http://www.dailyemerald.com
Thursday, January 23,2003
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
104, Issue 83
Foes of 28 step up debate
Some Measure 28 opponents
fear that it may have a negative
impact on businesses in Oregon
Oregon votes 2003
Jan Montry
City/State Politics Reporter
A distrust of state spending, worries
about Oregon’s failing economy and an ap
prehension of tax increases are among the
top reasons Measure 28 opponents are
fighting the $724 million measure on the
Jan. 28 ballot.
And as support for Measure 28 continues
to gain momentum in the polls, debate is
heating up.
“(Measure 28) is putting a small Band
Aid on agaping wound,” Rep. Jeff Kruse, R
Roseburgsaid.
Kruse said the only way for Oregon to
escape the recession is to invigorate the pri
vate sector — not to use tax cuts to take
money out, which he said would only per
petuate economic woes.
“Quite simply, the recession isn’t in
the government; it’s in the private sec
tor,” he said.
Kruse, along with Rep. Dan Doyle, R
Salem, developed a no-tax plan to balance
last year’s budget that included eliminating
new programs, selling a large portion of the
motor pool and reforming the Oregon Pub
lic Employees Retirement System. Al
though Kruse said the plan itself won’t be
pushed for the next budget, some of the
specific ideas from the plan, such as freezes
on state wages, will be toted.
Russ Walker, northwest director of Citi
zens for a Sound Economy, said an income
tax increase would have multiple adverse
effects on the economy. Walker noted that
Oregon, which he said is competing with
49 other states for businesses, would be an
unattractive location for new industry if the
increase goes through.
He warned against adding new taxes to
Oregon’s high capital gains tax, which af
fects invest- _ _ _ _
ment profit, M^SiSlirfi 28
along with the a 10-part series
expanding examining the
businessactivi- budget implications
ties tax and of the Ian 28
burdensome special election,
regulatory
structure for businesses. The result, he
said, would be that new businesses will not
setde here and struggling businesses will be
scared away.
To prevent cuts to essential services such
as roads, police and schools, non-essential
services could undertake alterations if the
measure fails, Walker said.
Such changes could include the privati
zation of the Oregon Liquor Control Com
mission and the Oregon Department of Mo
tor Vehicles, elimination of Certificate of
Initial and Advanced Mastery programs, ref
ormation of land usage and opening of
forests to timber harvesting.
“The key is finding the barriers the gov
Turn to Measure 28, page 3
PFC approves
$32,000 budget
for Night Ride
Despite a limited budget, the ASUO Programs Finance
Committee gives Night Ride a budget increase
Ali Shaughnessy
Freelance Reporter
The ASUO Programs Finance Committee made one thing very
clear at its meeting Tuesday—this year’s budget is a tight one.
“Funding this year is very tight; there are a lot of mandato
ry increases PFC has to deal with,” PFC senator seat No. 3
Mike Sherman said.
It is because of these mandatory increases that each group,
with the exception of three, walked away from its PFC budget
hearing with an increase in funds.
Spencer View Tenants’ Council was zero-funded by PFC after
failing to show up to its budget hearing on time. PFC is obligated
to zero-fund a group if that group is 10 or more minutes late. The
council plans to appeal the decision, however, and has five busi
Turn to PFC, page 3
A reel good year
Along with the usual big-budget Hollywood films,
2002 offered plenty of Oscar-worthy movies
Ryan Bornheimer
Senior Pulse Reporter
Movie industry folks are likely to be sleeping in tuxedos and
formal gowns this time of year. Everyday it seems another
movie award ceremony is held and seemingly millions of gold
en statuettes are doled out for the films released the previous
year. But beyond the pomp and self-congratulation, 2002
emerged as the exciting culmination of nearly three decades
of American filmmaking.
It was a year when old-school film legends stood beside a
new generation of storytellers to push the boundaries of the
medium. From Martin Scorsese’s powerful “Gangs of New
York” to Paul Thomas Anderson’s blissful “Punch-Drunk
Love,” we finally have a reason to celebrate what movies
are capable of.
“Gangs” has been 30 years in the making — Scorsese origi
nally slated the film as his follow-up to 1976’s “Taxi Driver.”
The final result is a powerful history lesson. Daniel Day-Lewis
possesses the screen with an authority that easily places his
character in the annals of screen villains.
The young director of “Magnolia” has pointed to Scorsese
as a big influence in his short career, but “Punch-Drunk” is all
Anderson. There are images and moments in this movie that
never leave the mind, and Adam Sandler blows away precon
ceptions with a rich and subtle performance.
Film veteran Brian DePalma gave us the flawed but chal
lenging “Femme Fatale” while music-video upstart Spike
Jonze proved his “Being John Malkovich” wasn’t just a fluke.
Collaborating once again with screenwriter Charlie Kaufman,
Jonze delivered the endlessly entertaining “Adaptation.”
While “Fatale” was largely overlooked by American critics,
DePalma created a film that experiments with the con
ventions of linear story-telling and editing. No film
maker in the last two decades has done this with
more style than DePalma. He has never chal
lenged himself as much as he does with
“Femme Fatale.”
Jonze, on the other hand, shows his own
knack for spurning convention, juggling
Kaufman’s “Adaptation” script with ease
and confidence. Meryl Streep is great fun
to watch. Chris Cooper is amazing. And
Nicolas Cage gives a performance that
almost erases all the Hollywood sins he
has committed in the last few years.
More intimate movies also shined
in 2002. There’s the obvious example
of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” But
there was also the easily missed
“About A Boy,” which proved Hugh
Grant is far more than the sniveling
dope we’ve grown tired of.
Steven Shainberg mixed masochistic
eroticism with classical romance in the
pitch-perfect “Secretary.” Maggie Gyllen
haal and James Spader make the oddest,
most loving couple of the year.
Director Todd Haynes also reshaped the film
landscape with “Far From Heaven.” Haynes’ film
never falters, challenging the way we view our cultural
past and present as well as the way we watch movies.
Even blockbusters got a good name, thanks to the reign
ing king of crowd-pleasers, Steven Spielberg. “Minority Re
port” was a revelation: an escapist action film with real heart
and brains. He followed this up with the two-hour smile of “Catch
Turn to Reel, page 3
Photo illustration Emerald
Dry weather to increase energy costs
Energy rates are set for winter, but continuing dry conditions
could reduce the surplus and raise costs for the coming year
Andrew Black
Environment/Science/Technology
Last week, the Northwest Power Planning Council predicted the
likelihood of regional power shortages is less than 1 percent this year,
and no greater than 6 percent by 2007. The council cited reduced de
mand of energy consumption in the aluminum smelting and paper
pulp industries and increased availability of imported energy as fac
tors in its forecast.
But despite the optimistic outlook toward regional power supplies, Eu
gene Water and Electric Board spokesman Scott Spettel said customers
can still expect increased rates.
“Right now, rates are set for this winter,” Spettel said. “But cost will con
tinue to climb based in part on near drought conditions this year.”
Spettel said the Bonneville Power Administration tries to keep power
rates low for customers in the Northwest by selling surplus power to mar
kets in California. But dry winter weather and a reduced snowpaek have
decreased the region’s supply of extra power available for export. Spettel
said BPA could raise rates by 15 to 20 percent during the next year to offset
lost export revenue.
“The BPA is painting a pretty grim picture,” Springfield Utility Board
spokeswoman Meredith Clark said. “But we’re still waiting to hear
from them.”
The Northwest River Forecast Center estimated this year’s January
through July Columbia River runoff at 27 percent less than historical av
erages, which would be the ninth lowest runoff since 1929.
Northwest Power Planning Council spokesman John Harrison said dur
ing the 2000-01 energy crisis, drought reduced energy supplies by 4,000
megawatts — nearly four times the amount of energy used by Seattle in a
year. Since then, '410 megawatts of wind power, 2,600 megawatts from new
natural gas-fired power plants and 200 megawatts from energy conserva
tion have bolstered the region’s power supply.
Harrison said the council predicts the demand for power in the North
Turn to Electricity, page 3
Weather
Today: High 53, Low 42,
cloudy, chance of showers
Thursday: High 50, Low 40,
breezy, showers likely
Looking ahead
Friday
Transgender advocates fight
for equal rights in Oregon
Monday
Take a look behind the 'who'
and 'why' of City Council