 |
  |
 |
||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||||
|
BURIED TREASURE As the new state senator for District 4, I want to address an issue that recently has surfaced in the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS). I was extremely frustrated to learn last week that an additional $120 million was "found" by DHS. I understand why voters lose their confidence in government when facts such as these come out after the legislative budget process, which was agonizingly long as we worked to balance the state budget in the face of shrinking income. The Legislature relies on data provided by state agencies to build a budget, and in this case the data originally showed that the Legislature needed to increase revenue this session or else state services would have to be cut drastically. As both a senator and a voter, I am extremely upset that the projections from DHS proved to be so far off the mark. Since Oregon has a citizen Legislature that only meets in session about 180 days every two years, we must rely on agencies to provide sound financial information. As a member of the Interim Joint Audit Committee in the Senate, I will be asking the DHS director to explain how such a mistake could have been made and not realized until now. It is possible that this additional money may be the direct result of fewer people receiving services. The Legislature changed the rules as to who qualifies for such services, requiring a higher co-pay from recipients. But it is unacceptable that the agency did not alert the Legislature to this major change in its financial situation before the Measure 30 election. With the defeat of Measure 30 causing a shortfall in state revenues, state agencies must be held to even higher standards of accountability than ever before. The Legislature must increase its oversight of agencies' budgets and how the agencies manage their resources. The Legislature must ensure that every tax dollar is properly spent on delivering essential services to Oregonians. If you have an issue involving a state agency, please do not hesitate to call me for assistance. I look forward to serving you. Floyd Prozanski, Oregon State Senator, District 4
BEYOND THE BASICS Your article "Genetic Trespass" (4/8) was about as clear as mud. My husband and I both read the first paragraph several times to try to understand what this is about. Crops are fertilized by pollen, not seeds. Is that what you meant? The rest of the article was equally confusing. We both have graduate degrees in biology, so if we can't understand your article, what sense are you making to the average reader? This is a very important issue for people to rally around, but they will only do so if they understand what it is all about. Please try again to explain it, starting with the basics. Sharon Blick, Eugene
ADVICE NEEDED As a former member of KLCC's Advisory Board, (which, incidentally, was eliminated by station management), I echo the sentiments of John A. Hickam (letters, 3/25). While I served on the board, I was disheartened by the seemingly nonexistent impact we had in effecting any real change. It appeared to me that the board served no real purpose other than existing only to satisfy some lofty station policy; to give the illusion of a democratic process. Many of us in the KLCC listening audience are dissatisfied with the status quo, not to mention the losses of such shows as "Pacifica News," "This American Life," and "Le Show." As Mr.Hickam pointed out, Alan Siporin's "Critical Mass" has not been replaced with a similar format and how about plain old public access programming? What's up with a double dose of "Car Talk?" Public radio must respond to its community's needs and desires in programming and KLCC appears to be reluctant to do so. It's time to bring back the advisory board as a truly representative voice of this station's' listenership. Michelle Holman, Deadwood
SUPPORTING WIND POWER I am the developer of the West Cascade Energy Facility. I fully support conservation and wind power as the primary choices for solving our energy problems. In 1977 as Sen. George Wingard's legislative assistant, I helped revise Oregon building codes to promote conservation. I buy 100 percent wind power for my home. I built the award-winning Falls Creek Hydroelectric Project near Sweet Home; one of only eight hydroelectric plants out of thousands in America that has been certified "green." I bring the same sensitivity to the environment and the community to the West Cascade Energy Facility as to everything else I have done in my life. Because I support wind power, I revised my project to include 300 megawatts of peaking power. Peaking plants make wind power possible. The wind doesn't blow all the time, so we need peaking plants to fill in the gaps. The article "Behind the Power" (4/1) is well written but incorrectly states that the West Cascade Energy Facility will supply more energy than the region uses. In fact, it will only supply some of the power used in Lane, Linn and Douglas counties, but it will play a major role in strengthening our electrical infrastructure. I agree with the Sierra Club that it's better to build natural-gas fired power plants near where the electricity will be used. I'm convinced the West Cascade Energy Facility is part of the solution, not part of the problem. Gary Marcus, Eugene
VOTE MITZI Marlene (Mitzi) Colbath is running for state representative in District 8. She is fantastic. I have known Mitzi for six years. I have always been in awe of her energy and ambition. Her honesty and character are beyond reproach. She has taken on so many varied volunteer positions that there is not enough paper on one page to list them. She is not only a CPA but has been a municipal auditor, worked in government and has been on the planning commission for several years. There is only one other CPA among the legislators, no wonder we are in a budget crisis. Getting Mitzi a seat at the table for state rep will get crisis problems addressed. Charlene Fairleigh, Eugene
KUCINICH VOTES COUNT Well, I can't vote for Dean in the May primary. He won't even be on the ballot. And if I vote for Kerry, what does that say to him? Nothing much. I suppose I could write him a letter, but I doubt if he would have time to read it. I'd really like to tell him that I would like to see a universal, single payer, health care system for the country. The solution? I'll vote for Kucinich in May. In fact, if everyone who voted for measure 23, Health Care For All, now voted for Kucinich, it would not change the fact that Kerry will be the Democratic candidate in November, but it will send Kerry a message that health care is really a big issue for us. Now that Kerry has the nomination locked up, it gives us the opportunity to tell him how we feel without hurting his chance for being elected president. Bob Cassidy, Eugene
STRATEGIC VOTING I have changed my party registration to Democrat in order to vote for Dennis Kucinich for president in the Oregon May primary election. Although John Kerry will be the Party's ultimate nominee, I believe my vote for Congressman Kucinich is still important. Oregon narrowly selected Al Gore in election 2000, and is considered a swing state in this election cycle. Therefore, our primary votes will be carefully counted and considered. My intent is to send a message to Kerry and the Democratic Party: I and hopefully many other Oregonians will vote for Senator Kerry in November if he offers real change from the policies of the current administration and if the party adopts a more progressive platform. I will vote in May for Congressman Kucinich because he offers a choice: democracy vs. plutocracy, international peace vs. unilateral war, hope and repeal of the USA PATRIOT Act vs. fear and loss of our civil rights, jobs and withdrawal from NAFTA and the WTO vs. free trade and outsourcing, environmental renewal and clean energy v. environmental degradation and back room deals with industry, and universal health care v. a failed system evidenced by 43 million uninsured Americans. These are some of the policy differences and platform changes that I seek to influence with my strategic vote. If you are not already a registered Democrat, you have until April 27 to change that. Please join me in voting for Dennis Kucinich in the Oregon May primary election. Benton Elliott, Eugene
WILDLANDS & ECONOMY Greg Vranizan questions Oregon Natural Resources Council's commitment to promoting wilderness protection and lack of commitment to communities (3/25). We don't feel there is any disconnect between our work to save wildlands and a healthy economy. ONRC remains diligent in our work to see more wild forests protected for future generations because previous generations of decision-makers failed to do so. Senators Packwood and Hatfield had a stranglehold on land protection in Oregon for decades, and the clearcuts that riddle our public forestlands are a testament to their lack of initiative. We owe a debt of thanks to people like Rep. Jim Weaver for the places that are saved, but even with their tireless work, less than 4 percent of Oregon is protected as Wilderness, compared to 10 percent of Washington and 13 percent of California. Thoreau said, "In wildness is the preservation of the world." Wilderness areas can also be the preservation of our economy. Logged wildlands lose their value for recreation and produce few, short-term jobs. Look at the proposed Biscuit Fire "Recovery" logging — the timber industry predicts that the largest, most aggressive timber sale in modern history will have little effect on employment. Conversely, look at the vibrancy of communities like Sandy and Sisters, which are the gateway communities to wildland recreation. This is not to suggest that there are not stable, well-paying jobs to be had. As Mr. Vranizan notes, issues such as "how to manage NW forests in an ecologically sound, socially acceptable, politically sustainable way" have not been resolved. The rekindled controversy about logging old growth forests, however, shifts resources away from where nearly everyone agrees they should be spent on restoring complexity and resiliency to our public forests. We must reduce fuels near homes and communities. We must replace culverts that impair fish passage. We must thin hundreds of thousands of acres of young, dense stands that were clearcut and planted decades ago. These projects will produce wood fiber and jobs, as well as promote the development of forests that support wildlife and clean water. ONRC actively promotes these alternatives to logging ancient forests and wildlands. We recognize that a healthy economy and a healthy ecosystem must be diverse. Instead of fighting over the last scraps of wildlands and ancient forests, we believe we should throw our collective weight behind getting common sense work done. Jeremy Hall, ONRC, Eugene
BOXING IS POPULAR I enjoyed Bobbie Willis's article on boxing and Paul Mpendo (3/25). I also enjoyed Mr. Saxton's snit of a letter and feel compelled to reply. Boxing is perhaps the most international of sports, even ahead of soccer. Boxing was the most popular event in the ancient Olympics and the second most popular in the modern Olympics. It is second only to track and field competition, but the tickets to the championship finals are the most expensive of all Olympic events. Women's boxing is the fastest growing sport in the world. Boxing is one of the oldest sports on the planet and was practiced and perfected by the Armies of ancient Egypt. Protective training equipment is not something new. Headgear, groin protectors and leather mouthpieces were used in ancient Greece and Crete. No, boxing is not entirely a safe sport but there are other things to consider. On average, 10 kids per year get killed playing Little League baseball and that is perhaps more than are killed in all the boxing rings worldwide for an entire year. More people are killed skiing in the state of Colorado alone, in one season, than are killed worldwide in boxing for the entire year. For real carnage and traumatic injury we would have to examine football, rodeo competition and auto racing. In my 50 years' involvement with boxing and as a near full-time coach, I have come to know the sport as an absolute life saver to countless youth, who are often not privileged enough to be out on the slopes. I count among my former pupils a city councilman, a student at the U.S. Naval Academy and more than a few police and firemen. Archbishop Bernard Schiel of Chicago, who was criticized for his involvement with boxing, said, "It would be nice if young people who are prime candidates for death or a prison cell would be interested in a gentler recreation such as chess or checkers, but they are not." Fred Ryan, Portland
LETTERS POLICY: We print as many letters as space allows. Please limit length to 250 words and submissions to once a month. All letters are subject to editing for length and clarity, and must include address and phone number. E-mail to editor@eugeneweekly.com, fax to 484-4044, or mail to 1251 Lincoln, Eugene 97401.
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||
|
|
 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
