LET TERS
TRY NOT TO BREATHE
Thank you to Camilla Mortensen and
Kelly Kenoyer for delivering news that
matters in the Dec. 28 edition of Eugene
Weekly!
What do your two articles, “Weed
Wages Water War” and “Air Quality in
Oakridge,” have in common? Both ar-
ticles shed light on shady backdoor deals
that privatize clean air and water.
How does LRAPA fit into all this corpo-
rate swindling? Well, In April 2017, EPA
staff interviewed LRAPA permit writers
and discussed the small town of Oakridge
which is a “non-attainment area” (i.e. does
not meet air quality standards for particu-
late matter) and therefore unable to support
new industrial growth.
But now EPA head Scott Pruitt has dis-
mantled the new source review process
(which for years has served to protect air
quality from industrial pollution) and is
giving LRAPA the green light to change
the permitting program.
HOT AIR SOCIETY
Under Pruitt’s new EPA, LRAPA will
change Oakridge’s designation from a
“non-attainment” area to a “re-attainment”
area, thereby allowing new industry to
“buy” it’s way out of air-quality regula-
tions by purchasing “offsets” (in the form
of woodstoves for a few Oakridge resi-
dents).
Are other federal non-attainment areas
becoming the new focus for offset banking
under Pruitt’s new EPA?
As an Oakridge resident and a regis-
tered nurse, I demand that we stop com-
promising public health for higher profit.
We must fight against the privatization of
our air and water.
Betsy Johnson
Oakridge
LET US VOTE!
I signed a petition to get a spray ban ini-
tiative on the May ballot in Lane County.
Now I hear that even though the county
clerk assured the chief petitioners that the
initiative had qualified by first, satisfying
the single subject and full text rules and
second, by turning in enough certified sig-
natures, a new obstacle has reared its ugly
face in the form of the “separate vote” rule.
Now my right to vote on this “people-
proposed” law is being threatened, again.
How is this possible? When enough people
get it together to satisfy all the steps of the
process, how can county officials invent
barricades that deny the people access to the
ballot box? Could they be in the pocket of
the opposition special interests, perchance?
I was born and raised in California be-
fore moving to Eugene in 2014. In Califor-
nia, the proposed aerial spraying campaign
to allegedly combat the Light Brown Ap-
ple Moth was shot down by fierce citizen
opposition. Why the widespread spraying
of forestland with herbicides is tolerated in
Oregon is beyond belief.
John Thielking
Eugene
COUNTY MUST ANSWER
On Dec. 19, more than 50 Lane County
voters turned out at the Board of Commis-
sioners meeting to demand accountability
and transparency in the initiative process
in Lane County.
Voters demanded an explanation from
the county government about why the
Freedom from Aerial Spraying of Herbi-
cides Bill of Rights charter amendment
was being kept from the ballot based on
the County Election Clerk’s decision that
the initiative did not comply with the sep-
arate-vote rule.
Despite repeated requests, no explana-
tion has been forthcoming.
Alarmingly, rather than answering to
the voters for the county’s actions, Lane
County — through its county counsel Ste-
phen Dingle — is leaving it to the timber
industry to provide that explanation.
On Dec. 21, in the legal action filed by
the initiative’s chief petitioners challeng-
ing the clerk’s determination, the county
BY TONY CORCOR AN
Horse Pucky Debate
ON GETTING CEDRIC’S GOAT
R
emember, dear reader, last year I carefully explained the difference be-
tween a horse race and a political race? (In a horse race the whole horse
races, remember?) Apt metaphors live on. Lately there is more equine
political scatology in the air.
Sad news out of the Bel-Air neighborhood in Los Angeles recently:
A box filled with horse manure addressed to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin was
left at his neighbor’s home. The box was wrapped in Christmas paper and labeled as
coming from the “American people.” Sophomoric puerile poop story! Why didn’t we
Oregonians think of that?
We have a ton of horseshit up here and plenty of candidates! Out of respect for the
post office we could carefully cure our manure, legalize it even, put it in glass jars
and burp it daily until it gets down to 62 percent relative humidity so it won’t weigh
as much to ship. Then double wrap it in Ziploc bags, throw in a little baby powder to
cover the barnyard bouquet and you’re in business.
Obviously the leading candidate, the most powerful Republican in Oregon, the
man who leads the nation in contributions from the anti-net neutrality crowd, Con-
gressman Greg Walden is first in line.
What do you get for the guy who has everything and who sold out Oregonians
with the Republican federal tax giveaway? Bullshit? Naw, unless it’s from one of the
“welfare grazers” on BLM land. I’d rather have one of them wild Steens stud muffins
from the Kiger mustangs. Horseshit rules!
The chief sponsors of the initiative that became Measure 101 certainly deserve the
attention of Oregon voters as we approach Jan. 23. Representatives Julie Parrish of
Forest Grove and Medford’s Sal Esquival and their Stop Healthcare Taxes political
action committee rank high in the horseshit hierarchy handicap.
But Christmas gift giving, like any charitable act, is best conducted locally. Lane
County’s own House District 7’s Cedric Hayden, another of the chief sponsors of
this assault on Oregon’s poorest and most vulnerable, can receive your gift in person.
That’s right, just show up at the Valley River Inn at 11 am on Thursday, Jan. 11. The
Lane County League of Women Voters is sponsoring a debate on Ballot Measure 101
with Cedric Hayden (opposed) and Labor Commissioner candidate Val Hoyle arguing
in support.
While you’re there ask Cedric about his Voters’ Pamphlet statement paid for by
Julie Parrish. He’s also been quoted in The Register-Guard as saying he would bring
his solutions for funding Medicaid and rural health care if Measure 101 is defeated.
What are his solutions? Are they hiding in plain sight, in the stalls of my wife’s hors-
es? Come on, man: Show us the money! For the record, before PETA beats me up for
animal abuse, both Luna and Mojave are of age and have signed “mature manure”
release forms.
4
January 11, 2018 • eugeneweekly.com
And ask Cedric about his “no” group’s intentional misrepresentation in the voters’
pamphlet. In addition to paying for most of the arguments in opposition, why did Par-
rish think it was a good idea to put phony arguments in favor in order to “break up the
monotony of the other side’s argument”?
Finally ask Cedric why both Republican Senate
leader Ted Ferrioli and Senate President
Democrat Peter Courtney stated in their
Voters’ Pamphlet argument in favor:
“Oregon has a plan for funding
healthcare that really works for all
of us. That plan is Measure 101.”
Here’s why. The state estimates
that if Measure 101 were to fail, be-
tween $210 million and $320 million in
state revenue would be lost, resulting in a
loss of federal matching funds of between
$630 million to $960 million. Without ad-
ditional funds or cuts elsewhere, hundreds
of thousands of low-income people would
lose health care coverage. Show us your
plan, Cedric! Be honest. Show us the money.
After the debate, follow Cedric to Salem in
February and see how he and Julie vote on
tax measures of any sort in the upcoming
session.
Maybe by February Oregon will
have a better sense of how the looming
trillion-dollar federal deficit will affect
Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid
in the future. No state is more reliant on
income taxes for state revenue than Ore-
gon. Personal income tax accounts for 87
percent of the state’s general fund. Maybe
Cedric will have some answers in Febru-
ary. Where’s Mr. Ed when we need him?
Meanwhile, don’t forget to vote Yes
on Measure 101 by Jan. 23.
Former state Sen. Tony Corcoran of Cottage Grove is
a retired state employee.