December 2005. After the 2004 primary and
general elections, an elected replacement will
serve the remainder of Lininger’s term of of-
fice, from January 2005 through December
2006. Applicants for the appointed position
must be legal voters of the state, residents of
the county for two years before taking office,
and residents of the district for at least two
months before taking office.
In naming an appointed replacement to
serve through next year, the BCC is interested
in knowing what are issues and concerns of
East Lane District 5 citizens. Later this month,
the board will review forms used in 1989 and
1994 to appoint interim commissioners, as
well as the input from citizens and commis-
sioners. They may also set a timeline for the
• Another sales tax vote coming up?
Nine sales tax measures have been
quashed badly at the polls since the
1930s, none getting more than 30 per-
cent of the vote, but this one, HB 3608,
would dedicate the tax exclusively to
pre-school, K-12 and community col-
leges. The bill will crank up a lively
debate if it ever makes it out of
Revenue to the House and Senate
floors. A 5 percent sales tax would gen-
erate an estimated $7.35 billion in annu-
al revenues. Property and income taxes
(likely reduced) would continue to fund
social services and other state func-
tions. And those existing taxes could be
made progressive to balance the
regressive nature of the sales tax. We’re
skeptical of sales taxes, but this could
be one way to restore a larger share of
the tax burden to Oregon business and
industry. The R’s will try to kill it, water
it down, or campaign against it on
themes of fear and distrust. Stay tuned
and track bills at www.leg.state.or.us
• Parking at Amazon Pool this summer
is getting crowded and we hear cars
and vans are once again using the
grassy field northwest of the pool.
Parking on parkland? Members of the
Amazon Neighbors association are
complaining about habitat destruction
and violation of city regs. We’re remind-
ed that some wetlands and sensitive
upper grasslands dry out in the sum-
mer, but they are still fragile.
• City planners and planning advocates
have known for decades that every new
home built costs cities tens of thou-
sands of dollars in public services.
System development charges (SDCs) to
developers only cover a fraction of the
actual costs, so taxpayers end up subsi-
dizing growth. State law allows SDCs
only for street improvements, but a new
bill in Salem, SB 511, would allow the
expansion of SDCs to help cover the
costs of schools, public safety and
libraries. Such legislation, currently in
the Revenue Committee, is way over-
due. New homes will become more
expensive, and some homebuyers may
have to buy existing homes or smaller
homes. Some developers might turn to
remodeling and renovation projects as
the market adjusts. But the existing
rules on SDCs promote sprawl and
increase our tax burden. Let’s fix them.
application and interview processes.
District 5 citizens’ draft questions must be
received by 5 pm, Monday, June 16. They
can be sent by mail to: Ethel Mashaw,
County Administration, 125 E. 8th Ave.,
Eugene 97401, or by e-mail to
ethel.c.mashaw@co.lane.or.us
FOR THE BIRDS
The Willamette National Forest needs vol-
unteers right away to help with an annual bird
conservation study. This study has been con-
ducted for three years; however, this year vol-
unteers will be looking for new bird species.
In the past, the study has focused on
thrushes, but this year it will focus on warblers
and flycatchers. This volun-
teer opportunity is per-
fect for people who
like to watch birds
and camp. The study
will run from early
June to late July
2003.
Involved in the
study are the Cornell Lab
of Ornithology, U.S. Forest
Service, and Student Conservation
Association, which have a partnership to re-
search and protect certain forest breeding
birds. This national study will investigate the
relationship between habitat and breeding for-
est birds.
For more information call Gail Morris at
822-7252.
CORRECTIONS/
CLARIFICATIONS
• In last week’s news story, “Who Owns
Your Local News Media,” it was incorrectly
reported that Chambers Communications
owns radio station KZEL. In fact, Chambers
owns KEZI TV.
• In our May 15 “Les Miserables” letter to
the editor from Jack Radabaugh, the last sen-
tence had a wrong year. It should have read,
“Without any sense of history whatsover, the
Americans of 2003 find themselves roughly in
the position of the German people of 1938.”
Weekend Specials
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Dining chair with fabric seat and contoured back
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Lazy susan, was $99 Special $79
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Recliner with fold-out foot rest
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JUNE 12, 2003 13