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Social Equity Does everyone feel welcome and treated fairly in our community? I do believe that we would like that to be the case, but recent discussions regarding school achievement gaps, availability of mental healthcare services, and racial profiling are examples of inequities felt and lived in Eugene. I watched my son, a Pacific Islander by birth, struggle with each of these. I strongly believe we must find better ways to hear where we are failing and commit ourselves to improvement. We must take action where action has been lacking and measure our success in moving forward. I want to focus for a moment on the hate literature that has shown up in our community and across this state. We will not put up with it and we will stand as a community strongly against it. Racial and ethnic incidents and attitudes of intolerance are simply not acceptable if we wish to be a community where all people in Eugene feel safe and valued. Incidents of intolerance hurt all of us, whether or not we are part of a targeted group. Our progress in improving the climate for diversity and tolerance can ultimately improve Eugene's regional and national reputation, our ability to recruit and retain quality companies and employees, and the health of our community and strength of our local economy. It will just make us a nicer community for people to live in. Proposals: In 2005, I will be focusing on the following two issues: 1. External Review Board. I support establishing a Police External Review Board that will help us meet our city's goal of ensuring that everyone is treated fairly and appropriately by our police officers. 2. Meeting regularly with communities that feel discrimination. It is important that we talk together in our Human Rights Commission and in small meetings about what is working and what is not. Atten- tion only at times of crisis is inadequate. I am not going to prescribe who should participate and what those meetings should cover. That is what I need to hear from these communities. And now, my thoughts and proposals regarding strengthening our economy: Putting Real Commitment into Sustainable Economic Practices Our city does many things well despite our economic challenges. I have spoken of our schools, social services, public engagement, arts and culture. We have a number of excellent City services and I have noted our great natural assets. Yet, often in recent years I have seen Eugene characterized as a divided and divisive community especially when it comes to business and the environment. I have heard Eugene labeled as a difficult place to do business because of our concern for our environment. I would like to change that message. We have excellent schools and a beautiful environment and these are key attractions for business investors. Oregon ranks among the top seven states in three broad economic development indicators, earning a spot on the "honor role" from the Corporation for Enterprise Develop- ment, based in Washington DC. They say Oregon's economic development picture presents a "strong mix of resource efficiency and quality of life." MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 3, 2005 Page 5 State of the City