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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 5, 2004)
BY ALAN PITTMAN HIROSHIMA & NAGASAKI Manager Lashes Out NEVER AGAIN Dennis Taylor fights against external auditor. F ifty-nine years ago, the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki that killed over 200,000 people. There are now over 16,000 strategic nuclear weapons in the world, each of which is many times more powerful than those dropped on Japan. The Bush administration is creating profit for its corporate supporters by developing plans for a new generation of nuclear weapons "small enough" to actually use in preemptive strikes, even against non-nuclear powers that have no plan to attack us. At the same time, it is wasting billions of dollars on a missile defense system, "Star Wars," that is technologically unfeasible and politically destabilizing. This policy is stimulating the prolifera- tion of nuclear weapons and increasing the threat of nuclear war, while lining the pockets of Bush's corporate cronies. We call on Congress and the Bush Administration to stop the development of new nuclear weapons and to eliminate further funding for "Star Wars." We call on the United States and all nations to abolish nuclear weapons. Contact Congress: No New Nukes! Cut Star Wars Funding! Rep. Peter DeFazio Web Mail: defazio.house.gov D.C. Office: (202) 225-6416 Senator Ron Wyden Web Mail: wyden.senate.gov D.C. Office: (202) 224-5244 Senator Gordon Smith Web Mail: gsmith.senate.gov D.C. Office: (202) 224-3753 For more info: www.WAND.org Felicity Adams Elizabeth Albrecht Kenneth Alvis Dorothy Andersen Lisa Arkin Jim Babson Mike Barkhuff Alexandra Barnard Sue & Jyoti Barnhart Tevina Benedict Ben Bennett Mary Lou Bennett Walter Bernard Bonny Bettman Molly Betty Bruce Bowers Bill Boyer Diane Brause Nancy Bray Constance Brown Lura Bulinski Cynthia Bulinski CALC Arthur Ross Cady Adelle Cameron Sean Cannon Alison Cantril Michael Carrigan Robert J. Cassidy Peter Chabarek Ron Chase Milina Childress Ernest Chizinski Marcia & David Clinger Nancy Clogston Karla Cohen Leslie Coray Richard Cundiff Susan Cundiff Wren Davidson Jodi Davis Marvin Davis Shannon Dealy Jean Denis Brian Doogan Brandon Dove David Duemler Ruthann Duncan (In honor of Martha Yamasaki) Judith Eisen Jain Elliott Eugene PeaceWorks Herb Everett Carol Fairbanks David E. Friedlander Erik Fritts Dan Fuehring Sean Gamble Pam Garrison Shirley Gauthier Mike Gebber Tom Gerald Don Gerrard Jennifer Gerrard Anna Liv Gibbons Jill Giddens Dan Goldrich Hanna Goldrich Charles Gray Devon Gray Marianne B. Hall Margaret Hallock Sylvia Hart P. Elaine Hayes Peter Henry Maya Hernlund-Scott Jen-Lin Hodgden David G. Hoffman Brian Holte Ian Hudlow Susan Hudlow Cindy Ingram Karen Irmscher Gwen Jaspers Todd D. Johnson Peg Kehrer David Kelly Rich Klopfer Jennifer Knowlton Victoria Koch Aspen Koch-Fuehring Catherine Koehn Yayoe Kuramitsu Erika Leaf Jodi Lemmer Catherine Lesiak Sarita Lief Dianne Lobes Nena Lovinger Yaney Maciver Marion Malcolm Jean & Will Marcotte Hope Marston Ruby Matthews Jose Campion McCarthy Camille McClaflin Cindy McSperitt Christopher Meeker Dana Merryday Chris Michaels Debra Michaels Marcy Middleton Marjorie R. Mikesell Scott Miksch Gretchen Miller Michele Miller Tiffany Mitchell David Monk Morning Glory Café Eric Morton Peg Morton Ann Muller Erik Muller Neighborhoods for Peace Deb & Allan Newberry Fred Niemeyer David Oaks Beryl Oliver Oregon PeaceWorks Andrea Ortiz Erik Osborn Christine & Len Paige Andy Peara Maceo Persson Anastasia Pickett Amy Pincus Merwin Jenny Potter Wade Powell Margaret K. Pratt Paul Prensky Marcia Rea Michele Renee Norman Riddle Brooke Robertshaw Charlie Rojas Krista Rojas Willow Rose Samuel Rutledge Jana Rygas John Saemann Margo Schaefer Judith Scher Ellen Schlesinger Elise Self Arna Shaw Licia Shultz Jerry Shultz Shandi Sinnamon Eugene Sky Abigail Smith Tamie Smith David Sonnehsen Jan Spenser Betsy Steffensen Carol Stineman Laura Tamkin Betty Taylor Cary Thompson Milena Thompson Pet Tillack Robert Tracey Anne Trembley Jody Trendler Carol Van Houten Don Van Houten Joanne Vinton Josephine Von Hippel WAND Erika Waechter Gary Weck Michael Williams Kris Woolhouse Jan Wostman Mo Young Janice Zagorin David Zupan Hiroshima/Nagasaki Commemoration Saturday, August 7th, Alton Baker Park -Shelter # 2 6:00 pm: Community Potluck 7:15 pm: Music, speakers, poetry and storytelling Kid’s program: Story telling & making of peace cranes Dusk: Floating of commemorative luminaria peace candles on the pond, accompanied by traditional Japanese Koto music Hosted by Justice Not War Coalition and WAND Event Sponsors: Eugene PeaceWorks, Oregon PeaceWorks, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility, Beyond War, CALC, U of O Buddhists for Peace, Neighborhoods for Peace , Faith in Action For more information: 606-2877, jnotwar@efn.org 10 AUGUST 5, 2004 C ity Manager Dennis Taylor publicly lashed out at city councilors July 28 for even suggesting that the city might need an independent external auditor in the wake of police sex scandals. Suggesting the need for an independent auditor “undermines the very credibility people have in their government,” said a red-faced Taylor in successfully siding with council conservatives against an external auditor. “Frequently people say we pendence. “The person would want to keep the job,” Councilor Taylor said. “The person would want to please and say, ‘Yes, every- thing is fine.’” Bettman said an external audi- tor wouldn’t change the city manager structure of gov- ernment power, as Dennis Taylor and council con- servatives argued. The auditor will just provide the council with factual information and have no actual power, she said. By giving the manager independ- ent confirmation, outside audits Suggesting the need for an independent auditor ‘undermines the very credibility people have in their government.’ — City Manager Dennis Taylor don’t trust the city manager,” Taylor said. Councilors saying they need audits outside the city manager’s control adds to public dis- trust, “creates undue tension,” and “under- mines the whole profession that I’m a part of,” Taylor said. “It’s juvenile to frame the issue in that way,” responded Councilor Bonny Bettman. An independent auditor would increase pub- lic trust in city government, not decrease it, she argued. Councilor David Kelly said elected offi- cials weren’t attacking staff’s trustworthiness by calling for an independent auditor. “I re- ally resent that accusation,” he said. Kelly pointed out that many other cities with the city manager form of government like Eugene operate well with an external au- ditor. “Somehow Western civilization sur- vives.” With two Eugene police officers recently imprisoned for using their city jobs to coerce sex from more than a dozen women over nearly a decade without the police depart- ment stopping them, Bettman argued an inde- pendent auditor would help restore trust in the city government. The city has more than just a public rela- tions problem and must make concrete re- forms, according to Bettman. “It is unwise for us to assume that that [police scandal] is not indicative of chronic systemic problems in the organization.” A citizens Charter Review Committee recommended unanimously that the council hire an independent city auditor two years ago but then Acting City Manager Jim Carlson successfully fought off referring a needed charter change to the ballot. The com- mittee recommended that the council hire the auditor to provide independent oversight of city operations. But Taylor said he can audit himself. If the council wants an auditor, “You have one with the city manager,” he said. Taylor said he often hires and supervises audits of city oper- ations. Councilor Betty Taylor said such auditors hired by the manager have little real inde- actually “will provide more power to the city manager,” Bettman said. But Dennis Taylor continued to argue against independent oversight. He claimed he didn’t know how the city could afford the $85,000 to $100,000 annual cost of an auditor given “all the other unmet needs” the city has. “I’m really surprised” at the claim that the city can’t find money for an auditor, Kelly said. “That feels disingenuous and almost ob- structionist.” Kelly noted that the manager recently found $29 million in internal money for a new police station. Too often, Kelly said, “if staff wants something the money is found, if staff doesn’t want something we are in terri- ble fiscal shape.” Bettman said auditors save money by re- ducing government waste. She said studies have found that independent auditors can save 200 to 400 percent more than they cost. Bettman said there’s also a big value in estab- lishing public trust. “How much are you going to value accountability and credibility of the organization?” Dennis Taylor’s strident opposition to this kind of public accountability provided echoes of an earlier time in city government. Former City Manager Mike Gleason held tight rein over city government in Eugene for 15 years until he resigned a decade ago amid accusations that he ignored the City Council and made the city bureaucracy more about protecting and serving itself than the people. Reforming city government will be diffi- cult without an external auditor, according to Bettman. The councilor said the city has “very long-standing employees that have built al- liances” and can be an “obstacle” to change. But Dennis Taylor lead a majority of councilors against submitting a charter re- form measure to voters. Bettman withdrew her motion for an independent auditor when it was clear a council vote would fail. In January a newly elected progressive majority may try again for an independent auditor that reformers see as common-sense, good government. Bettman asks, “What’s ew wrong with more accountability?” `
