NEW POLICE STATION
GETS ZERO SUPPORT
Nobody voted for a new police station in an
unscientific ballot by Eugene Weekly over the
past two weeks asking what the city should do
with $29 million in internal money it has squir-
reled away.
The City Council voted last month to use
the $29 million in internal money plus a $7
million property tax bond measure to build a
new police station (see story, 7/29).
Forty percent of ballots mailed or e-mailed
to EW favored using the money to support
local schools instead. Buying parkland came in
second at 31 percent, fixing potholes third at
26 percent followed by paying off police law-
suits (19 percent), running the library (19 per-
cent), community policing (17 percent) and re-
funding taxpayers (12 percent). A total of 46
people sent in ballots as of press time, and
many people voted for more than one thing to
spend the money on.
Many voters also suggested other uses for
the money including: rapid transit, a city audi-
tor, catching thieves and vandals, cleaning up
the Willamette River, extending bike paths to
Mount Pisgah, health and human services,
sheltering the homeless, youth and disabled
recreation programs, nodal development, free
parking and buying bikes for everyone in
town.
Many voters also used the ballot to express
their displeasure with the city and police de-
partment.
Instead of using taxpayer money to
pay off lawsuits resulting from sexual
coercion by two EPD officers against
more than a dozen women over the last
decade, one citizen wrote that the po-
lice should cut officer salaries to
pay off the claims. Another
wrote, officer Roger “Magaña
got away with sexually molest-
ing women while on duty for 10 years! It’s
plain that police policy is at fault, and we
shouldn’t have to foot the bill for that.”
Another citizen wrote, “Let them [police]
sacrifice something, like their new cop shop.
There are plenty of properties in the downtown
area that would suffice with some fixing up. It
would do EPD good to be a bit humble right
now.”
“If the cops want a new station, let them
ask us again,” wrote another voter. “Maybe
they will get the message that this community
wants oversight, independent auditing, maybe
even accountability. Is that too much to ask of
our public servants?”
“Anything is more practical than an unnec-
essary and voted-against police station,” a
voter wrote.
“I cannot believe that they squirreled away
that much money, is that actually legal!” an-
other voter wrote, referring to the $29 million
the city cut from city services and squirreled
away to fund the police building.
“Considering the poor performance of the
police in the last decade, how much loss would
it be to have their building collapse? Move the
secretaries out though,” a person wrote.
“What part of ‘NO’and ‘NO’didn’t the city
council understand?” a citizen wrote referring
to the two past failed efforts to pass a tax for
the police station.
A voter marveled that the city would
have the “audacity” to ask again for
money after two failed votes.
“Clearly, they take us for
fools! Which is why their
new measure will fail too ….
Money to schools, and not to
fools!”
The bond measure compo-
nent of the police station fund-
ing will be on the real ballot in
November. — Alan Pittman
• As we go to press this week we hear that Rodney Johnson,
one of Eugene’s unique and well-loved individuals, has suf-
fered a massive heart attack and is on life support at Sacred
Heart. Friends and family are holding a vigil for Mr. Johnson.
He is described as “a loving person who has touched many
people” in Eugene’s business community, music scene and
at LCC.
• Register-Guard editorials are sometimes well-crafted and
even make sense, but they must have forgotten to turn on
their computer’s logic checker for their column Aug. 5 dis-
puting the need for an independent auditor. Their main ar-
gument appears to be that hiring an independent auditor
would “damage the relationship” between the council and
the city manager. Where’s the evidence for that argument?
Some cities have experienced just the opposite. A good au-
ditor can point out problems that a city manager can deal
with before they become big issues that involve the council.
Let’s look at what best serves the public interest. Creating a
higher level of transparency and accountability far out-
weighs the chance of increased tension between the council
and manager. Let’s stop speculating about hurt feelings and
look at the thorough work done by our Charter Review
Committee that unanimously recommended the city refer to
the voters a charter amendment that would permit the hir-
ing of an independent auditor.
• We ran a short news item last week about the House
District 11 race between Barnhart and Spasaro (see follow-up
story this week). The Oregon Right to Life PAC is backing
Spasaro and has accused Barnhart of being “pro-abortion.”
We see that accusation a lot, and such language really is in-
accurate and unfair. Nobody we know favors abortion as a
of touch with the people who live in this dis-
trict.” Barnhart responded that he won 62
percent of the vote in the 2002 election.
After EW went to press last week,
The skirmish of words and accusa-
Spasaro defended his statements,
tions continues this week between
saying, “There is no doubt in my
Democrat Rep. Phil Barnhart and
mind that they (voters) have
his Republican challenger
lost faith in their elected offi-
Michael Spasaro in one of the
cials and in state govern-
few contested local races in
ment. They are specifically
November. Barnhart repre-
frustrated with Rep. Barnhart
sents Central Lane and Linn
and his votes on taxes, the
counties in House District 11.
lack of leadership he was able
Last week (see News Briefs
to provide on important issues
8/5) Barnhart voiced concerns
like education, and the fact that they
about Spasaro’s statements on his
Michael Spasaro
have not even seen him at their door.”
website saying Barnhart has voted
He goes on to say that “Barnhart was redis-
for “extreme, partisan policies,” and is “out
BARNHART, SPASARO
CONTINUE SQUABBLE
solution to unwanted pregnancy, including Barnhart. “I cer-
tainly do not promote or encourage abortion,” he tells us. “I
cannot imagine being ‘pro’ abortion. I simply oppose the
state prohibiting it or regulating it. I am pro-women’s rights,
not pro-abortion.”
• It’s worth picking up a copy of the September Esquire mag-
azine to read a long piece by Ronald Reagan, one son of a
president, about George W. Bush, another son of a presi-
dent. This time his focus is not stem cell research. Instead,
he writes mostly about the “L” word — not “liberal,” but
“liar” — as it applies to our president. Consider what a con-
demnation this is, especially when the Bush team tries so
hard to tie Bush to President Reagan and his popularity.
Clearly, young Ron Reagan does not want his father’s legacy
tainted by the lies of George W. Bush. It’s an amazing article.
• Orange alert! Orange alert! As we shake in our
Birkenstocks, we can’t help but wonder why we haven’t ex-
perienced a major coordinated terrorist attack on U.S. soil
since 9/11. Did we kill all our enemies? Have we foiled all their
sinister plots? Unlikely. Terrorism plotters are probably just
kicking back watching us self-destruct with our monumental
deficits, overextended military, religious fanaticism, crack-
down on civil liberties and pariah status in world opinion.
Have we allowed them to get the better of us?
• Will John Kerry and company stop in Eugene Thursday
night on their way to Friday’s Portland rally? We hear it
might be just a little sleep-over at a private home
(quick, change the sheets!) and some casual conversa-
tion over breakfast Friday. Boxers or briefs? Does he
leave the lid up? We want to know.
S i e r r a C lu b F o ru m
Au g .1 7
• Politics and beer, what a great combination.
Join Sierra Clubbers at 6:30 pm Tuesday, Aug. 17
at Rennie’s Landing, 1214 Kincaid, to grill candi-
dates about politics and the environment. Special
guests will include Shaum Preston of the local
Kerry/Edwards campaign, along with Floyd
Prozanski, Phil Barnhart, Don Hampton and Bev
Ficek. For more info, e-mail Debra Higbee at
debrah@darkwing.uoregon.edu
• Shaum Preston (see above) is the newly
appointed contact person for the Kerry/Edwards
campaign here in Eugene, and he’s recruiting vol-
unteers. Call him at 345-5981 or (415) 412-0825
(cell phone). Campaign HQ is at 114 E. 16th Ave.
AUGUST 12 , 2004 9