I was considering supporting Betsy Johnson for governor. I couldn’t support far left Tina Kotek and am not enamored with RINO Christine Drazan. But then Johnson announced that she would repeal Measure 110.
Measure 110, which decriminalized possession of certain hard drugs, was a really bad idea that has caused much harm in our state. Sold to voters as an anti-racist measure (apparently making hard drugs illegal is racist), it has never accomplished its promised benefit.
Quite the opposite: It paved the way for increased drug trafficking and exacerbated homelessness and crime. Ask any district attorney.
Oregon’s overdose deaths rose by 40 percent last year compared to 16 percent nationwide. Fewer than 1 percent of Measure 110 interactions have resulted in the apprehended person exploring recovery options, which was the prime directive of the measure. By any analysis, Measure 110 has been a costly abject failure and has left personal tragedy in its wake.
But Measure 110 was a voter mandate. To me, the most egregious sin an elected official can commit is supporting the repeal of a voter mandate. That’s what Johnson says she’ll do. It’s what Kotek and every Lane County Democrat in the Legislature have done repeatedly. That’s just another example of how they consistently demonstrate what the Bend Bulletin called “protracted contempt for the voters.”
The only legitimate way to overturn a voter mandate is to put it back before the voters. Knowing what we now know, Measure 110 would be an excellent candidate.
Jerry Ritter
Springfield
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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