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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (March 10, 2011)
letters TO THE EDITOR ests masquerades as the cream of fastidi- ous adherence to the public hearing law. The legal attack on County Commis- sioners Sorenson and Handy had the be- hind-the-scenes funding of the Lane Coun- ty equivalent of the Koch brothers. It has more to do with a desire to destroy opposi- tion to lumber company interests than with curtailing the common practice of what Judge Michael Gillespie described as “con- tinuing multiple conversations.” With more understanding of the legislative process, he would have called it consensus building. In reality, the lawsuit brought by the lumber company surrogates has as much to do with funding part-time assistants as ending collective bargaining for pub- lic employees has to do with Wisconsin’s budget defi cit. The collateral damage of destroying Sorenson and Handy, as Judge Gillespie’s decision does, is to curtail con- sensus building among local and county offi cials. That’s a steep price to pay for sour skim milk. Arnold Buchman Florence Briefs, 2/3). Possibility does not equal like- lihood. It is a possibility a satellite could fall on Eugene, but it is not a likelihood. Harold Preece Eugene SEND IN THE THUGS The coordinated attack on working people around the nation have led to some interesting revelations by Republican gov- ernors. We now know that Scott Walker of Wisconsin thought about sending thugs into the crowds at Madison to disrupt a peaceful demonstration. We know that Republican anti-middle-class governors complain that public employees donate money to unions which then usually back Democratic candidates. But where is the complaint from every taxpayer about gov- ernment leaders who issue tax breaks to business? Corporate welfare costs tax- payer money just like the cost of provid- ing public services, or paying for wages or benefi ts. Corruption comes in when those same government leaders then receive di- rect campaign contributions and other as- sistance from those same companies, like the Koch brothers and Wisconsin Gov. Scott. This is simple, pure corruption, and it is happening at many levels of govern- ment. We need to kick corporate welfare queens off the public dole. David Peden Florence ALL ABOUT ME I feel sorry for Frank Skipton (letters, 2/3), and people like him who believe they are punished for being successful by having to pay an income tax. What if we got rid of both income taxes and activity taxes, and simply have an, “it’s all about me” tax? Mary Sharon Moore Eugene LETTERS POLICY: We welcome letters on all topics and will print as many as space allows, with priority given to timely local issues. Please limit length to 200 words, keep submissions to once a month, and include your address and phone number for our files. E-mail to letters@ eugeneweekly.com fax to 484-4044, or mail to 1251 Lincoln, Eugene 97401. FOOT POWER EmX advocates would have us believe the economic and environmental health of Eugene depends on reducing green- house gases and reliance on fossil fuels by spending $90 million on monster buses and extensive road construction for mo- torized vehicles. From the Slant column (2/10): “It’s not a perfect plan, but it is a solid step toward reducing traffi c conges- tion in west Eugene and connecting West 11th to the rest of the metro area.” The Fern Ridge Bike/Ped path already connects west Eugene with the downtown area. From my observations, at its widest, the path is 14 feet; its narrowest is only 9 feet. Walkers, runners, children, dogs and bicyclists of all types use this path. Even on winter days, there’s some congestion and dangerous situations involving bicyclists attempting to pass families out for a walk. Another parallel path needs to be developed along Amazon Creek — with bicyclists on one, and pedestrians on the other. The future of a healthy, thriving com- munity does not lie on its motorized roads. It dwells in the energy and freedom of movement of its people. We could learn a few lessons from Bhutan. In a recent Yes! magazine article “Why the Kings of Bhutan Ride Bicycles” reads: “Bhutan has pioneered the use of Gross National Happiness (GNH) as a measure of progress, instead of the more commonly used GNP. GNH measures not only economic activity, but also cultural, ecological, and spiritual well-being.” Many excuses are made for laziness. Here’s one: “But we’re getting $90 million from the state and the feds, so we should just spend it on an imperfect transporta- tion plan.” A perfect transportation plan for Eugene can be envisioned from its “people paths.” Robert Simms Eugene POSSIBILITY Matching Gift Opportunity Donate to the McKenzie River Trust during the month of March and Mountain Rose Herbs will match your donation up to $2,500. In addition, any gift over $100 will receive a McKenzie River Trust hat. This is a perfect opportunity to double your investment in local land conservation! To donate please visit www.mckenzieriver.org Please provide attorney Susan Jane Brown of the Western Environmental Law Center with a new dictionary (News 6 MARCH 10, 2011 EUGENE WEEKLY WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
