Eugene Weekly

• Votes are still being tallied as we go to press this week, but we’re encouraged by what we’re seeing. Eugene City Councilor Betty Taylor gets another four years, and it’s clear Juan Carlos Valle would have done much better if he had run in a different ward. Chris Pryor, for example, was unopposed in Ward 8, but he got only 3,600 votes out of 8,200 ballots cast in that ward. That’s a huge undervote in that race, and also in the race for the County Commission seat that now belongs to Pat Farr (16,816 undervotes). Continue reading →

• Will your vote bring back the unicorns? Probably not right away. But not voting might bring back the dinosaurs. A few zombies are also on the ballot, hoping voter apathy will allow them to rise and feed. Mmm. Brains. Deadline for voting is 8 pm Tuesday, Nov. 6, and white ballot boxes can be found around town and on campus. Many of the races and issues in this election are too close to call. This is a time when an individual can make a difference.  Continue reading →

• Find our condensed endorsements ] in this issue, a 350-word version of last week’s 3,500 words of analysis and recommendations. Our short picks are a handy way to compare our endorsements with those of the R-G, which were also compiled this week. We differ from the daily on the regulate pot measure, corporate kicker measure, the Circuit Court write-in, Court of Appeals, Eugene City Council Ward 2 and House District 7. Continue reading →

• It’s election time again and the state and local Voters’ Pamphlets are a hefty quarter of an inch thick. It’s all fascinating reading (especially between the lines), reflecting the brilliance and dimness of current political thought and our messy experiment with representative government, aka democracy. Every voter should read it, along with absorbing all the propaganda in print and on the web, in the broadcast media, around the kitchen table and at the water cooler. Continue reading →

• Ballots go in the mail starting Friday, Oct. 19, and our election issue, including endorsements, will be next week, Oct. 18. We’ll have more election stories right up to Nov. 2, our last issue before the Nov. 6 election. Haven’t registered to vote, or moved since you last voted? Better hurry. The deadline is next Tuesday, Oct. 16, and it’s easy to do online at oregonvotes.org or down at Lane County Elections, 275 W. 10th Ave., in Eugene. Call 682-4234. Continue reading →

• The fate of the West Eugene EmX extension is pending as we go to press this week, and we hope a majority on the Eugene City Council recognize the long-term benefits of efficient rapid transit throughout the metro area. We heard Councilor George Poling was planning a motion at the Sept. 26 meeting that the EmX extension be sent back to LTD with a call for a public vote. This proposal flies in the face of comprehensive transportation planning. Decisions such as extending EmX involve many thousands of hours of research and analysis by experts in the field. Continue reading →

• Lots of chatter out there about Gov. Kitzhaber’s continuing meetings with business, labor and other state leaders about restructuring Oregon taxes. Current projection is that a proposal won’t be ready for the 2013 session of the Legislature. Will we all live long enough to see a “reasonable” proposal pass? That’s the governor’s goal. In all the talk about small business, big business, etc., we want to interject the theme that a state’s strongest draw for economic success is an excellent education system. Oregon’s current tax system is seriously hampering public education. Continue reading →

• We’re pleased to finally see a pro-EmX group coming together in Better Eugene-Springfield Transit (BEST). The nonprofit will soon have a website and Facebook page, and we see a broad spectrum of noted community leaders on the board of directors. BEST will be lobbying undecided Eugene city councilors in advance of the council’s upcoming key vote on the West Eugene EmX Expansion and will be supporting local mass transit well into the future. Continue reading →

• Commentary from our Duck Desk: Duck fans saw two blowouts last Saturday: The Ducks won the first half 50-10, but got whipped by Arkansas State in the second half 24-7. That may be bad news for Duck fans hoping for a national championship. Championship teams have enough depth and competitive fire to make sure teams like Arkansas State don’t thump them, even for a half. With Fresno State coming to town next, we better hope the Ducks get better fast. And we like the terrific new yellow and green uniforms. We’re waiting for rhinestones. Continue reading →

• Another great Eugene Celebration is behind us and the band Volifonix was judged the winner of our Next Big Thing music contest on the KRVM/Eugene Weekly Stage Saturday afternoon. Members of Volifonix are Tomo “The Samurai” Tsurumi, Blake Forbess, Joe McClain, Trevor Forbess and Elijah Median. Judges also liked finalist Paul Quillen, and we’re talking about having a singer-songwriter category next year. It’s hard to compare a singer with a guitar to a full-blown band. Volifonix and some other finalists will perform at our Best of Eugene Awards Show Oct. Continue reading →