Olsen is what Bettman wants
Bonny Bettman’s platform calls for locally owned, sustainable small businesses located in downtown. Specifically, she says that “economic development should foster local small businesses.”
Who is already doing this? Tracy Olsen — a native Eugenian and owner of a successful small downtown business.
Bettman wants more people like Olsen in Eugene, so do I. That’s why I am voting for Olsen for Eugene city council, Ward 3.
David Haushalter
Eugene resident
Tracy Olsen doesn’t even vote
If you go down to the Lane County Elections office you can find out who is registered to vote and how often they have voted. I decided to do this for Olsen, one of the candidates for the Ward 3 City Council Seat. Guess what? He hasn’t voted since 1997. That means that he didn’t even bother to vote in the gubernatorial race in 1998 and has ignored the smaller elections since then. If he can’t manage to take a few minutes to vote once or twice a year, then do we want to elect him to a position where he may be required to work up to 40 hours a week? I don’t think so.
Bonny Bettman is the clear choice for Ward 3 Councilor. She has experience with local transportation, livability and community issues and has worked with a number of citizen groups. Friends of Eugene named her “Activist of the Year.” The Sierra Club has endorsed her. The Lane County Democrats has endorsed her. A number of local elected officials including David Kelly, Betty Taylor and Peter Sorenson have endorsed her. She has solid community support.
I urge you to vote for Bettman.
Chris O’Connor
Eugene resident
Piercy has credentials, too
Monday, the Oregon Daily Emerald endorsed, among others, Bobby Green Sr. in his race for the Board of Lane County Commissioners. At no time did your editorial board attempt to contact his opponent, Kitty Piercy for an interview relating to this endorsement.
Here is some information that you overlooked in making your endorsement. Kitty has:
· Advocated for improved child care for students
· Fought to keep students covered by the Oregon Health Plan
· Stood shoulder to shoulder with students over the right to vote for how student dollars are spent.
She has a relationship with the University stretching back more than a quarter century. Currently, three of her staff members are graduates of the University.
It is the height of arrogance for your editorial board to believe that it can
assess the relative qualifications of candidates for office without taking the time to learn about them. When a newspaper makes assumptions about political candidates without taking the time to study the relative merits of each, it loses credibility.
As a second generation University alumnus I am shocked that your newspaper would make political endorsements without having an impartial decision process in place. In the future, I hope that the Emerald Editorial Board will take its journalistic responsibility seriously enough to warrant an actual interview of the candidates. Otherwise, the Editorial Board could best serve the public interest by not commenting on public policy issues that it knows little or nothing about.
Christian Kaylor
Campaign Manager
Kitty Piercy for
County Commissioner
