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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (April 28, 2005)
news briefs HYNIX BREAKS CAPPED, MAYBE The Eugene City Council voted 7-1 April 20 for an enterprise zone program that could give Hynix another $120 million in tax breaks if it completes planned expansions. But the council did potentially limit the program by voting 4-4 with mayor Kitty Piercy breaking the tie for a per-job cap on future tax breaks. The cap could substantially reduce the tax give-away. Hynix has received a total of $50 million in tax breaks, or about $50,000 for each job at its plant. But a lot remains uncertain. It’s uncertain if the cap will hold up in court. The state enterprise zone law was writ- ten to favor corporate welfare. In 1999, Hynix successfully sued and threw out an at- tempt by the city of Eugene and Lane County to reduce the estimated $170 million in tax breaks for its planned three-phase plant by $13 to $19 million. Councilor Bonny Bettman, who proposed the cap, says she believes the cap is legal and has been used successfully in a Portland en- terprise zone, but she lacked details. If the cap is thrown out, its unclear if that will mean the whole enterprise zone will be dis- banded or just the cap on hand-outs. In the 1999 lawsuit, the enterprise zone was left in place. The city has so far not sought a legal opin- ion on the matter. The private law firm that does the city’s legal work has also worked for Hynix. Another uncertainty is the level at which the cap will be set. The City Council left that decision for later. Bettman noted that in 1997 a city commit- tee studying the enterprise zone recom- mended a per-job cap of $15,000 for the three years of enterprise zone tax breaks. A pro-big business committee appointed by Mayor Jim Torrey last year discussed a cap of about $35,000, but did not recommend it. Bettman says she will be “looking for some middle ground” in setting the cap. Councilor Betty Taylor was the lone vote against the tax breaks, even with the uncer- tain per-job cap. Taylor said the breaks were rushed without a public hearing, lacked pub- lic accountability, created jobs for people moving here rather than locals, were given to corporations who would have moved here anyway, offered low-paid jobs and robbed the city of tax revenue to pay for the schools and new services demanded by the growth the tax breaks created. “What we’re doing is subsidizing growth,” Taylor said. Another provision passed by the council would potentially reduce tax breaks by 25 percent for companies that did not provide high quality jobs. But in the past, the job quality criteria have been set so low that Hynix and most other companies still quali- fied for their full tax breaks. The council also left details of the criteria for later meetings. The council’s enterprise zone program ap- plication now goes to the state for approval. — Alan Pittman SPRINGFIELD UNDER ATTACK The Oregon Bus Project, known for its ef- fective door-to-door campaigning for pro- gressive candidates in the 2004 elections, is now mobilizing for the upcoming Springfield School Board elections. In a message to sup- porters, the Bus Project says “The Springfield School District is under attack.” “Springfield is a town which is off most people’s radars,” says the e-mail. “But, what if you knew that the religious right and the Republican Party were funding challengers to unseat three respected school board mem- bers? What if you knew that their main objec- tive was to reverse three years of work on a diversity policy? What if you knew that they are targeting the best superintendent Springfield has ever had: a woman who is above reproach, who has brought new energy and momentum to a district besieged by budget cuts?” The group is organizing a canvass for can- didates Bill Medford, Jonathon Light and Al King beginning at 10 am, Saturday, April 30. They will meet at the OEA office on Coburg Road, a block past Costco on the right. Participants will canvass several neighbor- hoods in Springfield and return by 2 pm. RSVP to 914-0293 or jamesmattiace@yahoo.com LRAPA BOARD SEAT CREATED Care about the air (see cover story last week)? Here’s a chance to get proactive. Due the growth of Eugene’s population, the city is seeking applicants for a new position on the Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority (LRAPA) Board of Directors. Mayor Kitty Piercy will nominate a candidate and submit • The 4J School District is currently wrestling • We’re still outraged by the prison sen- with its 2005-06 budget and we’re pleased tence of 22-plus years handed down to to see more money being allocated to poor Jeffrey “Free” Luers for his protest neighborhood schools to help narrow the torching of three SUVs in Eugene in achievement gap. It’s a step in the right 2001. Now we’re hearing from direction. The budget process is hampered www.democracynow.org that a California this year not only with equity issues and the Institute of Technology graduate student usual challenges of squeezing as much educa- named Billy Cottrell was sentenced April 17 tion as possible out of limited funds, but also by to eight years in prison for setting fire to an Jeffrey “Free” Luers SUV dealership and destroying about 125 the district not knowing exactly how much money will be available. The Legislature has yet SUVs. Cottrell was ordered to pay $3.5 million to nail down its funding for K-12 education, contract in retribution. Cottrell is reportedly affiliated with the negotiations are beginning with unions representing Earth Liberation Front. Arson is always a bad idea, but teachers and staff, and even the proposed public safety credibility in our justice system requires that the punish- tax district could squeeze local school funding if it pass- ment fits the crime. Luer’s long sentence is not justice. es. Meanwhile, ballots go out next week for local school It’s an absurdity, and should be an embarrassment to board elections. Which candidates can best deal with the everyone who calls Oregon home. Protests focusing on complex education issues on the horizon? Does it matter Luers’ case and other injustices are being planned for whether we elect progressives or conservatives to our the weekend of June 10-12. non-partisan school boards? Look for our analysis and endorsements next week. • We’d all like to think that issues of racism and cultural bias were all resolved by the Civil Rights Movement, but 8 APRIL 28, 2005 the nomination to the City Council for ap- proval. Applications are due by 5 pm Friday, May 6. Mail or deliver applications to the City Manager’s Office, room 105, 777 Pearl Street, or fax to 682-5414. For more info, visit www.ci.eugene.or.us or contact Mary Walston at 682-5406, mary.f.walston@ci.eu- gene.or.us TAKE BACK THE NIGHT This year’s Take Back the Night rally and march to end sexual and domestic violence begins at 6:30 pm Thursday, April 28 at the EMU Ampitheater on campus at 13th and University. The rally at UO is followed by a march downtown ending with a speak-out at 8th and Oak. Speakers/performers include Mayor Kitty Piercy, Erin O’Brien, Austin Shaw-Phillips, Judith Castro, Cindy Hirschorn, and Margo Schaefer of Womenspace. Take Back the Night is a collaboration of of course we know better. Bigotry has a long half-life. Our Q&A column this week on cultural competency (see page 10) is timely in that a protest is being planned at 3:30 pm Wednesday at the College of Education (e-mail coe- action@hotmail.com for info). Also, UO is beginning “Community Conversations” next week on a draft Diversity Action Plan. The plan is intended to “enhance campus diversity, make the UO more representative of the various communities it serves, increase cultural com- petency and strengthen community relations,” says Gregory J. Vincent, UO vice provost for institutional equi- ty and diversity. The sessions are Monday, May 2 at the EMU on campus, Wednesday at Gerlinger and the follow- ing Monday, May 9, at the EMU. Call 346-2084 for details. Across town, LCC has just published a fascinating collection of essays on race and culture called Community College Moment: The Diversity Issue with readings and discussions planned for 5 pm Friday, May 6 at Tsunami Books. These are all good opportunities to identify and confront our personal biases — yep, we all have them.
