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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 2015)
LET TERS that the needed revenue is not there? How do we taxpaying citizens voice our budget priorities and infl uence our elected leaders’ decision-making beyond lobbying the budget committee or participating in an annual “yes” or “no” vote? How can we better understand the intricacies of the budgetary process and the city’s convoluted transfers of revenue out of the general fund? It seems to me, we need a pre-election primer. David Monk Eugene THE THIRD OPTION Sprawl or densifi cation: Are these our only choices? Many believe this and are trying hard to fi gure out how to do it. Some examples are: Capstone, South Willamette, Oakleigh Meadow, bigger and better high rises. The result? Increasing the population means more everything: people, cars, houses, hotels, trucks, pollution, noise, crime, isolation. Less of the reasons we all live here; less intimacy, clean air, peace, caring. Too many of my breaths are mixed with car exhaust. Oakleigh Meadow hopefuls propose taking one of the few remaining open spaces — our Greenway, which should be cherished and protected — to be sold to a wealthy few. The winners either way are the developers. What about a third solution? What if we do nothing? People who want to move to Eugene may have to wait for housing to open up or move elsewhere. Is it wrong to not want to live in a mini Los Angeles? Mental illness is rampant. People are wandering the streets, screaming, homeless. Until we can take care of those that live here, why on earth are we considering increasing our numbers? Gov. Tom McCall said in 1971: “The interests of Oregon for today and in the future must be protected from the grasping wastrels of the land. We must respect another truism — that unlimited and unregulated growth leads inexorably to a lowered quality of life.” Jean M. Denis Eugene the existing crosswalk at East 39th Avenue. Please request the Eugene City Council to direct the city traffi c engineer to install stop signs on East Amazon Drive at Potter Street. I believe that the failure to do so will result in serious injury or death to a child at this intersection. Duncan Rhodes Eugene EDITOR’S NOTE: The “85th percentile speed” is defi ned as “the speed at or which 85 percent of all vehicles are observed to travel under free fl owing conditions past a nominated point.” UNMONITORED VET TRAFFIC HAZARD My grandson attends the Charlemagne French School at its new location on 3875 Kincaid Street. I am quite concerned about his safety when he walks or bikes there. He lives west of Amazon Drive, which has a four-way stop at Fox Hollow Road and is fairly easy to cross. However, there is no stop sign on East Amazon at Potter Street (east from Fox Hollow), and traffi c on East Amazon is fast, heavy and continuous during rush hour. The 85th percentile speed is 42 mph. I live near the intersection of Potter Street and East Amazon, and am unable to cross East Amazon to Fox Hollow in my car during rush hour. It is completely unrealistic to expect bicycles, pedestrians and schoolchildren to cross the intersection of East Amazon Drive and Potter Street at rush hour, or indeed to be able to safely use This is in response to your Sept. 24 article “Into the Institution.” Community health is failing the mentally ill veteran living in our country neighborhood. He is back in the community living on the property of the house he set fi re to in February, without water and electricity. He is back in the community making sexual comments to neighbors, including my child. He is back in the community threatening physical harm to neighbors. He is back in the community threatening employees at our local store with returning with a gun to kill people. He is back in the community hitchhiking rides and stiffi ng taxi drivers. He is back in the community where no one monitors the taking of his daily medication. He is back in the community violating a stalking order against him. At what point is being back in the community worth risking the safety and livelihood of an entire neighborhood? We’re told he is considered a violent, sexual predator. We’re told he has to do “something big” again for real intervention. And yet, when he does, as he has already had two prior civil commitments, he is able to return, unmonitored. Angie Hampton Springfi eld FRETTING TRAVELERS? I’m a longtime Eugene resident and homeowner and am downtown often. I don’t ever recall seeing anyone sitting down anywhere causing any problems. The people who yell and disturb others invariably seem to be standing and usually walking. I think the avoidable problems have been caused by the city government in removing amenities such as restrooms, benches and at least one wall that people could sit on. The city also eliminated a beautiful, small park on East 14th. It was traded for a grassy area in front of an apartment complex that is seldom used, contains one bench and appears to be the lawn of the apartment complex. It appears to me that the percentage of troublemakers among travelers is much lower than that of Eugene residents. Maybe we need more travelers and fewer residents. Paul Spencer Eugene We come bearing health At Kaiser Permanente, we believe life is amazing. That’s why we work to keep you healthy, so you don’t miss any of it — laugh more, cheer louder, and adventure further. Together we thrive. kp.org/lane 575KPA-15/9-15 8 All plans offered and underwritten by Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest. 500 NE Multnomah St., Suite 100, Portland, OR 97232. ©2015 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest OCTOBER 8, 2015 • EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
