about the prevalence of mercury in our water-
ways and air pollution, both from coal plants
suddenly exempted from the Clean Air Act
by Bush as soon as he got into office in 2000.
Kennedy tied the tens of millions of dol-
lars given to the Bush campaign by the coal
industry to continued exemptions, and he
talked about ways that industries subvert
democracy through monetary donations. In
addition, he said, they can do this because
“we have a negligent and indolent press in
this country.” But it’s not just that media out-
lets are controlled by six giant corporations,
he says (as depicted by The Nation’s National
Entertainment
Chart
at
www.thenation.com/doc/20060703/medi-
achart), it’s that Ronald Reagan’s ending of
the Fairness Doctrine in 1988 encouraged
talk radio and industry consolidation and dis-
couraged investigative reporting for the sake
of entertainment reporting. He concluded
with an appeal to nature as the basis for
American democracy and American values.
“Those of us who know that [America is]
worth fighting for,” he said, “have to take it
back now from those who don’t.”
— Suzi Steffen
ACCOUNTABLE
ANNEXATION
Everywhere else in the state, local elected
city officials vote on sometimes controversial
annexations after holding public hearings.
But in Eugene a boundary commission ap-
pointed by the governor makes the decision
at meetings rarely attended by the public.
Responding to complaints about annexa-
tions in the River Road/Santa Clara area, a
bill in the state Legislature would do away
with the local Boundary Commission. The
bill has the backing of most local representa-
tives, but is opposed by city of Eugene staff.
Backers of the bill are “trying to make it
more difficult for annexations to occur,” said
City Manager Dennis Taylor at a City
Council meeting last month in which staff
recommended making defeat of the bill a top
lobbying priority.
But the council rejected that and voted 7-1
to make the city’s position on the bill neutral.
A vote to support the bill failed 3-5.
Opposing the legislation isn’t worth the
political capital, argued Councilor Bonny
Bettman. “Look at the political reality,” she
said. “It’s going to pass; it’s going to get
signed.”
Councilor Andrea Ortiz said many of her
constituents in River Road/Santa Clara are
angry at annexations performed by an unac-
countable, unelected board without a public
face in the community. The Bethel area was
annexed years ago, but many people there
still angrily vote down tax measures, she
pointed out. “They’re still pissed.”
City staff warned that noncontiguous an-
nexations would be more difficult without the
Boundary Commission, requiring “cherry
stem” annexations that would be subject to
reasonableness legal standards. A lack of an-
nexation could effectively block some devel-
opment. Also, the city may have to figure out
a new mechanism of restricting extensions of
sewer and water services beyond city limits
to control costs and sprawl.
Although the council voted to not oppose
the bill, a majority of councilors still appear
to favor the city’s longstanding goal of an-
nexing unincorporated, urbanized islands in
the city to provide more efficient services and
to have residents pay their fair share of city
taxes.
“There are close-in county residents who
have a duty to participate in the city’s respon-
sibilities,” said Councilor Mike Clark.
“I foresee a day when all of River
Road/Santa Clara is in Eugene,” said
Councilor Jennifer Solomon.
Councilor Alan Zelenka agreed. “I think
we’re on the right path,” he said. “We’ll end
up with all of River Road/Santa Clara in the
city.” — Alan Pittman
A time for public input is expected to begin at
7:30 pm in the council chambers. A rally in
support of the resolution will begin at 7 pm
outside of council chambers.
The resolution was passed unanimously
by the city’s Intergovernmental Relations
Committee Feb. 22. Councilors Bonny
Bettmann, Betty Taylor and Chris Pryor are
the committee members.
If the council passes
the resolution, Eugene
will join the nearly 300
other U.S. cities that have
passed similar resolutions.
The resolution’s cen-
tral demand is that
Congress use its “power
of the purse” to cut off fur-
ther funding of the Iraq
occupation by U.S. forces
— except for funds necessary to carry out a
safe, rapid and orderly withdrawal that fully
protects American troops from harm — and
to support Iraqi reconstruction efforts.
Lane County commissioners Feb. 14
passed an anti-war resolution that came out
of the county’s Mental Health Advisory
Committee. The resolution calls on Oregon’s
congressional delegation to “reduce the num-
ber of U.S. troops engaged in wars and to
take action to provide federal financial sup-
port targeted for the welfare, safety and
health of returning veterans affected by their
participation in war, their families and com-
munities.”
March 17 marks the fourth anniversary of
the Iraq War, and a number of local peace,
justice and environmental groups are gather-
ing at 10:30 am at the Lane County
Fairgrounds for a march to the old federal
building for a noon rally. A benefit for Ehren
Watada and Suzanne Swift will be held that
evening, from 7 to 9:30 at Cozmic Pizza.
ANTI-WAR
RESOLUTION
ON AGENDA
WOLF
SEASON?
The Eugene City Council will be asked to
approve a resolution Monday, March 12,
seeking withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
A Friday morning panel at the PIELC fea-
tured representatives of Defenders of
Wildlife, the Confederated Tribes of the
Umatilla Indian Reservation, and of the
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife de-
bating not only Oregon’s controversial wolf
reintroduction plan but also the recent federal
proposal to remove gray wolves from the en-
dangered species list in the Northern Rockies
and parts of the Pacific Northwest.
Reintroducing wolves to Oregon will no
longer be a pos-
sibility if states
such as Idaho
and Wyoming
use lethal meth-
ods to control
wolf
popula-
tions. Wyoming
proposes
to
allow all wolves
to be shot on
sight. Idaho gov-
ernor C.L .“Butch” Otter recently announced
a plan to kill 75 percent of the wolf popula-
tion, stating “I’m prepared to bid for that first
ticket to shoot a wolf myself.”
Oregon ranchers fear wolves will deci-
mate their livestock; however, according to
the National Agricultural Statistics Service,
domestic dogs are responsible for nearly 20
times more sheep kills than wolves.
The public can comment on this plan to
delist the gray wolf until April 9. For more in-
formation contact the Cascadia Wildland
Project at www.cascwild.org or to make
comments
email
WesternGrayWolf@fws.gov. Include ‘‘RIN
number 1018–AU53’’ in the subject line of
the message. To comment by mail, write to
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Western Gray
Wolf Recovery Coordinator, 585 Shepard
Way, Helena, Mont. 59601. Include ‘‘RIN
number 1018–AU53’’ in the subject line of
the letter. — Camilla Mortensen
QUASHING
COMMENT
Saturday afternoon’s PIELC keynote
speaker, Dinah Bear, is the general counsel of
the Council on Environmental Quality with
an office across the street from the White
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MARCH 8, 2007 9