Gov. Ted Kulongoski, Sen. Ron Wyden, President Bush and Rep. Peter DeFazio are responsible for the creation of the costly public-private partnership called ONAMI (Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute).
This partnership has already spent about $80 million and is poised to spend millions more. DeFazio, Wyden and Kulongoski support University President Dave Frohnmayer’s proposed sale of Westmoreland Apartments so that proceeds may be used to consolidate a land bank for future projects, which might include nanotechnology research or Nike sports complexes. Here is the University’s stated goals of development just as it appears on the Campaign Oregon: Transforming Lives campaign Web site:
“The University intends to continue development of the Research and wants to expand the physical area of the research park into the concept of a ‘research corridor’ that stretches beyond its current location to provide continuing development opportunities. The University will acquire land in the Franklin Boulevard and Glenwood areas to provide options for expanded Research Park and campus development. Acquisition of specific sites will depend on the timing and availability of funding.”
The “Transforming Lives” fundraising/privatization campaign would be more accurately named “Transforming Laws.” The system starts with a large anonymous donation arriving at the UO Foundation, where it is labeled “private.” Later, University officials may be granted an exemption from open bidding requirements for a building contract on a publicly subsidized construction project. Through a complex exchange, this might allow University donors to potentially leverage a trade payback of ten times the original donation amount. The public gets left paying an “insider” company for work it may be unqualified to complete with little or no oversight. Exemptions from the open bidding laws allow for a sustainable flow of political donations forming a “sustainable business partnership” or “smart growth coalition.” Keeping projects categorized as “private” helps Frohnmayer avoid any discussion of the growing backlog in deferred maintenance at the University, which is now estimated to be more than $120 million.
Construction is scheduled to begin on phase one of the ONAMI complex this summer. About 30 trees will be cut down for the buildings that will house what University officials and their greenwashing friends in the media refer to as “green nanotechnology” research.
Zachary Vishanoff lives in Eugene