Eugene Weekly : News : 12.28.06
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Slant: Short opinion pieces and rumor-chasing notes News: Happenin' Person: Larry Deckman REFORM OF MEASURE 37 ON AGENDAS Ballot Measure 37, passed by Oregon voters in November 2004, was touted as a way for individuals to regain value in their land that they purchased before restrictive land-use rules were imposed. But many of the estimated 4,000 claims filed to date under Measure 37 are for corporate gravel pits, pumice mines, garbage dump expansions, hastily planned subdivisions and commercial development on productive farm and forest lands. "Many Oregonians fear for their livelihoods, their neighborhoods and our state's cherished quality of life," says Bob Stacey, executive director of 1000 Friends of Oregon, in a statement released earlier this month. "Why, instead of righting old wrongs, is Measure 37 being used to impose vast new wrongs?" 1000 Friends is asking the 2007 Oregon Legislature to fix Measure 37 "before it's too late." The land use group is calling for a temporary suspension of Measure 37, along with halting development already approved, to allow the Legislature to craft "even-handed fairness legislation." The group is also asking for hearings throughout the state so that citizens can voice their concerns about the measure and "help develop a comprehensive reform effort. Gov. Kulongoski is expected to address Measure 37 issues as part of his agenda for the 2007 Legislature. Meanwhile, Stacey says an out-of-state timber company has filed claims for a proposed suburban-style development on 32,000 acres of Coast Range forest land. Democrats will be in an improved position to make changes to Measure 37 next year. State Sen. Floyd Prozanski will chair a newly formed committee that will look at changing the measure. The Eugene City Council is also pondering action on the measure. One proposal that's already before the council is a "reverse Measure 37," imposing taxes on property owners who benefit from favorable zoning changes. The money raised would offset losses from Measure 37 claims payments. City councilors are planning to hold off pursuing such a tax until the Legislature's intentions become more clear in the first quarter of 2007. — Ted Taylor
HOLIDAY PROTESTS Christmas weekend in southwest Eugene found Cascadia Forest Defenders and UO's Forest Action braving the cold, wet weather to send a different message to people in cars and limousines enjoying the Christmas lights. Protesters gathered at dusk one of the most elaborately decorated estates in Eugene, at the corner of Chambers and McLean. The fenced and gated property is owned by Aaron Jones, owner of Seneca Jones Lumber, which is currently logging native forests in the McKenzie River watershed, Eugene's source of drinking water. Protesters held a banner saying "Pray for Aaron Jones to see the light — stop logging our drinking water source." A protester dressed as a spotted owl also read from the Essene Gospels of Peace with a megaphone. The text included such passages as "Hail be unto Thee! / O good living Tree / Made by the Creator/ Now the desert sweeps the earth with burning sand / the giant trees are dust and ashes / and the wide river is a pool of mud /He who doth destroy a tree / Hath cut off his own limbs / For the trees are our brothers / and as brothers / we shall guard and love one another." The organizers in a prepared statement said it is their "sacred duty to wake up the sleeping masses and alert them to the importance of protecting our forests which sustain our life on this planet." — TJT
DEADLINE FOR CULTURAL TRUST GIFTS Oregon has a unique private-public funding program to support the arts, humanities and heritage in the state, and the deadline for participating this year is Dec. 31. The Oregon Cultural Trust is a program raising significant new funds to invest in Oregon's cultural heritage. The trust creates a long-term, protected endowment, and funds are distributed annually through three multi-faceted, wide-ranging grant programs. How to participate? Donors to the trust are eligible for a 100 percent tax credit for contributions of up to $500 for individuals, $1,000 for couples filing jointly and $2,500 for corporations. To qualify, trust donors must also make matching gifts to one or more of 1,200 cultural nonprofits. All gifts must be postmarked by Dec. 31 each year and can also be made by phone or online. The trust began fundraising in December 2002 and has raised more than $7.5 million — nearly all in individual donations — from 7,100 Oregonians. For more information, call (503) 986-0088 or visit www.culturaltrust.org
BEEF ON BLOG? As we go to press, Oregon and Missouri political blogs are heatedly debating the value of food. Oregon State plays Mizzou in the Sun Bowl Dec. 29, and in a bizarre tradition, Governor Kulongoski, born in the Show-Me State and a Mizzou alum (full disclosure: as was and is the writer) offered Mo. Gov Matt Blunt, a dyed-in-the-wool conservative, a gift basket of Oregon foodstuff if Mizzou wins the game. Blunt counteroffered with gifts of Missouri agriculture. In a Blue Oregon post (www.blueoregon.com),the goofiness began. Should Kulongoski really bet against his alma mater? And if Oregon State wins, could Blunt's offer — Missouri beef, "award-winning" wines, apple butter, root beer and, of course, barbecue — possibly measure up to Kulongoski's generous tender of three wheels of Rogue Creamery bleu cheese, Oregon microbrews and fresh seafood? Loaded Orygun snidely got in on the act (http://loadedorygun.blogspot.com),flipping out over the "trade imbalance." The Fired Up! Missouri blog (http://www.firedupmissouri.com)snarkily responded. Loaded Orygun replied on both blogs, and even The Oregonian's political blog (http://politicsupdates.oregonlive.com),which began it all, participated. Of course, internet-savvy politicos know that these blogs offer far more than semi-joking "faux outrage," to quote Loaded Orygun, with up-to-the-minute news, political analyses and open discussions for all who care to comment. — Suzi Steffen
OSPIRG CELEBRATES BUSY YEAR The public interest group OSPIRG and its foundation are celebrating a string of successes in a variety of campaigns during 2006, from cleaning up cars to cleaning up predatory lenders. "It has been an exciting year," says Maureen Kirk, OSPIRG's executive director in a year-end wrap-up. OSPIRG takes credit, in part for the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission, with the support of Gov. Kulongoski and the Clean Cars for Oregon coalition, adopting the Clean Cars Program in June, "which will cut global warming pollution from new cars and trucks by 30 percent and make Oregon a leader in curbing global warming," says Kirk. She credits OSPIRG advocate Jeremiah Baumann's research documented the benefits of the program for curbing global warming, along with a citizen outreach staff knocking on thousands of doors. OSPIRG was active in the campaign to pass Measure 44 to expand the Oregon Prescription Drug Program, which uses the power of bulk purchasing to negotiate lower prices with drug companies. In July, OSPIRG's Laura Etherton released a report "Paying the Price," revealing that with no one to negotiate lower prices on their behalf, uninsured consumers pay an average of 61 percent more than the federal government for the same drugs. OSPIRG worked with Sen. Bill Morrisette and others to qualifiy the initiative for the ballot and then worked to advocate for the measure's passage. The group was involved in supporting the restoring of protections for nearly two million acres of Oregon's last remaining wild forests in September. The decision overturned the Bush administration's repeal of protections first put in place for nearly 60 million acres nationwide in 2001 under a policy known as the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Clean Energy for Oregon was another OSPIRG focus in 2006. The OSPIRG-backed Renewable Energy Standard requires that 25 percent of Oregon's electricity come from renewable sources such as wind and solar by 2025. OSPIRG is working with a broad coalition, including Renewable Northwest Project, Oregon Citizens' Utility Board, rural county commissioners and businesses, to build support among legislators for the 25 percent standard. This fall, OSPIRG student chapters across the state worked as part of the nonpartisan Student Vote Coalition with Oregon Student Association, Building Votes, and the Oregon Community College Student Association to register 21,850 new voters. Finally, OSPIRG also backed a bill to give consumers protection from predatory payday lenders.
CORRECTIONS/CLARIFICATIONS In our "Gifting 4 Good" story in the Procrastinators' Gift Guide last week, Amigos' phone number was listed as 746-6037, but that is actually the group's fax number. Amigos' correct phone number is 746-6022.
LARRY DECKMAN
Los Angeles native Larry Deckman came north to the UO at age 17. "I've lived in Eugene since that time," he observes. "I majored in world religions." Deckman then "took some years off," inventing things, writing, working jobs like Genesis Juice, and doing research into the stars. "In '83 I wrote a weekly column called What's Happening in the Sky," he notes. "It ran for over a year." That was during his time in law school. Since graduation in 1985, Deckman has maintained a solo law practice. "I've always made a determination to stay out of litigation," he says. "My emphasis is on preventative legal services." Deckman has combined his penchant for invention and his passion for the stars to develop and market the Star Finders line of astronomy-related tools, including glow-in-the-dark star maps, sold around the country at the Smithsonian and other natural-history museums. Find them online at starfinders.com Deckman will present a slide show titled "A Journey to the Outskirts of the Universe" at 7:30 pm Jan. 19 in 100 Willamette (science building) on the UO campus.
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