Local Elections Candidate Statements Jon Belcher has worked hard to bring these candidates statements to you in lieu of our traditional candidates forum. Each candidate in a contested primary race was given the opportunity to submit a statement . Eight statements were submitted received and are linked to the candidates names in the list below.
State Representative District 13 Democratic Primary: uncontested
Nancy Nathanson Phone: 541)345-8683 nn413@comcast.net Republican Primary: uncontested
David J Smith Phone: (541)953-1350 djs47@comcast.net
State Representative District 14 Democrat Primary: uncontested
Julie Fahey Phone: (541)505-8717 julie@juliefahey.org Republican Primary:
Rich Cunningham (541)232-7967 richc414@aol.com richcunninghamfororegon.com no response Alison Rhoads (503)875-7441 phantomangel7893@gmail.com
Lane County: Ballot Measure LCC Bond 20-306 Lane County Commissioner Pat Farr farrout72@gmail.com Andrew Ross Phone: (541) 743-5247 carlandross@yahoo.com Sheriff uncontested
Clifton G. Howard Phone: (541) 682-4434 Harrold524@gmail.com Eugene: Mayor (7)
Lucy Vinis Phone: 541-206-8803 Email: info@lucyvinis.com no response
Robert Patterson Phone: 541-897-2020 Email: emeraldgulch@gmail.com no response Zondie Zinke Phone: 650-743-8588 Email: zondiez@hotmail.com Benjamin Ricker Phone: 503-875-2647 Email: bwricker@gmail.com
Stacey Westover Phone: 541-913-6636 Email: westoverteamsales@gmail.com no response Matthew Yook Phone: 541-729-4372 Email: matthewyook@gmail.com
Thomas Hiura Phone: 541-510-9987 Email: th2762@tc.columbia.edu no response Ward 7 (3) Claire Syrett Phone: 541-434-6164 Email: claire.m.syrett@ci.eugene.or.us Douglas Barr Phone:541-653-0326 Email:dbarr@foodforlanecounty.org
Charles “Cliff” Gray Phone: 541-653-9525 Email: darkgray@aol.com no response EWEB Wards 6 & 7 uncontested
Sonya Carlson Phone: 541-915-2109) Email: sonyaforeweb@gmail.com
State Representative District 14
Republican Primary:
Alison Rhoads
-Pro-Constitution.
-Pro-Limited Government.
-Pro-2A, no red flag law. "SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED".
-Pro-life.
-Pro-Returning Federal land back to the People of Oregon.
-Anti-Illegal immigration, pro immigration reform.
-Pro-Medical Freedom, no forced vaccinations or procedures.
-Anti-Sexualization of kids in schools.
-Anti-Common Core in schools.
-Anti-Cap & Trade, pro free market solutions for greener living.
-Pro-TimberUnity's 4-Point Plan for carbon sequestration.
-Pro-Tax reform, lowering all taxes.
-Pro-Single family zoning, expansion of urban growth boundaries.
-Pro-CPS reform.
-Pro-PERS reform.
-Pro-Govt. Transparency.
-Pro-Govt. Accountability, especially in spending of tax dollars.
-Anti-Attacks on small businesses.
-Pro-Drug treatment in secure facility instead of jail, pro investment in treatment centers instead of lavish new city halls, etc.
-Pro-Fixing homeless crisis.
Lane County: Lane County Commissioner Pat Farr
My wife Debi and I celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary this year. We are proud of our three caring, compassionate children: Paddy, a mental health counselor; Evan, a teacher; and Luke, a manager for Starbucks in San Francisco. Our grandchildren brighten our lives.
Local business drives our economy. I worked at Jerry’s as we grew from a dozen employees into the largest independent Home Center in the US. I was FOOD for Lane County’s Executive Director as we weathered a crippling crisis to become the preeminent nonprofit in the region, distributing 7 million pounds of food annually. I received recognition by the US Senate for my work there. In 2016, Michelle Obama invited me to spend a day at the White House celebrating Operation 365, Housing 404 Homeless Veterans.
I am running for re-election to continue my focus on poverty and homelessness and successful work in stabilization of services including economic development, public safety, equity and access, climate change and health and human services. During my years we progressed from being on the State “watch list” for potential financial failure to having our Moody’s Financial Rating increased twice. This took an enormous effort, bringing the county into structural financial balance. We currently have the highest Moody’s rating Lane County has ever had.
I am endorsed by Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis and all City Councilors in my district, Chris Pryor, Claire Syrett, Mike Clark, Jennifer Yeh and Greg Evans.
Please follow my Lane County COVID-19 updates on Facebook and at www.ForumLane.com
Andrew Ross
I am the only Democrat running for the North Eugene County Commission position, against a conservative-leaning incumbent. I have been a Eugene resident since 1991, a homeowner in the district since 2007, and have a son at Holt Elementary.
As an attorney practicing in downtown Eugene for 22 years, I have seen first-hand the need for restorative justice and investment in court programs that prioritize rehabilitation over punishment.
I have encountered people every day who have been pushed to the margins of our community by our housing crisis, our lack of living-wage jobs, our addiction epidemic or our lack of mental health support services.
As a landlord, I’ve worked hard to keep rents affordable, in the face of an ever increasing housing shortage. I want to help ensure all can find affordable housing, and increase the amount of accessible housing for those in need.
I support unions, and I also know that living wage jobs are key to making sure families can afford to stay in our community. We need to foster an environment that attracts business and keeps entrepreneurs local by investing in the health, education, and quality of life of our workforce.
I’m running because we have a moral imperative to work together to improve the quality of life for all of Lane County. That means we need better court facilities, better treatment options, better wages, more affordable housing, and public transportation that reaches more people. I look forward to working with you to help Lane County thrive.
Eugene: Mayor (7) Zondie Zinkewww.solidarityplatformeugene.org
What motivates me to run for mayor is a sense that we need to significantly shift our priorities at the local level. The Covid-19 crisis makes this all the more evident.
We have the highest per capita rate of homelessness in the United States. Official counts show the number of people made homeless locally increased by 33% in a year. We must prioritize people's bottom-line survival and wellness needs. Our community deserves robust social safety nets.
Eugene’s current Climate Action Plan is alarmingly inadequate. Even if all recommendations of the plan were activated, our city would fall short of non-negotiable 2030 climate goals by upwards of 50%. We must learn from Covid-19 that any delay means options decrease and consequences intensify.
Meeting our climate and equity goals will require deep reconsideration of how our local government directs economic development. Eugene follows the norm of trickle-down economics. We extend tax-breaks, incentives, and investments to high-end developments. The idea being that these will provide a stronger tax base for community resilience down the road.
However, what we have seen in Eugene, as in every city across the nation, is that this model concentrates wealth while impoverishing communal resources.
To start, I would end tax-breaks for exclusive Downtown developments and terminate disproportionate public investment in the high-end Riverfront. Instead of enabling concentration at the top, I would direct our economy under the guidance of a local Green New Deal. Thus, we might approach meaningful equity and the prospect of a habitable planet.
Benjamin Ricker
For a while Eugene banned dogs from the city’s downtown business core. No dogs, aside from service animals, police dogs, and dogs belonging to people who rent downtown. It came and went, but the downtown dog ban did its job, which wasn’t even about dogs in the first place. It was really about homeless people, and communicating two distinct messages at once.
Homeless folks I spoke with back then heard loud and clear what the city was saying: You are not welcome here. Others were pleased to see the city take action against certain classes of people who make shopping downtown uncomfortable. Anyhow, the city didn’t renew it. The sun set on the dog ban, and away it went.
But that’s not all. Suspicious new rules began to surface shortly thereafter, like a panhandling ordinance that would have penalized motorists caught giving food or money to roadside beggars. Then came the recent planting strip decision, where the city tweaked code purely to make it harder for homeless people to find places to rest.
I began going Monday evenings to city council work sessions years ago, first as a reporter, and now because it’s difficult to wring much useful information from the newspapers here.
I’m a Solidarity candidate running for mayor. I don’t aim to win. I’m running because I want incumbents to explain the reasons they supported cruel policies like the dog ban and the planting strip decision.
Matthew Yook
What motivates me to run for mayor is a sense that we need to significantly shift our priorities at the local level. The Covid-19 crisis makes this all the more evident.
We have the highest per capita rate of homelessness in the United States. Official counts show the number of people made homeless locally increased by 33% in a year. We must prioritize people's bottom-line survival and wellness needs. Our community deserves robust social safety nets.
Eugene’s current Climate Action Plan is alarmingly inadequate. Even if all recommendations of the plan were activated, our city would fall short of non-negotiable 2030 climate goals by upwards of 50%. We must learn from Covid-19 that any delay means options decrease and consequences intensify.
Meeting our climate and equity goals will require deep reconsideration of how our local government directs economic development. Eugene follows the norm of trickle-down economics. We extend tax-breaks, incentives, and investments to high-end developments. The idea being that these will provide a stronger tax base for community resilience down the road. However, what we have seen in Eugene, as in every city across the nation, is that this model concentrates wealth while impoverishing communal resources.
To start, I would end tax-breaks for exclusive Downtown developments and terminate disproportionate public investment in the high-end Riverfront. Instead of enabling concentration at the top, I would direct our economy under the guidance of a local Green New Deal. Thus, we might approach meaningful equity and the prospect of a habitable planet. www.solidarityplatformeugene.org
Ward 7 (3) Claire Syrett
I am seeking my third term representing Ward 7 on the Eugene City Council. I am the most qualified candidate for this position given my accomplishments over the past eight years and my knowledge of the priorities of my River Road constituents.
I have followed closely the River Road neighborhood planning efforts and attended several neighborhood planning meetings. I have advocated that our city street and sidewalk standards allow for flexibility so that River Road can maintain its rural character while also benefiting from safe street and sidewalk infrastructure. I have collaborated with neighborhood leaders to ensure that the City maintains its commitment to this vital planning effort through all its phases.
I worked to find additional funding for our parks, recreation facilities, libraries and public safety system all of which are basis city services needed for the enjoyment of the high quality of life in our city.
I successfully advocated for the adoption of our Vision Zero policy which seeks to eliminate all serious injury and deaths on our streets. I support the expansion of transit service, including EmX, to help reduce our carbon emissions and provide more transit options to residents.
I successfully moved the city budget committee to pass a motion setting aside one million dollars to be dedicated to building a publicly funded low barrier homeless shelter.
I appreciate this opportunity to connect with River Road voters during this challenging time. I hope I can count on your vote in May.
Sincerely,
Claire Syrett
Douglas Barr
I've been married for 29 years. I work for Food for Lane County. I'm also an elected member of the Eugene neighborhood association Active Bethel Citizens.
Chair The Willamette and Kalapuya high schools’ student pantries. I'm asking for your vote to help us end Eugene's statistical reign as a #1 homeless city in the United States. Have you ever had an idea that would help people and save money ? That's my position!!
Eugene and Eugene's taxpayers need to move forward to other city business such as schools, jobs, climate change, infrastructure, creating business, healthcare and more.
Being a Food for Lane County employee and living off Highway 99 has me on the front lines of the food and housing insecurity crisis. Working to do my part and seeing this struggle daily is how I came up with my new idea.
In 2018 I came up with an idea on how to tackle the food insecurities with the homeless and low income students within the Bethel School District. Along with others, we collaborated with our communities Unsung Hero’s, organizations, Rotary clubs and volunteers. We now have two pantries within Willamette and Kalapuya high schools. Needless to say, we're putting a major dent in students being able to have access to food.
My new idea will help stop the homeless suffering, save taxpayers money , while along the way help Eugene move forward into the future together.
Please Vote for Douglas Barr City Council Ward 7
County to Purchase Closed VA Clinic at 100 River Avenue for Use in the COVID-19 Emergency
Today (3/31/2020) the Lane County Commission approved the purchase of the closed VA Clinic at 100 River Avenue for $1.8 million dollars. County staff identified the building as the best option to quickly convert to provide separated housing for individuals who meet the need to be tested for Covid 19 or are awaiting test results but at this time don’t need to be admitted to a hospital. Additionally, this building will provide discharge capacity for unhoused individuals coming out of a hospital to enable maximum capacity in the area hospitals. The facility can accommodate at least 100 beds with appropriate social distancing based on initial estimates. Preparation for occupancy will begin immediately, not more than 24 hours later, commencing with cleaning, transfer of utilities, startup of mechanical systems, and space planning.
RRCO participated in the walkthrough this weekend to identify issues and opportunities of the site prior to the Commission’s deliberation.
The County will work with the River Road Community Organization to develop a Good Neighbor Agreement to identify expectations of the County, the administrators of the facility, its clients, nearby neighbors and the River Road Community Organization. It will also identify procedures to be followed if conflicts occur.
Draft letter from the Neighborhood Leadership Council to City Council.
The RRCO Board signed off on this letter with recommended inclusion of equal support for unincorporated areas.
Dear Mayor Vinis, City of Eugene Council Members, and City Manager Pro Tem Medary,
On behalf of the Neighborhood Leaders Council (NLC), and in coordination with X of the Y active Neighborhood Associations (NHAs) representing XXX,XXX of the City’s YYY,YYY residents , we are writing to recommend several City actions to protect the citizens of Eugene and ensure that neighborhoods can continue to effectively respond to the needs of their residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many of our neighbors are already suffering, from the loss of employment and income, to threats to their health and access to housing. Though NHAs recognize that precautious restrictions are necessary to combat this outbreak, we are concerned that municipal and commercial services will diminish in the coming weeks and months as a result. We need to continue to assist our most vulnerable neighbors immediately, particularly our unhoused neighbors, while preparing for the continued social and economic turmoil over the coming year.
When our neighbors can no longer safely ride public transportation or access their closest local markets, their available support will depend not only on the compassion of their neighbors, but also on the degree to which we are in coordination with the City.
Now more than ever it is essential that the City has accurate information about the needs of its residents. With sufficient City support NHAs will enhance the city’s ability to identify these needs and respond to the City’s needs in the most efficient and timely manner.
We ask that the City of Eugene:
Maintain funding for NHAs
Create an application process for NHA’s to make specific funding requests for emergency outreach funds
Condition all matching grant funding exclusively for neighborhood level COVID-19 response
Partner with the NLC for a monthly Zoom COVID-19 meeting with NHA representatives, City of Eugene and Lane County Health and Human Services staff
Direct the City of Eugene PIO to update the NLC at least weekly about the City’s COVID-19 response efforts
Establish a temporary moratorium on residential and commercial tenant evictions due to COVID-19 through July 31st, 2020
Partner with NHA’s and the University of Oregon in order to implement neighborhood level data collection for COVID-19 research
Several NHA’s are already creating the infrastructure to bring desperately needed resources and services to our neighbors at scale using “mutual aid”, a voluntary, reciprocal exchange of resources and services.
Examples of some of these programs include the following:
Reaching our most vulnerable residents is difficult. Many of them are not connected to their nearby neighbors; they don’t use social media or email communication. Several NHAs are preparing printed outreach materials in hopes that these residents will respond to offers of help.
All these efforts take money and time during a crisis where hours may mean the difference between life and death. Right now, neighborhood leaders are spending their own money and devoting hours organizing these efforts for their neighbors. Some NHAs have sufficient outreach funds to cover the expense of printing and mailing information to their residents in the coming months. Others have already spent those funds notifying their members of scheduled meetings that have now been canceled. Smaller NHAs rarely have sufficient funding to mail members more than once a trimester.
It is for these reasons, that we ask the City Manager Pro Tem and Council to consider a series of recommendations to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our neighborhoods while mitigating the effects of the economic and social impact, empowering NHAs to do what they do best: organize and respond to neighborhood needs.
We’ve outlined our recommendations on the following page.
Maintain funding for NHAs: NHAs retain City-designated funding for the rest of FY20 and our FY21 funding levels remain consistent with funding levels from FY20.
Create an application process for NHA’s to make specific funding requests for emergency outreach funds: Create an application process for NHAs to request emergency outreach funds for FY20 and FY21 in addition to the City designated funding mentioned previously.
Condition all matching grant funding exclusively for neighborhood level COVID-19 response: Funding for Community Matching Grants managed by the HRNI not be reduced in FY21 and they be exclusively used for neighborhood level COVID-19 response.
Partner with the NLC for a monthly Zoom COVID-19 meeting with NHA representatives, City of Eugene and Lane County Health and Human Services staff: NLC representatives, City and Lane County Health and Human Services staff meet for a ZOOM update on COVID-19 during the NLC meeting hosted on the last Tuesday of every month at 7:00pm.
Direct the City of Eugene PIO to update the NLC at least weekly about the City’s COVID-19 response efforts: The City of Eugene PIO leads a weekly call with NLC co-chairs so that the co-chairs can share this information with NHA representatives.
Establish a temporary moratorium on residential and commercial tenant evictions due to COVID-19 through July 31st, 2020: Strengthen Governor Brown’s moratorium on COVID-19 evictions to include commercial as well as residential tenants. Implement additional protections and requirements on the municipal level and work with Lane County to create additional measures to protect residential and commercial tenants from COVID-19 related evictions.
Partner with NHA’s and the University of Oregon in order to implement neighborhood level data collection for COVID-19 research: NHAs can facilitate hyper-local data collection which will aid the City and County in determining where to concentrate resources and the University of Oregon with their already funded and currently active COVID-19 research.
Sincerely,
NLC co-chair David Monk, NLC co-chair Ian Winbrock and Former City of Eugene Mayor Kitty Pierce
The district has provided resources for learning enrichment at home and is preparing to reconnect teachers with students to provide remote supplemental education starting the week of April 6. We're seeking out families who need home technology support such as loaned student devices or help accessing the internet, to make sure that all 4J students can have regular access to curriculum materials and learning opportunities and can remain connected to their teachers and schools.
Free Meals for All Children
Free grab-and-go meals are available for all youth age 18 and younger every weekday, 11 a.m.–12 p.m., at several sites across the district, with more to be added. Families can choose the location that is most convenient for them, no matter where they live or attend school. Meals are free for all and there are no income limits or other qualifications required—just observe 6-foot social distancing requirements!
Childcare for Essential Workers
4J is joining with our local partners to provide childcare for essential healthcare workers and first responders who are on the front lines of responding to the coronavirus pandemic.
Local Covid-19 information and resources
The Lane County Mutual Aid network has organized to respond to the needs of the community in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. We collectively have the capacity to move through this crisis with love, compassion, and a dedication to justice.
This crisis has highlighted the flaws in our current system. Due to structural inequality, economic disparity, inaccessible healthcare, and an inadequate response from all levels of government, we are all at risk. Because of this reality, we have chosen to act.
We have live forms to Request Aid and Volunteer Aid (Spanish versions: Request Aid and Volunteer Aid), which seek to connect people to existing services and each other, and are eager to create a region-wide network of Neighborhood Point People who are keen to the needs and resources on their block.
Through this mutual aid effort, neighbors can communicate to identify and respond to each other’s needs in a way that our federal, state, and local governments cannot. Please fill out a form to request aid or volunteer. You can also find Lane County Mutual Aid on Facebook and Instagram at @lanecountymutualaid, reach out to us at lanemutualaid@gmail.com, or you can call our hotline at (541) 321-8749. Our efforts are only successful when all backgrounds, capabilities, needs, and interests are honored. Together, we can build a better world.
With Love and Solidarity,
Lane County Mutual Aid
Food:
Fred Meyer Delivers for a fee: https://www.fredmeyer.com/i/ways-to-shop/delivery UBER Eats is delivering meals from their clients for free www.ubereats.com
Senior Shopping Hours at local grocery stores: Costco senior shopping hours When: 8am-9am Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting Tuesday, March 24 Ages 60+ Target senior shopping hours When: The first hour of shopping every Wednesday (check local store for hours) Ages 65+, customers with disabilities, pregnant shoppers, and shoppers with compromised immune systems. Safeway senior shopping hours When: 7am-9am, Tuesdays and Thursdays (some store times vary) Senior citizens, pregnant women, customers with compromised immune systems Walmart senior shopping hours When: 1 hour before opening to the public, every Tuesday (most open at 7am)
Who: Senior citizens Albertsons senior shopping hours When: 7am-9am, Tuesdays and Thursdays (some store times vary) Senior citizens, pregnant women, customers with compromised immune systems Whole Foods senior shopping hours When: 1 hour before opening to the public (most open at 8am) Ages 60+ Market of Choice (hours 8 AM to 9 PM) When: 7 am – 8 am on Tuesdays & Fridays Winco Senior shopping hours from 6AM to 7:30AM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. (60+), Vulnerable Populations and WinCo Employee Owners Trader Joes Every day between 9AM and 10AM, Crew Members will maintain an additional line outside the front door for our senior customers.
