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News
Briefs: A Time For Protest
| A Time For Peace | A Noble
Step | LMD Forms
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News:
Integrity Exemplified: Rep. Barbara Lee to receive prestigious
award in Eugene.
News:
Bump in the Road: Eugene roads will be paved by taxes.
Happening
People: Jerry Hall
A
TIME FOR PROTEST
A massive protest is planned for
Thursday, Aug. 22 when President George W. Bush plans to appear at
the downtown Portland Hilton to raise money for Sen. Gordon Smith
at a dinner party. Protesters are asked to meet at the North Park
Blocks (West Burnside and 8th) at 2 pm, then march to the Hilton by
4 pm. Those who cannot make it to the march should just head to the
Hilton at SW Broadway and Taylor.
Organizers hope a broad coalition of environmentalists,
peace activists, union members, civil libertarians, anti-corporate
globalization activists, anarchists, Democrats and Greens will join
together in a nonviolent protest of his visit.
Some of the protest topics will include escalating
war, the attack on civil rights, proliferation of nuclear weapons,
environmental degradation, decreasedspending on AIDS research, a widening
gap between the rich and the poor, mining on public lands, snowmobiles
in the wilderness, proliferation of gas-guzzling vehicles, oil exploration
in Alaska and more. Updates on the protest can be found online at
www.portland.indymedia.org
A
TIME FOR PEACE
Progressive Responses, a program
of CALC (Community Alliance of Lane County) and Faith in Action, an
affiliate of Two Rivers Interfaith Ministry, continue to hold peace
vigils every second and fourth Wednesday of the month from 4:30 to
5:30 pm at the Federal Building at Pearl & 7th Ave.
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Slant
- Do we really want our
City Council to speed through its deliberations and cut off
public comment in order to conform to an arbitrary time limit?
As city government becomes more complex and citizens feel more
distant from decision-making, we're better off devoting more
time, not less, to council business. Councilor Scott Meisner
proposed two housekeeping rules that passed on split votes at
the Aug. 14 council meeting and neither one of them contributes
to democracy.
The first rule change would limit Monday night
meetings from 8 to 10 pm. At times those meetings have run until
11 pm, particularly when the city was holding public hearings
on hot topics. So Meisner wants to cut off public input as well
as council discussion? Maybe he's bored and sleepy, but many
of us appreciate the deliberative process and public input so
vital to good government.
The second rule change (ignored by the mainstream
press) requires five councilors instead of three to place items
on the council agenda — or four councilors and the mayor.
Conservatives on the council like this new rule, probably because
the living wage ordinance came out of the three-councilor rule.
But this new rule swings both ways. Pat Farr tried unsuccessfully
to get two other councilors to put rescinding the smoking ban
on the agenda. And Nancy Nathanson was likewise unsuccessful
getting support for an agenda item on redistricting more often
than every 10 years. Under the new rule our mayor, who often
breaks 4-4 ties, retains his ability to put whatever he wants
on the council agenda. Meisner's inspiration favors whichever
political philosophy is in the majority. Not a good idea regardless
of whether conservatives or progressives dominate.
-The county's Land
Management Division (LMD) is probably not thrilled that a task
force will be scrutinizing everything it does, from its mission
to its funding, but we think it's overdue. A lot of the sprawl
that's happening in our valley is on county land and we can
only blame our county commissioners for part of it. The LMD
appears to have a history of quietly bending over backward for
developers, bending rules and helping guide environmentally
destructive projects through the permit maze. At the heart of
the problem may be the unhealthy link between building permit
fees and the LMD budget. The task force is heavily stacked with
pro-sprawl interests, but it will still be worth observing the
issues raised and excuses offered.
SLANT includes short opinion pieces and rumor-chasing
notes compiled by the EW staff. Heard any good rumors lately?
Contact Ted Taylor at 484-0519, editor@eugeneweekly.com
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Organizers say "We are silently protesting the government's
continued unilateral and military approach to world problems. Our
concerns and opposition to government practices range from the plans
to develop nuclear bombs, plans to invade Iraq and other countries,
failure to sign or un-signing treaties, failure to support international
approaches to problems, energy policies, trade policies, over-reliance
on military solutions, decreased human and civil rights, controlling
the media and many more."
Organizers add that they do not believe the government's
actions "will result in making us or the rest of the citizens of the
world safer." They are asking anyone who shares their concerns to
join in the vigils. Because the gatherings are vigils, not protests,
organizers say they "are a time for reverent reflection. Please help
us to generate peaceful energy and keep discussion to a minimum."
For more information, contact CALC, 485-1755, calc@efn.org
A
NOBLE STEP
Congressman Peter DeFazio has written
a letter to a Eugene resident supporting the general concept of Ballot
Measure 23, the single-payer health insurance initiative that recently
qualified for the November ballot.
"The ballot initiative proposed by Health Care for
All-Oregon is a noble and bold step towards addressing Oregon's health
care deficiencies," he wrote. "At the very least, the proposed ballot
initiative will bring attention to the pressing need for health care
reform."
Looking at the national health care scene, DeFazio
wrote, "With nearly 40 million Americans lacking adequate health insurance
coverage today, there is clearly a need to reform the current health
care delivery system. I continue to support efforts in Congress to
enact universal health care legislation."
DeFazio said he did have concerns about some of the
details of the ballot measure, including its 11.5 percent payroll
tax burden on employers, and the lack of price controls on prescription
drugs.
Measure supporters say the payroll tax will be less
of a burden than the cost of health insurance most employers now pay.
LMD
PANEL FORMS
Lane County commissioners are seeking
applications from community members interested in filling two vacancies
on the Land Management Task Force.
The commissioners have created this task force to
review the structure and operation of the Public Works Department's
Land Management Division (LMD). The task force will make recommendations
to the board regarding: long-range planning; compliance program; customer
service and permit processing; and funding. The LMD has been criticized
and even sued by citizens and groups who claim the division caters
to developers at the expense of the environment and livability.
The task force will meet at least twice a month beginning
in September. Commissioners Anna Morrison and Peter Sorenson will
serve as non-voting members. The remainder of the panel will be composed
of two at-large members from the community, the county administrator,
the chair of the Lane County Planning Commission, the county human
resources manager, the county public works director, and one representative
each from the Lane County Homebuilders Association, Lane County LandWatch,
1000 Friends of Oregon, Lane County Board of Realtors, and the State
DCBS Building Codes Division.
The duration of the task force is expected to be about
six months. The task force will sunset after its final report to the
board. Individuals with an interest or expertise in operations, process
improvement, customer service, or organizational change are encouraged
to apply by 5 pm Friday, Aug. 23.
Applications are available in the commissioners' office,
125 E. 8th Ave.
LABOR
NOTES
- The eighth formal bargaining session
was held last week with NW Food Employers, which represents Albertsons,
Fred Meyer, and Safeway in the Lane County area, as well as Salem,
Albany, and Corvallis. The employers, anticipating lower profits,
are continuing to demand concessions in wages and benefits equivalent
to $5.07 per hour. According to union leaders, the employers have
failed to provide the data used to come up with that figure. They
say the Eugene/Salem employees are some of the lowest paid on the
West Coast I-5 corridor (with same employers).
"No progress was made during the session. None," says
Union President Gene Pronovost.
Yakima and Wanatchee (UFCW 1439) are also in bargaining,
with the same employers making the same demands for concessions of
$5.07. They have given a strike deadline of Labor Day weekend. UFCW
555 is currently considering its options, says Pronovost.
- Sacred Heart Medical Center nurses accepted a labor
contract Aug. 14 that will raise salaries by 17 percent over the next
two years. Seventy-seven percent of the hospital's Oregon Nurses Association
members voted to approve the settlement. In addition, nurses who work
with Sacred Heart Home Healthcare Services approved the contract with
a 94 percent "yes" vote.
The contract also adds a new pay step starting in
2004 for nurses with 25 years service with Sacred Heart. Nurses working
night shifts will eventually receive an additional $5.15 per hour,
a move that will hopefully attract more experienced nurses to that
difficult time slot.
"This contract makes Sacred Heart an attractive employer
to nurses both regionally and statewide," says ONA negotiator Paul
Goldberg, RN. "It provides for professional development and includes
provisions that help prevent overwork. That's good news for both nurses
and patients."
The contract negotiations began last May and were
finally resolved when a state mediator stepped in. The new contract
is retroactive to July 1, when the old one expired.
Back to Top
Integrity
Exemplified
Rep.
Barbara Lee to receive prestigious award in Eugene.
BY ARIA SELIGMANN
Rep. Barbara Lee, the controversial California
Congresswoman who cast the lone vote against going to war after 9/11,
will be in Eugene on Aug. 25 to receive the Wayne Morse Integrity
in Government Award for 2002.
The award, given by the Wayne Morse Historical Park
Board, honors a contemporary elected official who, like the late Sen.
Morse, has demonstrated a high level of integrity and independence,
a commitment to justice, and a willingness to take principled stands,
even if at great political cost.
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"Filled
with grief and sorrow for those killed and injured - I confronted
the solemn responsibility of voting to authorize the nation
to go to war." -Rep.
Barbara Lee
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A member of the House International Relations Committee,
Rep. Lee became the target of reactionary threats and accusations
of treason when she cast the only vote against the resolution supporting
a free hand, without Congressional review, for the administration
in pursuing a war against terrorism. That lonely but courageous stand
echoed Morse's isolated vote on the Tonkin Gulf Resolution that illegally
expanded the war in Vietnam.
George Beres, chairman of the Morse Integrity Award
Comm-ittee, says that in today's political climate, linking together
the words integrity and government can sound like an oxymoron. "Even
those who remember when Oregon Senator Wayne Morse demonstrated that
rare quality four decades ago are doubters when the words are combined
today," he says.
But seven nominees emerged from the pack who do exemplify
such virtues: Sen. Paul Wellstone, Sen. James Jeffords, Rep. Dennis
Kucinich, Gov. John Kitzhaber, Sen. Mark Hatfield, Sen. Russ Feingold,
and Lee.
The field was whittled down to three finalists: Feingold,
Jeffords and Lee. Feingold's nomination was based on the fact he refused
PAC money for his race for re-election last fall, and still won —
by a narrow margin. Jeffords, disturbed by what he called a lack of
room for dissent in the GOP, changed the balance of power in the Senate
by switching from Republican to Democrat in 2001.
But it was Lee who emerged victorious. She was selected
by former holders of the Morse Chair of Law & Politics at the
UO School of Law: Harvard law professor Charles Ogletree, Jr.; University
of New York political science professor Frances Fox Piven, and retired
Oregon Supreme Court Justice Hans Linde. Previous recipients of the
award are Judge Rose Bird, President Jimmy Carter, Sen. Lowell Weicker,
Sen. William Proxmire, Sen. Paul Simon, Rep. Henry Gonzalex and Rep.
Jim Leach.
After her controversial war vote, Rep. Lee said, "Filled
with grief and sorrow for those killed and injured, and with anger
at those who had done this, I confronted the solemn responsibility
of voting to authorize the nation to go to war. Some believe this
resolution was only symbolic, to show national resolve. I could not
ignore that it provided explicit authority, under the War Powers Resolu-tion
and the Constitu-tion, to go to war. It was a blank check to the president
to attack anyone involved in the Sept. 11 events without regard to
our nation's long-term foreign policy, economic and national security
interests, and without time limit."
When Lee was announced the winner, former winner Sen.
Simon told her, "I am pleased to see you receive an award you richly
deserve. I had the chance to get to know Wayne Morse, and I know he
would feel honored to have you receive this award in his name."
But Lee's award also got criticism, says Beres, "notably
from attack-style radio talk show hosts whose ideological perspectives
included describing Lee as 'a traitor.' Judging by the source," he
says, "I believe the criticism corroborates the judgment of award
selectors."
Lee will speak at a public reception in Eugene, where
she will receive the award. The reception is at 3 pm Sunday, Aug.
25 at the Morse Commons of the UO School of Law.
Back to Top
Bump
in the Road
Eugene roads will be paved by taxes.
BY
MELISSA LEWIS
Anyone who has ever tried riding a skateboard
on Eugene streets knows that smoothly paved roads are a rarity. Potholes,
cracks, and lanes worn with tire ruts are all common features of Eugene
roads that can make driving a car or bike uncomfortable and/or dangerous.
Left unmaintained, the problems with street surfaces compound, making
the roads irreparable and more expensive to replace.
While many Eugeneans are aware of the road quality
problems, few are aware of the two solutions being put into play.
The City Council held a public hearing July 22 on
the transportation system maintenance (TSM) fee. "Six people testified,
generally split pro and con," says Eric Jones, public affairs manager
at Eugene Public Works. The council is scheduled to further discuss
and possible take action on the maintenance fee, says Jones.
The monthly TSM fee, the first tax revenue option
being considered, would be tacked onto utility bills, at about $3-$4
for an average household. The second option being considered is a
local fuel tax of about 2-5 cents per gallon.
A hearing on the gas tax component has been tentatively
scheduled for early October, to allow enough time for the city of
Springfield to hold its hearing on a similar ordinance, says Jones.
Each revenue option has its own benefits and downsides,
specifically pertaining to road repairs. The local fuel tax would
allow visiting non-residents using the roads to help pay the cost
of road repair and maintenance when fueling up in Eugene; and it would
ensure that those who drive more often on the streets pay more in
fees. It does not, however, ensure that all those benefiting
from the roads help pay for road maintenance, such as cyclists who
use bike lanes or business owners whose stores depend on access by
roadways.
The TSM fee is more general, and would allow funds
to cover repairs that aren't necessarily considered part of the street
repair projects, such as pedestrian paths and off-road bike routes
(all 30 miles). All residents, though, would be forced to pay the
fee through their utility bills, even if they don't use the streets
or bike paths. The fees would be based on categories of land use,
meaning that large businesses would pay more than an average household,
figuring the level of road use and traffic for businesses is higher
than for private residences.
Eugene's population growth is expected to increase
traffic and road damage. If roads are not maintained, engineers say
they must be excavated before being rebuilt, costing up to four or
five times more than repairing them.
Eugene has more than 500 miles of streets to maintain,
and according to the city's Transportation Division, "the replacement
value of just the street surfaces in Eugene is estimated at more than
$500 million — a huge community investment."
According to a brochure sent residential customers
by the Transportation Division, a Washington, D.C., research group
estimated that Eugene drivers pay an extra $320 a year in operating
costs [of cars] due to the condition of local streets."
"Tire wear, steering alignment problems, cracked windshields,
increased incidence of accidents, subsequent insurance hikes, and
other driving costs" are all cited in the brochure as possible results
of poor road quality.
Homeowners may also benefit from road repairs, which
can reduce the noise of traffic and increase property values.
Currently the backlog of road repair projects is almost
$70 million, says the brochure. "And that figure is estimated to grow
to more than $230 million over the next 10 years unless we can find
locally controlled sources of revenue to tackle the backlog... [T]he
primary source of Eugene's road fund revenue the city's share of state
gas tax receipts has not kept pace with Eugene's street preservation
needs..."
"[T]he City Council recently approved a policy that
allows a portion of the fees paid by developers to be used for road
repairs. This is a relatively small amount, but its a step in the
right direction," according to the Transportation Division.
For more information, visit Eugene Public Works webpage
on-line at www.ci.eugene.or.us/pw/streets or, for road repair and
construction information, call the traffic relief hotline at 984-8484.
Citizens concerned about the proposed taxes can contact
their city councilors or speak at the public input time at council
sessions the second and fourth Monday nights of each month.
Back
to Top
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Jerry
Hall
Starting this fall, LCC will be the first
community college in Oregon to offer a course on learning Native American
languages. "We intend to put language into the context of culture,"
says instructor Jerry Hall, who also teaches biology. "We'll include
native speakers and the local native community as much as possible."
Hall grew up amidst an Indian population in Powers, class of 1960.
"My grandma thought she was Tututni — born and raised in Rogue
River," he says. "She's reclassified as Karuk — her grandmother
came from the Klamath River." Hall left his heritage behind when he
departed for OSU, served in the Peace Corps and the army, earned a
Ph.D. from Michigan State, taught and did research. He began going
to pow-wows after moving to Eugene in 1979, and joined with cousins
11 years ago to establish the Confederated Tribes of the Lower Rogue,
representing Indians who had escaped removal to reservations. In June,
Hall brought one of two living native Tututen speakers to a language
workshop in Agnes, two miles from the Tututni village site. "We felt
that the spirits helped us," he says. "People wrote poems and songs
that seemed to come out of nowhere." - Paul Neevel
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