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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 3, 2018)
SIUSLAW NEWS | WEDNESDAY, O CTOBER 3, 2018 | 5A Siuslaw News P.O. Box 10 Florence, OR 97439 Opinion The First Amendment C ongress shall make no law respecting an es- tablishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Homeless population in Florence are not illegal campers by choice (Editor’s Note: Viewpoint submis- sions on this and other topics are al- ways welcome as part of our goal to encourage community discussion and exchange of perspectives.) W hile reading the Siuslaw News article “Florence Clarifies Illegal Camping Code” (Sept. 19), I realized that during the Ronald Reagan presidency we lived in an age of trickle-down eco- nomics; during the Donald Trump presidency, we appear to live in an age of trickle-down brutality. The descriptions of the home- less, on page 1 of the article sound- ed disturbingly similar to the pres- ident's descriptions of the “illegal aliens flooding across our south- ern borders.” Rapists. Perpetrators of domes- tic violence. Obstructers of visual clearance. Ouch. In the article, Wendy FarleyCa- mpbell was quoted on page 1 say- ing “once, a few years ago, (there was) even rape” when she was discussing the costs imposed on the city due to homeless campers. During the last few years, was this the only rape investigated? How many rapes or allegations of rape were lodged and investi- gated during this same time period concerning people who were not homeless campers? More than one, I would imagine. Could it therefore be said that the homeless are less likely to commit rape than our tourists or residents who live in houses? I would not make that supposition; so please, stop the divisive rhetoric. It serves no purpose but to make an already bad situation worse. When I first moved to Florence, our prima- ry homeless population was middle-aged guys with substance abuse issues — usually alcohol or pills. This is no longer the case. One night, I visited at the Cold Weather Shelter with a young family of four; we also had a second family with children there that night. Couples are very common out on our streets now — and in a very disturbing trend, lone females both very young and quite old. I can spot the newly-homeless quite quickly: they have a look of shock on their faces. I’m a good person, how did I end up out here? their faces say. On their first morning as a homeless person, they also wake up as a criminal. There is nowhere legal to camp if you have no money in this area, so they camp illegally because they have no choice. And so a bad situation becomes steadily worse, as well as more difficult to escape from. After spending the first half of the article bad-mouthing the homeless victims who end up on our streets, the article explained that the City has removed the prohibition on camping on public land. This didn’t make sense to me, Guest Viewpoint By Steve Wandrus Homeless in Florence so I re-read the whole piece. The article doesn’t mention it, but the change in the Florence City Code was necessitated by a Sept. 4 ruling of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Ap- peals saying in part: “As long as there is no option of sleeping indoors, the govern- ment cannot criminalize indigent, homeless people for sleeping out- doors, on public property, on the false premise they had a choice in the matter.” Homeless people camping in Florence can stay on two types of land: public or private. We (by the way, I am one of your chronic campers) try to choose public land because there is usually less hassle involved than staying on private land — though it is often hard to tell what is private land and what is public land. Anyway, the new ordinance specifies that it only applies to camping on private land, not to camping on public land. If you camp on private land, you either have the owner’s permission or you do not. Camping on some- one’s private land without their permission is already illegal — that is what private prop- erty means. So there was no need to make up a new ordi- nance to make behavior that is illegal “more illegal” since it is already illegal. It appears the ordinance only addresses camping on someone’s private land with the owner’s per- mission. The significant portion of the article, then, wasn’t the many para- graphs talking about how horrible the homeless are; the significant portion of the article was column 1 on page 6A (again by Wendy Far- leyCampbell): “This isn’t just to address the tents and things like that; it in- cludes people turning sheds in back into a place to house people, which hasn’t been approved or doesn’t have building permits for that type of use. It isn’t safe … It’s to address a lot of different issues, not just outdoor camping.” The second significant portion is apparently in opposition to this, columns 5-6 of the same page: “In July, code changes became effective, allowing for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to be al- lowed on single-family residential properties, regardless of zoning.” Now the Florence City Ordi- nance made sense. It would appear it was crafted in an attempt to cir- cumvent the ADU rules, which are now Oregon State Law (State Bill 1051). From my understanding, the City of Eugene is now being sued in court for making a similar at- tempt to circumvent state law. It would be a shame, as well as a waste of taxpayer money, if the City of Florence chose to follow the same path. If you wish to end illegal camp- ing in Florence, give us a legal place to camp. We are not illegal campers by choice; we are illegal campers because we have no other choice. If you want to change the situa- tion, please offer choices that are not illegal; and please, please, stop the denigration of our already-de- moralized homeless population. They don’t deserve it. Misunderstandings about the upcoming Siuslaw School Bond measures (Editor’s Note: Viewpoint submis- sions on this and other topics are al- ways welcome as part of our goal to encourage community discussion and exchange of perspectives.) T here are lots of conversations in our community about the upcoming vote on school bonds for Siuslaw Schools — and that’s good; there are also some misun- derstandings — and that’s not so good. I'd like to take a moment to help clear up a few of those misunder- standings. • Misunderstanding #1: “If the bond passes, property taxes will go up by $2.72 per $1,000 of assessed value.” This message misses the fact that the old middle school bond assess- ment is about to expire. That as- sessment was for $.90 per $1,000, so our property taxes will actually rise only by the net effect of the two events taken together. The net rise in property taxes will be only $1.92 per $1,000. Your property taxes will still rise, but by about 1/3 less than you might have thought. • Misunderstanding #2: “The buildings look fine, so we shouldn’t have to pay for new ones.” Yes, the facilities look fine — in today’s classrooms, yet we don’t have adequate electrical systems. from the outside. Twenty-first century education Dedicated district employees do a good job… but explore the inner includes active learning — yet details, particularly in the high many of our existing classrooms school building, and you’ll find a are too small. There is increasing very different story: rusty pipes emphasis on teaching trade skills, and valves, broken equipment and yet our facilities are inadequate. All-school assemblies are criti- an appalling lack of energy effi- ciency. When the old boil- er that heats the high By Robert Orr school breaks down Director, Citizens for Siuslaw Schools (which it does, far too often), students and teachers are shivering in down- cal to education today, yet the high stairs classrooms. When the heat- school has no auditorium. Also, good nutrition aids learn- ing system works, upstairs class- rooms and offices are too hot. ing and health, yet the high school When some parts for these old has no cafeteria. • Misunderstanding #4: “Let’s systems fail, they have to be made just fix up the old buildings and to order at great cost and delay. Fumes from the auto shop per- save money.” It would cost millions of dol- meate the building, and fresh air is lars more to renovate the old high scarce. • Misunderstanding #3: “Our school than to build a new one. To kids are getting all the education renovate, it would be necessary to they need in the existing facilities.” replace mechanical and electri- Sure, Florence area children cal systems (including wiring and have been educated for many years pipes inside walls and the concrete floor), enlarge classrooms, add in the buildings we have. But education is changing. If we an auditorium and cafeteria, and don’t keep up, our kids will fall be- reinforce the entire building for hind. There is far more technology earthquake safety. Guest Viewpoint For several years, students would take classes in temporary facilities. • Misunderstanding #5: “The bond funds will be used only to build a new high school.” While the majority of funds will be used for a new high school, ma- jor repairs will be done at the ele- mentary school and some repairs will be made at the middle school. Some classrooms have visi- ble water damage, which will only get worse over time. The elementary school building is not earthquake-safe, and the en- trance is not safe from intruders. More and larger classrooms are needed, and some have no win- dows for natural light. Facilities are not contiguous so young children sometimes have to walk long distances during the school day, using valuable learning time. • Misunderstanding #6: “We should spread out the work over time and not try for such a large bond measure all at once.” Construction costs have been rising about 5 percent per year (and more in Lane County). At this rate, if we do half the neces- sary work now and wait five years DIVERSIFIED MARINE & EQUIPMENT SALES for the other half, the delay would cost an extra $15 million. If we wait 10 years, it would cost an extra $33 million. Postpone- ment would cost much more in re- pairs and maintenance to keep the buildings functioning. It would also mean spending over $50,000 each year in utility costs that could be saved with new facilities. • Misunderstanding #7: “Res- idents with no children in the school system won’t benefit from the bonds.” New school facilities will attract more young professionals and en- trepreneurs to our community, en- hancing property values and pro- moting a healthy and prosperous community. Better school facilities will bring us more health care providers — a huge need here. A new high school will have space for conferences and conventions, bringing customers to local businesses. And the new high school will provide a vital emergency shelter for the community. Please consider these things when voting for the upcoming Siu- slaw School Bonds… for our chil- dren and for our community. Buying or Selling? I can help. OREGON COAST’S SUPERSTORE Where You Always Get a Whale of a Deal! 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