Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (June 2, 2005)
Saturday Today Friday - *5* High: 63 High: 67 High: 68 Low: 47 Low: 46 Low: 48 Precip: 20% Precip: 20% Precip: 20% IN BRIEF Bill aims to divert unspent money toward education SALEM — The Senate completed action on companion measures that would expand the state’s education re serve fund as a hedge against future budget problems. One bill, approved 24-5, would di vert the unspent general money left over at the end of each two-year budg et period into the education “rainy day” fund. Unspent money is currently carried over into the next budget. Earlier, the Senate overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure that would double the allowed size of the reserve fund, so it could grow to more than $1 billion at current budget levels. Both measures go to the House, where they stand a good chance of passing, said Sen. Ryan Deckert, D Beaverton, chairman of the Senate Revenue Committee. Education consumes more than half of the budget, including K-12, commu nity college and university funding. The education reserve is now fed by 18 percent of lottery profits and is capped at an amount equal to 5 per cent of general fund revenue. The ballot proposal would raise the reserve fund cap to 10 percent of the general fund. Voter approval is needed because the reserve fund is part of the state constitution. The other bill would put money that’s left over at the end of each two year budget period into the reserve fund, up to a ceiling of 2 percent of the general fund. Under the current budget, for exam ple, the bill would put into reserve $204 million of the $292 million that’s projected to be unspent after the budg et period ends on June 30. — The Associated Press Art: Cost of the paving plan may increase students' rent Continued from page 1 marred with potholes, and Rixmann, chair of the West University Neigh bors, said he’s excited at the prospect of the city’s alley paving project, which would restore them to their previous level of quality. So excited, in fact, that he’s spear heading his own effort to add a bit of originality and color to the project in hopes of beautifying a neighborhood that some associate with only alcohol consumption and noise. “Just pick an old flat concrete alley and put something there that you see every day and makes you feel better,” Rixmann said. “It could be some thing as simple as a quote from a fa mous author, or it could be some thing real cool like some kind of neat cryptic puzzle.” The city will pave 23 alleys this summer at a projected cost of $1.67 million, and Rixmann is hop ing to work with local artists and city officials to add original artwork on a portion of each alley. If the city accepts his idea and finds a way to finance it, each alley would have a small removable block that could be decorated before plac ing it into the rest of the concrete. Owners of the roughly 160 proper ties on the same blocks as the alleys will split the cost of the paving proj ect, something about which Eugene police officer Randy Ellis said he has mixed feelings. Eugene typically takes on the atti tude that property owners need to be the ones spearheading improvement projects rather than the city, but this particular project is different because it was instigated by the city, Ellis said. “Their attitude kind of is ‘oh well, they’re absentee landlords, they’re not going to complain,”’ Ellis said. “The rents go up, so the students pay for it.” Ellis said a task force set up after ri ots occurred in the neighborhood a few years back discussed the alley paving project at great length during its meetings. “It surprised me that the city was that responsive to that one issue,” Ellis said. Improving the alleys’ condition could do much to improve the rest of the neighborhood, Ellis said, either by creating a better atmosphere to promote a debris-free neighborhood or making the alleys more inviting to walk through. More people in the al leys means more opportunities to catch crime, Ellis said. The West University Neighbors discusses the alley paving project at its monthly meetings and has being doing so for nearly a year. Rixmann said he will share his ideas for the alley art project at Thursday’s neighborhood meeting and will look for creative input from interested neighbors. Rixmann said the project is simple and doesn’t involve much work but could be a cherished addition to the alleys if done correctly. Rixmann encouraged students to make the most of the alleys in the coming weeks and enjoy the large amount of free stuff that will be sit ting in them once students start mov ing out for the summer. He said the alleys last year were so filled with ap pealing items he had to stay inside to ensure he didn’t bring home too much of it. “I just had to lock myself in the room and say ‘stay stoned, don’t go outside,”’ Rixmann said. Activity in the alleys is just one rea son why Rixmann wants some artistic creativity present after they are paved. He said he’s hopeful tonight’s meeting will elicit positive responses about the alley art project from neighbors and that people will want to get involved. “It could be cool or it could just slip into obscurity, but I’m betting on the cool side,” Rixmann said. meghanncuniff@dailyememld.com 022418 It's All About You! Duck's Village is Leasing for Fall Great Apartments 'mmm (Newly Refurbished 1, 2, 3 & 4 Bedrooms) Fl "• J! Great Prices (Individual Bedroom Leases) Great Location (lust past Autzen Stadium) Lots to Do After Studying! Pool, Spa, Volleyball & Basketball Rec Room, Fitness Center, Computer Lab AND SO MUCH MORE! in srow Ave 541.485.7200 www.ducksvillage.corn Models open M-F 8-5 & Sat 9-3 ALLERGY SEAS Helpful hints to reduce "hay feuer" symptoms • Exercise early on uuindy and dry days • Limit outdoor actiuity on uuindy and dry days • fluoid rubbing your eyes • Keep uuindoius closed at night • Shouuer and shampoo hair before bed • llJash bed linens often • Use pollen mask • keep your pet off your bed • If using allergy meds, take them early • fluoid lying in the grass • UJear sun glasses to help keep pollen out of your eyes Ouer the Counter products from the Uniuersity Health Center Pharmacy: Product fictifed Benadryl 25 my caps (generic) Chlor-Thmeton 4 mg tab (generic) Size Price 100 ?2.00 100 §3.00 24 §2.00 Pfoduct Size Price Chior-Trimeton 4 mg tab (generic) 100 §3.09 Claritin 10 mg (generic) 30 §3.50 (tart-012 hr. 12 §0.00 Sudafed 30 mg (generic) 24 §2.00 O UNIVERSITY OF OREGON 346-2770 for medical appts. 356-4454 for pharmacy http://healthcenter.uoregon.edu UO Bookstore Book Buyback Online CHECK CURRENT PRICES OF YOUR TEXTBOOKS, BEFORE YOU SELL THEM BACK. UNIVERSITY OF OREGON http://uobookstore.com/coursebooks/CCRA BOOKSTORE
