• The late Sen. Wayne Morse is being honored with a one-
man play this weekend (see Calendar listing for Sunday) and
this production has political as well as historical and dra-
matic significance. American Gadfly playwright Charles
Deemer describes Morse as a man of political courage who
“stood on principles before party loyalty. He was a rare
political bird, a true maverick. He was just as Socrates
described it, a man sent by the gods to keep the State hon-
est. We desperately need that kind of gadfly today.” Hear
hear.
• Eugene city councilors are meeting at the Hilton Friday for their annual retreat
and goal-setting sessions and coincidentally they will be having lunch downstairs
the same time City Club is dining upstairs with Gary Blackmer, an independent city
auditor from Portland. A couple of councilors suggested the council move upstairs
to join the party, but we hear Councilor Papé and perhaps another councilor or
the mayor got together with the city manager and nixed the idea. Blackmer will be
talking about how independent auditors can save cities millions through boosting
efficiencies and avoiding lawsuits, an idea championed by the Charter Review
Committee in 2002 but kept off the ballot by conservative councilors. We can
understand why city managers and even city attorneys might resist the idea of
someone looking over their shoulders, but it’s puzzling why fiscal conservatives
wouldn’t love the idea. We predict some councilors will bail on their private lunch
and join the City Club crowd for this lively presentation. But will some choose
ignorance instead?
• Araminta Hawkins tells us she won’t be pursuing Pat Farr’s soon-to-be-vacant
House District 14 seat. She’s too busy with a full-time job at PeaceHealth, serving
on the board of HIV Alliance and her work with various other political and social
activism groups. Who else might run against Farr’s wife, Debi? Rich Cunningham
would probably jump at the chance but he’s facing heart surgery and will be out of
commission for awhile. John Bullock’s name has popped up as someone worth
recruiting. He’s a principal in the Bethel School District and a good, eloquent
Democrat.
• The City Council is expected to give final approval Feb. 23 to a plan to divert $40
million in tax revenues over the next 20 years into an urban renewal fund to bene-
fit the riverfront area, new federal building area and part of downtown. One big
problem (in addition to sucking money out of city and state coffers) is that we
don’t know how the millions will be spent. State law requires urban renewal pro-
jects be identified before the money is collected, but the proposed Eugene plan is
so vague that the City Council could decide to use the money for another high-
rise parking atrocity, subsidize a basketball stadium for UO (we’re not kidding), or
even a state highway project. The council seems dead-set on passing this plan,
even though it’s likely to be referred to the voters. Let’s tidy up the
project language first so we have a clearer idea of what we will
be voting on.
• Bush’s Vietnam-era National Guard service is under
scrutiny and we’ll probably never know where he was
hanging out between late 1972 and September 1973.
Bush’s personal history reflects on his character, but
Democrats shouldn’t spend too much time flogging an
issue that most Americans don’t care about. D’s should
focus on the Bush administration’s three-year track
record on the environment, education, economy, corpo-
rate corruption and foreign policy.
SLANT includes short opinion pieces, observations and rumor-chasing notes
compiled by the EW staff. Heard any good rumors lately? Contact Ted Taylor at
484-0519,
CINDERELLA
• The mayor’s new task force to study economic development in Eugene is already
in trouble with councilors at odds over whether or not the committee’s recom-
mendations should be by consensus or by majority vote. Sound silly? Not at all.
Just as our nation is angrily divided and polarized over White House policies,
Eugene is similarly polarized regarding growth and sprawl. The only way for our
town to become less divided on these issues is to find common ground, and that
won’t happen on split votes. Councilor Bettman has advocated for “consensus
minus one,” recognizing that consensus can break down if even one person dis-
sents. Councilor Solomon prefers majority rule, probably because the mayor’s new
committee already appears to be stacked with pro-growth, pro-sprawl members.
Will this new 1`6-member committee accomplish anything useful? Not if it’s just a
rubber stamp for unfettered development.
Toni Pimble, Artistic Director
IF THE
SLIPPER
FITS,
MARRY
THE
PRINCE
A SK
ABOUT
OUR
F AMILY
D ISCOUNT !
C INDERELLA
F EBRUARY 28-29, 2004
H ULT C ENTER FOR THE P ERFORMING A RTS : (541) 682-5000
8 FEBRUARY 19, 2004
24 hours a day: ww.eugeneballet.org
P ERFORMANCE SPONSORED BY :
M EDIA S PONSORS :
A DDITIONAL S UPPORT :
G ROUP S ALES (15 OR MORE ) CALL S USAN M ONTANA : 541-744-1962