news briefs
est corporations, those with over $10 mil-
lion in Oregon taxable income.
The other measure temporarily changes
the personal income tax rate from 9 to 10.8
percent on couples making more than
$250,000 a year and to 11 percent on
couples making more than $500,000 a
year. The top rates decline in 2012, to set-
tle permanently at 9.9 percent for the
wealthiest taxpayers, couples earning over
$250,000 a year.
slant
ACTIVIST
ALERT
• Written public comments are due at
5 pm Friday, Aug. 14, regarding LRAPA's
consideration of an air pollution permit for
Seneca’s biomass-burning genera-
tor in north Eugene. Send testimony by
email to colleen@lrapa.org or deliver to
LRAPA Permit Coordinator, 1010 N.
IT’S ABOUT TIME
BY DAVID WAGNER
A
ugust is a berry nice
Elephant’s Head
month.
pedicularis
Marionberries, boy-
groenlandica
senberries and the cultivat-
ed blueberries
pass their prime
early. Wild berries
come into suprema-
cy later. In the valleys
the invasive, poorly
named Himalayan
blackberry (origi-
nally from
Armenia) has
juicy berries
reaching perfec-
tion mid to late August. The mountain huckleberries get
good toward the end of the month.
If you have planted zucchini in your garden, you should be rich. A half
dozen vines is like a flock of chickens; every morning you can pick three or
four which are no bigger than twice the size of your thumb. If you let zuc-
chini get too big, chop them up and freeze them. They will thicken a late
winter soup.
Watch for baby garter snakes. Unlike most reptiles, momma garter
snakes retain their eggs internally and bear live young. They are ready to
begin hunting for tasty bugs from day one.
If you camp in the woods seeking peace and quiet, expect only the for-
mer. When well away from the sounds of civilization and sitting very still,
you will perceive the background hum of millions of insects. True silence in
the woods won’t return until the rainy season gets under way.
Plan now for camping in the high country. After Labor Day elephant’s
head still blooms in mountain meadows. Avoid the weekend opening of the
high Cascade hunt Sept. 12. The issue is not danger from hunters; it’s that
all wilderness camp sites will be occupied. The Three Sisters Wilderness will
be crowded!
• The Police Auditor Ordinance Review Committee recommendations
passed the council this week with shrugs all around and weary councilors
saying, “Let’s see how it works out,” and “We can always come back and do
it again.” So far so bad.
After five long months of meetings and a public hearing, and endless
hours of expensive staff and city attorney time, the council has actually
diminished the power of the auditor and passed an ordinance that violates
the charter. Our city attorney doesn’t seem to mind the inconsistencies.
The charter language approved overwhelmingly twice by the voters
requires the auditor to have unfettered access to all complaints against
police. But the new ordinance builds in all kinds of restrictions. Police offi-
cers who receive complaints directly can now decide whether they should
be forwarded to the auditor (remember the cops ignoring years of com-
plaints against officers Magaña and Lara?). A municipal judge will now
resolve disagreements between the auditor and police chief concerning con-
current investigations and other issues (so much for the auditor’s authori-
ty). The police chief is no longer considered a “police employee” when it
comes to complaints and answers only to the city manager. The auditor is
now restricted to access to Internal Affairs “during office hours” instead of
24/7. The auditor’s office must be located near the police department (soon
to move across the river). And whatever happened to the important subpoe-
na power proposed for the auditor?
This process, from the very beginning, was hijacked by people in and out
of city government who are either hostile to police accountability, not pay-
ing attention or both. The council vote Monday night should have been a
unanimous “no.”
• Former police auditor Dawn Reynolds says she has “no plans of resign-
ing” her position as assistant auditor. Her brief message, by email, came
after our Slant blurb last week reporting on rumors that she was leaving
Eugene. Reynolds is currently on medical leave. “I really didn't think it
appropriate to comment one way or the other,” she said. We’re pleased to
hear she’s staying, but we’re also hearing rumors that some members of the
Civilian Review Board are thinking of resigning, frustrated by Byzantine city
politics.
• Town hall meetings are traditionally a way for members of Congress on
break to reconnect with their constituents, hear their concerns and talk
about pending or upcoming legislation. Conservative “Tea-Baggers” are
organizing to disrupt these town hall meetings in an effort to gain media
attention and exaggerate their opposition to health insurance reform. The
antidote to this tactic is for supporters of reform to show up in large num-
bers. Rather than getting into shouting matches, respectfully ask for a show
of hands of those who support progress on reform. See our Activist Alert
this week for dates of times of Peter DeFazio’s town halls.
• Don’t sign the petition that’s now on the streets of Eugene, Springfield
and Corvallis. The Legislature’s tax hikes on wealthy Oregonians and profit-
able businesses could go to voters next January, but the initiative drive
needs 55,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot. These petitions are being
circulated by paid signature gatherers who are clueless about what they are
promoting. Anti-government groups are using the campaign not only to
gather signatures but also to distribute false and misleading information
about the impact of the Legislature’s action. One unsubstantiated statement
being touted is that the new taxes “will cost 79,000 Oregonians their jobs.”
Who’s going to help pull the state out of its financial crisis if not the peo-
ple and businesses who can afford to pay more taxes? The money has to
come from somewhere. This is just one piece of the puzzle. Another piece
would be retaining the tax kicker for a rainy day fund. Such a fund could
help even out the ups and downs of income tax revenue.
If anyone is unclear about what the Legislature passed, read our News
Briefs item this week, “New Poll Says Oregonians Back Measures.”
• Who will replace Chris Edwards as he leaves the House to take Vicki
Walker’s seat in the Senate? Democrats are rumored to be pondering a cou-
ple of names: Val Hoyle and Carol Horne Dennis. Any other good people out
there?
• EWEB’s Community Advisory Team (CAT) is working to conjure up a
vision for developing EWEB’s riverfront property and wants input from envi-
ros, but we hear too-few people showed up at a recent meeting to talk
about green considerations. Got some ideas about parks, open space, solar
access, pedestrian-friendly design, protecting riparian habitat, green con-
struction standards, bike access to downtown? The CAT contact person is
Mark Oberle, 341-1851, or email Mark.OBERLE@eweb.org
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, editor@eugeneweekly.com
David Wagner is a botanist who has worked in Eugene for more than 30 years. He teaches
mosses and is president of the Eugene Natural History Society. He may be reached at
fernzenmosses@me.com
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EUGENE WEEKLY AUGUST 13, 2009 9