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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (April 26, 2012)
letters TO THE EDITOR SOLID LEADERSHIP As an involved citizen over the last 10 years and more, I’ve had the honor of working with many of our local elected offi cials. A few hard-working electeds — Betty Taylor, Pete Sorenson, Kitty Piercy and Rob Handy — have provided a cornerstone of almost everything we’ve succeeded in for the public interest of Eugene and Lane County. Representing Southeast Neighbors, Friends of Eugene and other community and nonprofi t perspectives since 1999 has repeatedly put me in a position me to witness fi rst-hand the immense, often- unseen contributions that our most reliable local leaders make day in and day out. Whether in broad collaboration or in activist campaigns, making progress around Lane County for livability and shared prosperity would be near impossible without the amazing courage, stamina and real self-sacrifi ce of these special friends and neighbors. From saving taxpayer dollars through right-sizing the Coburg I-5 intersection project, to protecting public health, to continuing the patient, solid work of incremental rebuilding in downtown Eugene via public-private partnerships, our cornerstone leaders work hard to help Eugene and Lane County realize the best of ourselves as a community. Please don’t be distracted by empty political calls of change for its own sake. The change we need is change for the better, and some of our electeds are already in there — not just putting out fancy words — but doing the everyday, hard-knocks, blue-collar work of pulling together to build fairness and lasting value. Please join me in supporting Betty Taylor, Pete Sorenson, Kitty Piercy and Rob Handy. Kevin Matthews Editor, ArchitectureWeek Eugene STAHL HAS CHANGED Newspaper characterizations of Andy Stahl don’t match his actions or affi liations. The R-G characterizes Stahl as a “progres- sive” (3/9), a “liberal” (3/25), and says it “might be diffi cult to distinguish Stahl from Sorenson.” The R-G mentions Stahl’s repu- tation as an environmentalist (1/11). Well, that was history. Andy is a very different person these days. He once did yeoman work with the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund during the struggle to stop old-growth habitat destruction, and fought excessive logging in the Coast Range that caused an unusually high frequency of landslides. That was more than 20 years ago. Today, to facilitate the industrial log- ging of 1.5 million acres of federal forest, Andy supports delivering 1.5 million acres of federal public forest to the timber indus- try disguised as county funding, eliminat- ing all environmental laws on that 1.5 mil- lion acres. Liberals and progressives support envi- ronmental protection and do not advocate for the nullifi cation of environmental laws. Liberals and progressives are not board members of right-wing anti-government- planning advocacy groups. Andy Stahl is 4 APRIL 26, 2012 EUGENE WEEKLY a board member of the right-wing Thoreau Institute and contributes articles for their website (see http://ti.org/board.html). Ex- amples of Thoreau Institute funders include the Sarah Mellon Scaife Foundation, a foundation fi nanced by the Mellon industri- al, oil and banking fortune and the Charles G. Koch Foundation. Andy is using his history to obfuscate the public’s impressions of him. There is no confusing him with Pete Sorenson, for his recent actions tell the true story: Andy is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Susan Applegate Yoncalla FARR BAILING OUT? Why should we believe that Pat Farr would carry out his duties as a county commissioner when he is proposing to bail out as city councilor after only one year into a four-year commitment? Have all the city’s problems been solved? I seem to remember the earlier Farr assuring constituents he would be a city councilor for the long haul. This contradiction does not engender great trust. The incumbent, Rob Handy, is by far the best choice. Ramona McCall Eugene MITAL A PERFECT FIT Steve Mital has been my neighbor for the past seven years and I have no doubt, as EWEB commissioner for Wards 1 & 8, he will be a major asset to the board. Steve is passionate about clean water and a strong advocate for our sole source: the McKenzie River. He understands the impact of rising utility rates on families like mine and his own, and the importance of support for low- income families. I have my concerns re- garding the smart meters, and feel that Steve will effectively address the pros and cons. Steve’s background in program manage- ment, policy development and environmen- tal studies, as well as his current position as director of sustainability at UO, will be an invaluable asset to EWEB; and his ability to listen, research and ask important ques- tions makes him an informed, prepared and thoughtful decision maker. Steve’s commit- ment to his family, living a modest lifestyle mindful of the environment, and his knowl- edge of the ramifi cations of climate change, are evident in his daily interactions and in the care he takes of his own small piece of land. He bikes to work most days. Knowing Steve as I do, it’s no surprise that he has endorsements from Mayor Kitty Piercy and the R-G. If elected, I know he will be as dedicated to his position as EWEB commissioner as he is to his family, neighborhood, city, and the environment. Steve Mital is a perfect fi t for the job of EWEB commissioner. Carole Biondello Eugene GOOD FOR SCHOOLS Peter Sorenson stands up for the children in our community. Last year, I chaired the Strong Schools, Strong Eugene campaign to raise additional funds to support our 4J schools. County Commissioner Pete Sorenson was a strong supporter of that effort. He knows that we needs strong schools that give all children WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
