Item 2A - Minutes Approval - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Mr. Vishanoff listed several articles and submitted them into the record. He asserted that the former director of the American Planners Association had invited the mayor to China to discuss "mega-cities." He opined that the new courthouse was part of a "Smart Growth" plan. He hoped there would be a "Smart Growth" debate or else the courthouse would be "built on a foundation of lies." Mr. Vishanoff related his experience of being shot by non-lethal bullets. He recommended the City review its policies regarding non-lethal weapons. Ray Wolfe, 1473 Luella Street, wished to focus cm homelessness as addressed in the City of Eugene 2003 Legislative Policy Statement. He said it discussed homelessness primarily in terms of affordable housing. While he agreed that affordable housing was an important symptomatic aspect of homelessness, he felt the document overlooked fundamental causes of homelessness namely poverty, drug use, and mental health. He recommended that Eugene lobby unilaterally or with the help of the League of Oregon Cities to address these more fundamental causes of homelessness. He thought the 2004 document should be amended to deal with the regressive character of Oregon State income tax laws. He opined the existing laws were outrageously counter-productive. He said estimated tax withholding applied to very low incomes of people eligible for public assistance was unrealistic, short-sighted, and naive. Mr. Wolfe also recommended that the State of Oregon fund and reopen institutions to treat mental disease. He thought it obvious that treatment with tranquilizing medications had failed to successfully address the problems faced by the mentally ill when the State hospitals had been closed. He suggested that inclusion of low- income people in the deliberations of the council's legislative policy committee would help to provide sound policy on homelessness. He likened the current approach to curing small pox by treating the lesions and not the disease. LeAnn Walker, 2860 Federal Place, opposed the McDougal land swap for the proposed park in Santa Clara. She shared that she had helped collect signatures in opposition and had, to date, only met one person who supported the swap. She felt that in addition to impacting wetlands and the environment, it would also exacerbate traffic issues at the River Road/Beltline Road interchange, an interchange that was already failing. Charles Biggs, 540 Antelope Way, submitted his testimony in writing. He urged the audience to vote no on Measure 20-88. He asserted it would increase taxes so that the City could "spend $6 million to house non-tax paying social services" in the new public safety building. He asked why they could not be moved into the old police facility. He wondered if it was "asking too much to have children and victims go across the street." He theorized it could even be safer given what had happened to the Oklahoma City's co-located daycare facility. He thought the money would be better spent on a school levy. He questioned the wisdom of investing in buildings given the current fiscal situation, adding that "police fight crime, no buildings." He opined that a new building could be "rewarding bad behavior" recently reported in the news, such as the recent Magana trial and incidences of racial profiling. He called the new police building "lavish" and reiterated that voters should vote against it. Rob Handy, 455-½ River Road, said he was inspired by the discussion at the joint session of the Planning Commission and City Council. He was particularly interested in the "alternate path" for planning and development, specifically for the River Road/Santa Clara area. He wondered how an alternate path could be found around island annexation in that area. He thought there was sometimes a lack of good information about the pros and cons of urban service delivery challenges. He said residents wanted to know what the build-ont would look like and asked if residents would have a voice in this. He asked if the "alternate path" would embrace context sensitive design. He wondered if pursuing the "alternate path" MINUTES--Eugene City Council October 25, 2004 Page 3 Regular Session