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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2011)
letters TO THE EDITOR VOTING ISN’T ENOUGH CITIZENS FOR JOBS? The County Commission now has a 3-2 right-wing majority thanks to the election of Tea Party Jay Bozevich in 2010. The new right-wing majority gerrymandered Lane County in a way that will make Rob Handy’s North Eugene District more conservative and provide an opportunity for a 4-1 right-wing supermajority. Most readers probably don’t know or don’t remember that Tea Party Jay beat his progressive opponent by only 3,000 votes (15,610 to 12,540.) Voter turnout was a measly 42 percent. That same year Republicans managed to gain enough seats in the Oregon House to give them an even split with Democrats. They’ve killed lots of good legislation and degraded everything that passed. Right-wing City Councilor Mike Clark won his seat [unopposed] in 2006 and was reelected in 2010. He has had no serious challengers from the left in a district that supported Kerry and Obama. He has consistently represented the 1 percent on a closely divided council. Eugene had to endure Republican Jim Torrey as mayor for eight years. In 2008 he nearly beat Kitty Piercy in a nail biter. In 2010 Gov. Kitzhaber narrowly defeated Republican Chris Dudley. If the 99 percent wants to take control of our local and state government, we must raise expectations. Increasing participation in get-out-the-vote campaigns is crucial to winning elections. Come election time, we need to do more that fi ll out our ballots. Many more of us must volunteer to phone- bank, canvass, and register voters. Joshua Welch Eugene Where are the “Citizens for Jobs and Schools” now? It’s been six months since Citizens for Jobs and Schools raised $100,000 to defeat the city of Eugene’s income tax proposal that would have gone to Eugene’s schools. More than 100 teachers, custodians, teacher assistants and other school employees have been laid off, the class sizes have increased dramatically and the remaining school employees have had their pay cut and are working harder than ever. I am wondering how many jobs the Citizens for Jobs and Schools have created since May and what have they done to improve the education of our children in overcrowded, underfunded schools? Specifi cally, what has Jennifer Solomon done for our children lately? Pete Mandrapa Eugene MY AMERICAN DREAM I hear a lot of talk these days about the American Dream and I must admit, much of what I hear doesn’t sit well with me. Sure, I’m grateful to live in a country where people can dream, work hard and achieve their goals. But too often, it seems to me, the American Dream gets equated with making lots of money, having a big house, and retiring to a life of luxury. This is not reality for most people. And it never will be because there’s simply not that much to go around. My American Dream, and the dream I hope to pass on to my daughter through my words and actions, is this: “I dream that you will have what you need — enough money, time, friends, resources, intelligence, and skill to provide your family with food, clothing, shelter and whatever else you need to make your life joyful and full. If you have more than you need of any of these, I hope you will share. Look around you. There are many who do not have enough. I also dream that you will realize how lucky you are to have been born in such a beautiful, diverse, and infl uential country, where life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are assumed to be birthrights. I hope you will take your luck, work hard, be grateful, and do something to make the world a better place because not everyone has such good luck.” This is my American Dream. Beth Stein Eugene SOFT & WARM SLIPPERS FOLLOW YOUR FEET TO FOOTWISE FOR SLIPPERS 6((t)"'-*/(&3 "$03/t4."35800- W IS THE IS TIME NOW THE FOR TIME NEW FOR SHOES SLIPPERS! Downtown Eugene &#SPBEXBZt 'BDFCPPLDPNGPPUXJTFFVHFOF .PO4BU4VO Downtown Corvallis 48.BEJTPOt 'BDFCPPLDPNGPPUXJTFDPSWBMMJT .PO4BU4VO A TURTLE’S WISDOM The “Sprawl Envisioned” story by Alan Pittman (11/17) suggests that city staff view it as their job to enlarge the urban growth boundary (UGB) to enable developers to build more sprawl development. Given that the reigning orthodoxy is that any and all growth is inherently a good thing, this comes as no surprise. But city staff and developers alike may wish to familiarize themselves with the laws of mathematics, physics and geology that state that within a closed system like a planet, growth cannot continue. Urban growth depends on fi nite, nonrenewable resources that civilization is using up just as quickly and frivolously as market forces dictate. When a turtle is threatened, he retracts his legs and head into his shell. Likewise, instead of continued, outward growth, Eugene should pull itself in, strengthening and improving upon what’s already here instead of creating more fl imsy, automobile dominated sprawl. Even the U.S. military is now warning that demand for oil is about to outstrip production, leading to shortages, price volatility and social unrest. As automobiles have an average life expectancy of about 10 years, and buildings much longer, we shouldn’t keep designing for the age of endless growth and happy motoring when that’s about to begin winding down. Robert Bolman Eugene PUBLIC STREET SALE There has been a hearing about a important issue and local media have failed to inform you about the issue or the hearing. At the hearing I successfully urged the Eugene City Council and mayor to leave the record open for two weeks in case the public is able to become informed about this issue. UO is ready to buy and close Moss Street to serve the private needs of elite donors who would like to park near the Nike arena. UO claims Moss Street will remain open. They are full of it. This southeastward surge by UO planners should be opposed by Eugene residents. UO has considered nanotechnology labs for the Moss Street area and there is WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM Taking Care of Your Four-Legged Family for Over 30 Years Full Service Clinic: • Well Pet Care • Orthopedic Surgery • Cancer Management • Behavior Consultations • Dental Care Cameron Jones, DVM Barbara Maki, DVM Cary Heyward, DVM Appointments Available 8am-6pm Weekdays 9am-4pm Saturday info@amazonparkvet.com • 541-485-0161 • 725 E. 25th Ave. Eugene EUGENE WEEKLY DECEMBER 1, 2011 5
