In the November 16, 2017, issue of the Eugene Weekly, Eugene resident David Funk writes in a letter:
Having run a statewide initiative campaign I can attest to the fact that the petitioners who organized the campaign to gather signatures for an elected city auditor worked hard and deserve praise for their efforts.
I fully support accountability and transparency in Eugene. A performance auditor is one good way to improve the functioning of city government. However, upon reading the text of the proposed charter amendment, I came away with the belief that there are some flaws in their proposal that would make it difficult for me and others to support it.
For example, the cost is very high, there is no residency requirement, there are no checks and balances on the auditor, and some of the language is poorly drafted.
I look forward to learning what the mayor’s study group has found and how the city council responds. I applaud the efforts of the petitioners as a good start, but I hope the Eugene City Council finds a way to improve this attempt at establishing an important government position.