievance
with the ASUO Constitution Court to
morrow, asking the court to approve
the publication’s mission statement
and overturn an earlier decision by the
ASUO Programs Finance Committee.
On Jan. 18, PFC postponed voting on
the Commentator’s 2002-03 budget be
cause members of the committee ob
jected to the campus publication’s mis
sion statement on the grounds that it
advocated political views.
According to PFC member Joe
Streckert, the ASUO Green Tape Note
book prohibits groups from receiving
student funds if they are affiliated with
a political party.
Commentator publisher Bret Jacob
son called PFC’s decision “an outra
geous attempt to censor a student
publication.”
He said the Commentator’s mission
statement has been the same for more
than 17 years, and it expresses a politi
cal philosophy, not an alliance with a
political party.
“The PFC’s error in judgment ...
is making a Logical leap between a phi
losophy and a legal affiliation,” he said.
Streckert said he would present evi
dence to the court that PFC’s decision
violated the U.S. Supreme Court’s rul
ing in Southworth v. University of Wis
consin. ’The Southworth case estab
lished that student fees must be
allocated to groups through a political
ly neutral process.
E-mail student activities editor Kara Cogswell
at karacogswell@dailyemerald.com