Eugene weekly., February 23, 2012, Page 4, Image 4

letters
TO THE EDITOR
WE DESERVE BETTER
Since when does a ambiguous county
law supersede the First Amendment? The
hearings offi cer at the county has made his
decision on the mining of Parvin Butte.
I think that everyone in the Dexter/Lost
Valley area is shocked!
The hearings offi cer gave all three deci-
sions to the McDougals: the bridge permit,
the raparian modifi cation, and now repeal
of all fi nes and no site review. I guess the
Dexter/Lost Valley residents have no right
to have any input as to what happens to
their valley, their land value devaluation,
the right not to have to listen to dynamite
blasting at any time of day or night or
the constant grinding of rock processing
next to their homes. They have no right to
complain about infrastructure degradation
from heavy trucks or constant heavy truck
traffi c. They surely have no right to to be
upset about loud noises that will be heard
inside their homes.
They do not have the right to try and
protect endangered species that live in
the adjacent stream that shares the quarry
property even though ODFW biologists
feel the the quarry will harm the existing
salmon.
I guess it will provide jobs for a small
number of people but to heck with the hun-
dreds of people who had the bad luck of
saving their money from a lifetime of work
so they could live in a tranquil area and re-
tire in peace.
What happened to the First Amendment,
the one where people have the right of free
speech, to have input on what happens to
their lives, the people that pay their taxes,
and play by the rules?
The Big Boys win again and again,
smash the little people, disenfranchise
them from their own neighborhoods for
nothing more than greed.
The residents of Dexter deserve a say in
how their community is destroyed!
Arlen Markus
Dexter
MONEY AND EMX
We all know that democracy is up
for sale in this era of super PACs and
the Citizens United ruling. That Brian
Weaver’s group has “purchased” the public
opinion he crows about in his Feb. 16 letter
“Democracy and EmX” is not surprising.
The grassroots group West EmX
Yes started last October with a desire to
allow neighbors and businesses along the
route who wanted to speak out in favor of
West EmX not to be shouted down by this
well-funded, pro-auto, anti-government
group with an unlimited budget for illegal
signs, a paid marketing company (Creative
Advertising Services, LLC), paid Portland
consultants (John Casey, Cascade Policy
Institute) and paid newspaper ads.
Individuals chipped in $20, $50 and
$100 apiece to produce “West EmX Yes”
bumper stickers. We made our buttons in
someone’s basement. The media noticed
as many business owners along the route
stood up in favor. We have a Facebook
page and a Google group. Please join us!
We are the majority! We’re now giving
out West EmX Yes “Bucks” as we support
local businesses along the route.
The democratically elected City Council,
county commissioners, MPC and the mayor
will vote soon. A long public planning
process said yes, West Eugene should be
included in the regionwide EmX system.
With record LTD ridership and gas set to
hit $5 a gallon this summer, let’s not let the
well-funded few thwart what the majority
of us want: a choice in transportation.
Tom Schneider
Eugene
STOLEN PROPERTY
Lane County’s hearing offi cial Gary
Darnielle and Greg Demers and the
McDougals have just taken my home right
out from under me. I have worked and paid
my property taxes for 22 years to only have
the county steal this home from myself and
my partner. There is just no way I can live
with an active “mountain removal” mining
7+(32/,7,&62)
,1(48$/,7<
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FEBRUARY 23, 2012
EUGENE WEEKLY
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